Derrick Pierce has acted in many story line features, making a fine villain in John Leslie's classic "Brianna". Backed up by vet helmers Brad Armstrong and Barrett Blade he does a find job directing "Tuff Love", an A- entry for Wicked.
Fight movies since the 1930s represent one of the most regimented and restricting genres, with clichés involving the Mob, token romance, danger of the game and exploitation/"you gotta throw this fight" abounding. Pierce is freed of most of this by emphasizing the sex, proving a plus rather than a narrative minus for a change.
He stars as Evil, an up-and-coming MMA fighter who evil promoter Steven St. Croix, who moves up the date of Evil's next fight, having ulterior motives. That change creates a rift between Evil and his beautiful trainer/girlfriend Adrianna (Adrianna Luna, slightly miscast in film's central role), who believes it doesn't give them time enough to succeed in the ring, and she splits.
Enter Wicked contract superstar Jessica Drake (the label's ultimate and longest- running leading lady) in a character role as Badass, former women's champ and up to no good. She shows Luna her training facility and encourages her to go out on her own as fighter, not trainer. Timing is obviously right, and further incentive is a 5-girl orgy in the cage featuring breast in show Mackenzee Pierce, a bit overshadowed by lesbian superstars Celeste Star and Ariel X, plus Drake of course.
Very basic story offers a modicum of dramatic conflict, generated by the heavies St. Croix and Drake, who are both venal characters, but it is basically a romance about Adrianna and Evil. Large number of invigorating sex scenes lead to the big match - Adrianna winning $10,000 in an underground contest, rendering opponent Badass unconscious with a choke hold. Film's ending is bittersweet and rather well-written to balance the central themes of self-realization (given a feminist slant) vs. taking the more submissive, supportive role (as would traditionally be the concept in a mainstream movie from an earlier era).
Sex is great, though Pierce can't resist throwing in a completely extraneous scene - shown without any set-up, just Mischa Brooks (not even given a character name or dialog) humping away with Evil's pal Brad (Brad Tyler). Dialog is poor, especially in the clichéd "Bro'," "Dude" strewn conversations between Brad and Evil. Pierce is utterly convincing in his role though we never get to see him fight, while Luna is far too pretty and even fragile looking, plus reciting her dialog in a meek voice that doesn't fit her character, though her actual punching and wrestling holds with Drake are well-executed. Casting needed a porn equivalent of Hilary Swank as lead. (Coincidentally, while watching "Tuff Love" I turned on Showtime and caught the 2012 Ronda Rousey/Miesha Tate UFC/Strikeforce fight and the contrasts were useful.)
0 out of 0 found this helpful