Marriage 2.0 Review

Distributor: Lionreach / Adam & Eve Edition Details: Unrated XXX Version DVD Movie Specs: Genres: Feature Film Run Time: 123 minutes Rated: XXX Release Year: 2015 Director: Paul Deeb Written by: Magnus Sullivan Cast: India Summer, Unnamed Male, Dylan Ryan, Mickey Mod, Sadie Lune, Nina Hartley, Andre Shakti, Devi, Christian Wilde, Carol Queen, Cacilda Jethá, Christopher Ryan (as Chris Ryan), Emily Morse, Marcia Baczynski, Reid Mihalko, Lae Charles Lawrence, Jr. (as Travis Lawrence), Chris Hubbard (as Chef Christopher Hubbard), Juniper Gold, Beretta James, Daisy Ducati, Jack Hammer XL (as Jack Hammer), Wolf Hollander, David Jacobs, Dottie Lux, Shredder, Francine Dead, Lisa (as Lisa from Gamelink), Francois Nabisco, Barbary Doll, Beautiful Bruna, Bella Badonkadonk, Carlynn Lackey, Cecilia Van De Warre, Chestair A Gogo, Charles James, Dick Johnson, Leigh Crow, Enormus, Glitter Grrl, John Flaw, Juicy D Light, Kima Shines, Kitty, Mabel Estella, Marco, Marco Chase, Mr. E, Trixie Fae Laurant, Nadine Labelle, Nikki Avalanche, Nikki Darling, Nikki Luv, Pandora, Roxanne Red Meat, Ruby Vixen, Simon Smarts, Stick, Sugar Cane Jane, Tan Nguyen, Tardis Companion, The Dangerous Dolly, Tom, Shane White, Valgar Release Specs: Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: none Video: Widescreen, 1.78:1 (anamorphic) Video Format: NTSC Format: DVD Regional Code (for DVD/Blu-ray): 0 (All) Number of discs: 1

Marriage 2.0 tries hard to be the white whale mainstream/adult crossover movie but, while it may come closer to this feat than some that have come before it, it never truly succeeds at this task. This is not to say that Marriage 2.0 is a bad adult movie. It isn't. The movie has a lot going for it and while it will not appeal to all viewers, it is an extremely ambitious effort from Lionreach and Adam & Eve.

The plot in the movie is rather simplistic in nature; the movie follows Eric and India (India Summer) who are in an open relationship and the hardships that their relationship brings. Despite its simplicity, the plot actually works very well for the movie, and doesn't just exist as a connector for the sex scenes so that the movie can state it is a feature film. At first I was worried when I saw the amount of cast members playing themselves, not quite understanding how so many people could play themselves in a feature film. However, through India filming a documentary and public interactions, all of the cast playing themselves fit seamlessly into the feature narrative.

Marriage 2.0 succeeds at being well shot and edited together to look like a mainstream movie. The acting in the movie is also on the above average side for an adult movie. Sets and locations are great.

The sex scenes are short, much like they were in the old days of adult films — when they were shot on film — and shot with a softer focus than most adult films. Instead of gynecological close-ups, arty shots of the sex are utilized. Some scenes show more of the actors and actresses enjoying the act than the actual penetration. Since the movie is going for the more mainstream audience, this style for the sex scenes fit with the movie.

So where does Marriage 2.0 go wrong? The first way is that the movie looks cheap. While obvious work went into the sets, script, locations, acting, and how the movie was shot, the equipment used comes across as being sub-par ultimately giving the end result a less professional look. The other way that Marriage 2.0 goes wrong is that some of the sex scenes seem forced into the plot, just to have a sex scene there.

There are two versions of Marriage 2.0; the unrated XXX version, which contains hardcore scenes, and an edited version, which has been rated NC-17 by the MPAA, which shows the mainstream crossover hope for the movie the studio has.

Marriage 2.0 was an ambitious project for Lionreach and Adam & Eve and I commend them on the effort here, and hope that more adult movies like this one that try to break the mainstream/adult crossover barrier will be attempted. Your average hardcore gonzo adult movie fan will probably find Marriage 2.0 far too light for their tastes. Couples and those looking for an adult movie that goes a little more than late night cable will most likely find more than enough here for an enjoyable time. Marriage 2.0 is highly recommended.

Adam & Eve have done a nice job with the release of Marriage 2.0. This release features the unrated XXX hardcore version of the movie and not the NC-17 version of the movie. The movie is presented in the anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The picture usually looks very good throughout the presentation. There are some instances where there seems to be too much color bleed in some scenes and in some instances the picture seems to be missing frames of action. I don't know if this is due to a mastering error or if it is a problem leading back to the cameras used to shoot the footage. I suspect it was the cameras since the problem doesn't happen throughout the movie. Marriage 2.0 is presented with a Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track. The track works adequately for the presentation, although for a project this ambitious a surround track would have been good.

Adam & Eve have included several extras on the release. There is a director commentary track for the movie. There are three behind the scenes features, one for each of the different shooting areas. There are alternate takes, one which is just alternate music scoring, for three scenes in the movie. There is also an outtake segment featuring Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá.

It would have been nice if Adam & Eve had put out a definitive release of the film with a Blu-ray release, both the unrated XXX version and the edited NC-17 version, movie trailers and more extras. However, this release isn't insufficient and is well worth picking up.

Marriage 2.0 is an ambitious movie to come from Lionreach and Adam & Eve, trying to pair a mainstream feel with an adult movie. While it isn't entirely successful in this endeavor, the end result is a nice relief for fans of feature films from the standard fare coming out of the adult movie industry for the most part these days.

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