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February 2, 2016

Marriage 2.0 (Lionreach Productons/Adam and Eve - 2015)

Reviewed by: Rick L. Blalock   - February 2, 2016

Starring :

India Summer
Dylan Ryan
Nina Hartley
Sadie Lune
Devi
Carol Queen
Ryan Driller
Mickey Mod
Andre Shakti
Christian Wilde
Chris Ryan (Non Sex)

Synopsis
In Marriage 2.0, beautiful Bay Area documentarian India (India Summer) wants to love unconditionally - we all do - but as she pushes the boundaries of her relationship with her long-time boyfriend (Ryan Driller), she finds that tearing down boundaries is much easier than creating new rules to live by.  Lost in this new cultural landscape of the open relationship, India seeks the sage advice of luminaries such as Christopher Ryan (bestselling author of Sex at Dawn) and Nina Hartley (in an equally sexy, poignant, and hilarious performance as India's mother) - but will she follow it?  Set against the vivid, natural beauty of Northern California and San Francisco - the cultural epicenter of the alternative relationship movement - Marriage 2.0 celebrates a modern redefinition of the committed relationship as a springboard for adventure, where unfettered physical and emotional intimacy can fuel our passion while strengthening the bond with those we love.
Megan and Eric

(Runtime - 2 hr. 7 mins.)
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In the film, MARRIAGE 2.0, "India"(India Summer) is a documentary filmmaker who lives in San Francisco.  For 8 years she has enjoyed a relationship with a man named "Eric"(Ryan Driller), who himself, works as an artist and writer.  Much of their relationship, we find has been happy, however we learn that part of the reason for that is because India has allowed some adjustments.  In other words, she has allowed an open relationship on Eric's behalf.  And because of this, Eric has another lady, a younger blonde, named "Kara"(Dylan Ryan), which he occasionally sees.  But while she how allowed Eric to have relations with others, she herself, has chosen to remain monogamous.  It is something that has not bothered her until now, when the topic becomes the topic of a current documentary piece she is now working.  The documentary, titled "Marriage 2.0" is centered around Monogamy, and it's alternative variants - particularly, open relationships.  In her interviews for the documentary, she talks to Author Chris Ryan and his partner, Cacilda Jetha who argue the case for open relationship opposed to traditional monogamy.  The talks, with these professionals, friends and her mother(Nina Hartley),cause India's thoughts, when it comes to being with only one partner to soon change.  It all starts when a getaway she plans for she and Eric, must be postponed because Eric has plans to take Kara out for her Birthday - that's when the jealously finally sets in for her.  However, things reach their peak when during a dinner party(which includes a full blown orgy), she finally meets Kara for the first time, and then later catches Eric and Kara in the middle of a steamy sex act.  From there, heartbroken and also jealous, India goes on the explore her side of the open relationship as well.  However, although she enjoys experimenting and opening her self up more in terms of freedom, she soon accepts that she can love only one partner.

MARRIAGE 2.0 Directed by Paul Deeb(from a script by Magnus Sullivan) for LIONREACH PRODUCTIONS and distributed by ADAM AND EVE, is a film which came under my radar because it has won a number of Adult entertainment awards, including; Best Polyamory Movie and Best Director for Deeb at the 2016 AVN, and at the X BIZ awards, India Summer nabbed the award for Best Actress -feature.  I have also read other reviews, which call it unique.  So I thought to myself, "this film has to be great, right?"  Well, that is the mindset that I had before going into this film.  But unfortunately, I must respectively say that I don't feel the same way about MARRIAGE 2.0, as seemingly the majority.

Don't get me wrong, the acting performances are great, as is the basic skeleton of the plot.  The story itself moves along quite nicely, but personally, I just found the film to be too artsy.  I have said this about other films, but MARRIAGE 2.0 isn't your ordinary Porn film.  But in this case, it's true.  While I am all for Porn features being ambitious and different, sometimes too much different can be unappealing.  Here, the plot flows, and plays out pretty straight forward, however the sex scenes do not.  When comes to those particular scenes, MARRIAGE 2.0 doesn't follow the traditional set up. While some scenes are complete, most aren't, as some are cut short one way or another.  However the one thing that they do have in common is that all of them are cinematic and stylish.  It is something that, initially, I had fun with, but after of seeing enough of these beautifully shot, and edited scenes, I grew bored of them, to be quite honest.  As for the sex acts themselves they are all pretty softcore.  There is also a made for cable TV version of MARRIAGE 2.0 available, which sees all of the film's hardcore sex scenes omitted.  Unfortunately though for the viewers of the XXX version. this is painfully obvious, as it would seem that all of the scenes in question, although are somewhat hardcore, have been shot in such a way that make them easy to edit for TV.  Yes, although this film is advertised as a XXX feature, in reality it is only a little more than maybe an NC-17 feature.  This could be frustrating for those expecting to get a true XXX feature with this one.

Overall, although the story manages to come across very well on the screen, and the stars, India Summer and Ryan Driller are able to create to create characters with some emotional depth(especially India Summer), as a whole, it is like an Arthouse/experimental film, that beyond its story, hopes to present something that is both beautiful and visibly unique.  And while it does succeed on both counts, it is that same stylistic approach that hinders the overall product.  It almost comes out to be a visual marriage counseling pamphlet in the end.

Although I thought that the story itself was ok, I must admit that I really did not enjoy the sex scenes at all. There is just too much style going on with them, and just when you get into things, and a certain position, it cuts to another.  Not to mention that all of the sexual encounters are just too careful and soft, making them a bore, in my opinion.  Unlike my usual setup, which sees me break up the sex, scene by scene, I am just going to list the highlights, as the structure doesn't actually lend itself to the usual.

My Score : 4/10

Sex highlights

In the first scene, India comes home from work after a long day.  Her boyfriend "Eric"(Ryan Driller) is preparing dinner.  After a brief massage, India initiates things by coming up behind Ryan, who's at the stove. She pulls out his cock and begins to stroke him off, while nibbling on his ear.  The two begin to kiss passionately as they undress.  Ryan then takes India from behind in doggy, before things go to missionary briefly, before Ryan goes down on her to tongue.  But before the action can get any hotter, the heat rises in the kitchen, causing the smoke alarm to go off.  This catches the attention of the neighbor later, "Mrs. Peters"(Olivia Queen), who interrupts the sex session.

- After a conversation regarding one of "Eric's"(Ryan Driller) latest stories, the scene dissolves into another as Ryan and "India"(India Summer) are making love in their bed.  It starts with passionately kissing. while Ryan fingers India.  That's before she climbs on top, and proceeds to rub her pussy on his cock, before riding him in cowgirl for a time.  Things then go to doggy briefly before the scene ends with India jacking off Ryan.

- In this brief transitional scene, we see "India's"(India Summer) mom receiving a massage.  After getting off of the phone with her daughter, Nina is on her back where she tells her masseuse, "Tony"(David Jacobs) that she wants a "deep tissue massage, as she hands him a condom.  From there, in a bit of a comedy sequence, while she is getting it in missionary, Nina accidentally butt-dials India, who is on her way to see her.  - Just to be clear, this is not a hardcore scene.  It's more of a late night cable romp, that is pretty brief.

- After "India"(India Summer) has a conversation with friends at a coffee shop, the film then cuts to a Black and White sequence depicting a four-way between 2 guys and 2 ladies.  The sex includes doggy and missionary.

- Near the end of the film, "India"(India Summer) comes upon a massive orgy at the dinner party.  We see some girl/girl action featuring Daisy Ducati, some BDSM featuring Dylan Ryan, and then Dylan hooks up with Ryan Driller.  some doggy, missionary and cowgirl with another girl, is also seen.
After a day out, and anight at a music club, "India"(India Summer), and her friend, "Edward"(Mickey Mod) go to the local theater to catch an erotic movie.  Eventually, the sexual tension erupts as India begins the stroke Mickey's cock, before things head to missionary.  The scene is stylistically edited with dissolves as he plows her hole.  Things the move to doggy, where he hits it from behind, shortly before he cums.  But soon, India wakes to find that it was all a dream.

When he brings "India"(India Summer) home "Edward"(Mickey Mod) proceeds to finger band her in the stairway.  But once again, India finds herself disrupted by "Mrs. Peter"(Olivia Queen).

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