By: debbie lynn elias
Sexuality. Romance, of a sort. Not judging a book by its cover. Reaching for the stars and following your dreams. All are core themes in writer/director Julie Davis’ latest film, FINDING BLISS which, quite frankly, is blissfully enjoyable. Herself a long time film editor for Playboy, Davis brings some autobiographical elements to the screen in the character of career frustrated NYU film graduate Jody Balaban, but then calls on her own passion to bring her dreams as a filmmaker to fruition to create a fun, charming and funny film.
Jody Balaban is the apple of her prudish parents’ eyes. Sexually frustrated, but even more than that, sexually awkward as well as socially awkward, she has become feminist to the core. With no dating, sex or romance in her life, Jody channels all of her energy into living her dream and being a filmmaker. Notable in film school at NYU to the point of receiving a prestigious award, presented to her by none other than THE Garry Marshall, Jody places all her eggs in the “Pretty Woman” basket and heads out to Hollywood to make her dreams come true. What Jody never counted on was that in order to make her dreams come true and get her film made, she would have to sell her soul to pay the rent and buy food in the interim. Failing at every mundane job she takes, Jody finally strikes paydirt when she gets a return call from producer Irene Fox who wants to hire her as an editor. Eager and anxious to jump into real production work, Jody is thrown for a loop when she realizes that the job is to edit porn, er, make that “adult entertainment” movies. They don’t use the “P” word.
Swallowing her pride and her morals (and lying to her parents), Jody takes the job, seeing it not only as entre into the film business, but also as a means to and end when she gets the brilliant idea to secretly use the studio at night to make her own film. With her best friend (who by the way has been working in the industry since graduation thanks to sleeping with the producer) by her side aiding and abetting her clandestine filmmaking endeavor, Jody thinks she’s got it made. But does she? Paired up during the day with the studio’s hottest director, Jeff Drake, (and we do mean hot in more ways than one), Jody and Jeff lock horns from the get go. Wanting to bump up the quality of Jeff’s films to art house level, Jody goes for artful high gloss editing, arguing that mystery and romance is what women want and that will bring them to the theatre to see “adult entertainment” while Jeff wants to stick with tried and true wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am styling that makes guys’ eyes bug out of their heads and other body parts bulge. But somewhere along the way, Jody begins to see the adult entertainment industry and the people in it as much more than just vacuous empty-headed well-built bodies on screen, starting with mega-porn star Bliss, whose voice fills Jody’s imagination, coming to life in some unusual ways. These are people with feelings and dreams just like her. People that can prove to be colleagues, comrades and friends all shooting for the same thing.
I, like all of you, have watched Leelee Sobieski grow up on screen. Although almost 30 years old, one still thinks of her as a young Helen Hunt or sees her forever as Aldys in “Never Been Kissed’ with Drew Barrymore. But now, as Jody Balaban, she attains a new level of maturity, physically and emotionally, that is delightful to watch. With her patented rapid-fire exceedingly well enunciated delivery, Sobieski gives a performance that not only takes Jody beyond sexually and socially awkward, but gives us a fresh new image of Sobieski. I would never have envisioned her in fishnets and stilettos and I don’t think anyone else would either were it not for this film. She is fun to watch. Notable is that she also serves as a producer on FINDING BLISS and other projects which will allow her to showcase herself with adult roles that stretch her skills.
Going toe-to-toe with Sobieski and then some is Matt Davis. It is an absolute pleasure to watch Davis anytime, anywhere and as Jeff Drake, he is wonderful. Sexy, handsome, quick-witted delivery, NAILS sarcasm to a tee!! Certainly has come a long way from playing the buffoon Warner in “Legally Blonde”. Like Clooney, he has only improved with age both in looks and performance skills. And his chemistry with Sobieski is blissfully engaging. A big key to the enjoyment of FINDING BLISS is not only Matt Davis and his performance as Jeff, but the acerbic witty lines written for him, the delivery of which he nails every time. Described by Julie Davis as “the nicest person”, here she elicits a suave maturity we haven’t seen in him before.
Denise Richards shocked the hell out of me as Laura. She can actually act! As for Kristen Johnson, I will always jump at the chance to see anything in which she has a role. Here, as Irene Fox, she as usual has perfect comedic timing and delivery. Johnson never disappoints. And I have to say, what a surprise from Jamie Kennedy as porn star Dick Harder. He gives a naivete and bumpkin-like qualities to Dick that are actually quite sweet and very funny all at the same time.
Written and directed by Julie Davis, she strikes a perfect emotional chord with the emotional foreplay between Jeff and Jody. It is a delight to watch unfold – especially the hard ass line that Jody’s character takes and again and the barb-for-barb sarcastic witty patter between the two. But the give and take with professional and personal teasing between the two principals is believable and works. Supporting characters have substantive storylines that actually work and fit with the film. Nothing feels gratuitous. And there is continual comedy stemming from everyday events; albeit not the kind of everyday events most of us experience.
Where I do find the film lacking though is in the storyline involving Bliss herself. There is a constant sense of something “missing” where Bliss is concerned. And my observations are apparently right on point for as I learned from director Davis, due to last minute time limitations imposed by the actress playing Bliss (a spoiler which will not be revealed), Davis had to rewrite and cut large portions of the Bliss storyline.
What I appreciate most about FINDING BLISS is the underlying theme. While many of you may look only at the celluloid surface and the sexuality issues, porn film-within-a-film, sex, feuding foreplay, and a naked Jamie Kennedy, what really resonates with this story is the commentary on not only the lengths that a filmmaker will go in order to get a film made, but the lengths that everyone should go to just follow their dream. For Davis, who wrote the first draft of FINDING BLISS in 1997, it’s simple. “I believe in the story.”
A 20 day shoot in Spokane, Washington, the production process itself was not quite as blissful as the final product. According to Davis, “The film was very under-budgeted. We really didn’t have enough money. It’s amazing that we even have a film there. I worked so many years to get this made that I worked so hard in the editing room to try to fix things. There were so many things that just didn’t get shot. We shot up in Spokane. The whole entire time we were shooting there was the worst snow storm. All the windows had to be blacked and you didn’t feel like you were in LA. It was hard to put together.”
Worried about the film “looking horrible” given the difficulties with production, Davis’ fears are for naught as there is nothing horrible about FINDING BLISS. From a technical standpoint, the film is more than above par. Davis, herself a veteran editor, worked on the editing “for a year”. The end result is top notch, especially with the “art house” look” being given to the porn clips. There is nice shot framing and I have to say, cinematographer Peter Green learned his craft well as a camera operator, as here in his first outing as a cinematographer does more than a fine job. Given the various sets and settings, he got a work out with both lensing and lighting.
As for the soundtrack, selections are well chosen, buoying, and in some cases, carrying the film, rising and falling to meet the mood.
Find your own bliss with FINDING BLISS, a film done out of passion that comes from the heart. Julie Davis draws on personal experience and rather than getting bogged down and maudlin, uses acerbic wit and heart to tell a sweet, fun and funny story, making for a more than blissful viewing experience. And I guarantee, when this hits cable, pay-per-view or DVD, you will find yourself late at night or on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon watching over and over again, smiling and laughing each and every time you see it.
Jody Balaban – Leelee Sobieski
Jeff Drake – Matt Davis
Irene Fox – Kristen Johnson
Laura – Denise Richards
Dick Harder – Jamie Kennedy
Written and directed by Julie Davis
