Lovestruck Review

Reviewed by astroknight  on  2/5/2005

The Little Details

Running Time: 102 min.

Production Date: 4 / 24 / 2003

Director: Michael Raven

Cast: Devinn Lane, Ava Vincent, Nicole Sheridan, Wendy Divine, Olivia Del Rio, Dale DaBone, Joey Ray, Voodoo, Nick Manning, and Kurt Lockwood

The Short Story

Initial Expectations: Devinn Lane and Michael Raven alone is enough reason for me to pick up a movie. Combining them only makes it better!

Initial Reaction: It’s very well done, and a great movie for couples.

Who Should Watch It : Couples looking for a movie with a slight edge without the nastiness

Who Should Avoid It: Anybody wanting the slow and boring couples movie or who wants a bit of nastiness

The Technical Stuff

Audio /Video Quality: The audio is nicely done. It’s clear and well balanced, but there was a time or two when the level appeared to shift slightly. The video is presented in non-anamorphic widescreen. There’s barely any grain, but the lighting is sometimes off a little so that some shadows interfere with the action.

Music: The music varies between being nicely balanced with the rest of the audio and being a little on the loud side. It often has a harder edge to it, and although I like having music different from the typical porn music, it often didn’t seem to fit quite right for me.

Menus: The main menu nicely blends a bit of animation, a still of Devinn, and a bit of the movie for a pretty good first impression. The chapter menu is very basic, and just lets you choose a scene based on a small clip of each scene and a chapter number.

The Feature

There aren’t many people out there who haven’t been burned by love at one time or another. Both Devinn and Joey have been burned, and they’ve been burned bad. They’ve pretty much given up on ever finding love again, but luckily their friends still have hope for them. In fact, they think that Devinn and Joey might have a chance together.

Scene 1 - Olivia Del Rio and Joey Ray

Joey starts things out coming back to his place with Olivia. They kiss as they fall onto the couch, and slowly pet, undress, and kiss their way across each other with Joey taking the lead making his way down to Olivia’s pussy. He even gives Olivia’s chocolate starfish a little tongue action before she throws him back on the couch to work on him orally. Olivia climbs up to bounce on Joey cowgirl style as he plays with her ass before letting him fuck her from behind. Finally, Olivia does her best baby bird impression to get Joey to shower her tongue with his cock cream. She makes sure to suck and stroke every last drop she can out of it, and doesn’t appear to give up until Joey’s sucked as dry as possible.

This is a great start to the movie. Joey and Olivia have great chemistry right from the start, and I love how the scene is slowly paced. The heat is there right from the start of the scene, but Joey and Olivia manage to keep it building as they go. This is a smoking hot scene with plenty of chemistry and very nice energy.

Scene 2 - Wendy Divine, Ava Vincent, and Kurt Lockwood

Wendy and Ava decide to tell Devinn about their spring break conquest of Kurt. When Ava comes out of the bathroom completely nekkid, both Wendy and Kurt and more than eager to have some fun. The girls team up on his cock orally before Wendy lets her tongue run wild on Ava’s pussy while Kurt fucks her from behind. Wendy moves off to watch and diddle herself as Kurt gives it to Ava missionary style before getting up close and watching as Ava strokes Kurt onto his stomach and sharing a kiss with her.

This is a fun little scene. It’s much shorter than Joey and Olivia’s scene, but it has the same fun feeling. If anything, this scene has an even more playful feeling and I think gives a pretty good group feeling while still keeping it pretty couples friendly. I would have liked Wendy to have gotten a little more involved with the pop, but it’s still a fun scene with nice chemistry and energy.

Scene 3 - Wendy Divine and Nick Manning

When she wakes up horny from not getting any the night before, Wendy works her way across Nick until he gives in and tells her that if she can get it hard she can have it. Of course, between Nick being Nick and Wendy being Wendy, that’s not a problem. Wendy doesn’t bother having Nick give her a little oral attention in return, and instead lets him go directly to banging her from behind. Nick continues to give it to her missionary style before dropping his load on her stomach.

This is another nicely done scene, and I’ll admit that it had me scared to start with. Wendy’s normally a lot of fun, but Nick has an intensity that I was afraid wouldn’t fit in with the movie or which would be toned down so far that the scene would feel held back. Here, he does a great job. You can still feel Nick’s intensity, but it never feels like it’s held back. There’s also some great close-ups on Wendy’s beautiful eyes where you can tell just how much fun she’s having. This is another very well done scene with nice chemistry and great energy.

Scene 4 - Devinn Lane and Dale DaBone

Devinn flashes back to when she was in love with Dale, back in her college years. She sucks and strokes his cock while mixing in plenty of kissing, and lays back so Dale can start fucking her pussy missionary style while they practically embrace each other. Devinn keeps it going riding Dale cowgirl style and letting him give it to her doggie style. Finally, Devinn lets Dale stucco her ass with his creamy load.

Not surprisingly, this is a great scene. Dale is easily one of the best guys out there for feature film, showing an ability to act as well as being able to fuck like crazy. He’s well matched with Devinn, and more importantly is strong enough that she doesn’t fuck him to death. I know that Devinn’s being doing boys in front of the camera for quite a while, and once again she shows that good things come to those who wait here.

Scene 5 - Nicole Sheridan and Voodoo

While getting divorced, Nicole and Voodoo remember some of the passion they had when they first got together, and can’t resist giving into it again. They kiss passionately and grope each other before Nicole attacks Voodoo with her amazing oral talents. Voodoo rewards her with a little twat tonguing before letting Nicole slide his rubber on using both her hands and mouth. Voodoo gives it to Nicole doggie style before letting her climb up to ride him cowgirl style. Finally, Nicole hopes off and lets Voodoo squirt his population pudding on her stomach and then sucks out the last little bit and licks up any dribbles she can find.

This is another very likeable scene. As usual, Nicole and Voodoo put some nice energy and passion into their fucking. The thing I really liked about the scene, however, was the overall feeling and start. Thankfully I’ve never been divorced (and I hope I never am), but I love that Nicole and Voodoo still realize that there was once something between them and that maybe it shouldn’t be let go of. That feeling really drives this scene, and makes it a great scene.

Scene 6 - Devinn Lane and Joey Ray

After a wonderful date, Joey and Devinn head back to his place. Of course he can’t resist those big fat titties as he kisses her. Heck, I’m an ass man who thinks Devinn’s drop dead gorgeous and I dang near forgot her face with how them things are! They roll around and kiss as they strip down, and Devinn gives Joey some very nice oral action with great eyes. She slides on Joey’s rubber while kissing him passionately and then lets him take her from behind. Joey also gets to spoon Devinn and give it to her missionary style before spraying his milk of manesia all over her stomach.

Devinn and Joey make this a great scene to close things with. It’s never nasty, but there’s an intensity driving the scene that shows both Joey and Devinn really getting into each other. I know that the word “intensity” can scare off some people, but it shouldn’t here. This is full on passionate lovemaking, and it makes a perfect scene to close Lovestruck with.

Lovestruck is a very nice couples movie. I’ll admit that when I think of Michael Raven’s movies, love stories like this don’t come to mind. Instead I think of the artsy vignettes or retellings of classic tales. With Lovestruck, however, he tells a love story while also looking at some of the nature of love and the fears that go along with it. I love how the sex goes from playful one night stands of experimentation to passionate lovemaking to one last fuck as things go all to hell. It’s not always the pretty side of love we want to think of, but it’s often presented in such a human way that I wouldn’t be afraid of watching this with a lover. They’re real feelings, and I think that’s something that so many couples movies miss out on. The sex is handled just as good. The editing might be a little quick for some people, as it often goes with the “MTV” style of quick shots, but it also manages to give plenty of views where you rarely feel like you’re missing out on anything. I love how Michael Raven actually shows the guys getting their condoms put on rather than just having them magically appear, but I would have liked a few more position changes to be shown. It also feels passionate and playful much of the time, and never feels held back like happens with so many couples movies. Lovestruck has a few minor flaws, but overall is a nicely emotional look at being in love and the risks that go along with it and reminds me of why I’ve considered Michael Raven one of the best feature directors out there for so long.

The Extra Stuff

In addition to Lovestruck, trailers are included for XXX Training, Space Nuts, Sex & Romance, Hercules, and Heat. Stats are included for Devinn Lane, Ava Vincent, Nicole Sheridan, Olivia Del Rio, Nick Manning, and Voodoo, each of which includes a few photos of the star, a link to the star’s scene, a little personal information, and a list of the star’s Wicked credits. There’s also several photo galleries, interviews, and a behind the scenes featurette. There’s also the standard promotional and DVD-ROM materials, as well as a commercial for the Free Speech Coalition.

Several photo galleries are included. The feature gallery lasts nearly four minutes while the behind the scenes gallery lasts just over two minutes. Star galleries are also included for Devinn Lane, Ava Vincent, Nicole Sheridan, Olivia Del Rio, and Wendy Divine which last about two minutes each. In each case, you get about six seconds per very nice looking snapshot or full screen photo.

Interviews are included with Devinn Lane and Ava Vincent, each of which lasts a little over three and a half minutes. Devinn talks about her boobs and does a little rumor control while looking as wonderful and sweet as ever. Ava talks about new guys, what she likes, and what will get you kicked right off her list. They’re a nice pair of interviews, and definitely adds to the overall package.

All Access: The Making of Lovestruck lasts about twenty two minutes and features the camera work of Mark Stone. As usual, it’s broken down day by day and everybody is nicely identified as they take the screen so you know who’s who. Michael Raven starts things off talking about what the movie’s about before getting on with the action. It makes its way through the shooting of the movie, and captures the stars as they shoot their still photos as well as their scenes. It even captures some of the fun around the set and Michael Raven working with the cast to get things just how he wants them. It’s a nice behind the scenes featurette, and gives you a good look at the making of the movie and the people behind it.

The Down -n- Dirty Sex Stuff

Themes: Straight, interracial, rimming (male > female), group, and lesbian (fairly light)

Raincoat Factor: Medium

Condom Usage: 100%

The Bottom Line:

Currently, many of Wicked’s DVDs can be found online for between $15 and $30 with many stores offering them for around $21. As a couples feature, this one’s well worth the money. The plot works pretty well and the sex has some nice heat. The technical aspects are very well done and there’s some good care put to the extras as well. Lovestruck is a nicely done DVD.

Note to Wicked Pictures: It’s great to see you supporting the widescreen format, but in the future please take your support all the way to anamorphic widescreen!

If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail me .

Other reviews by Astroknight