Expected more

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

"Rocco" opens with porn actor Rocco Siffredi talking about a "devil between his legs," his dark side that is permanently threatening to destroy his life. It's too bad that the filmmakers never make any effort to expose this devil and instead seem give their subject complete control over their project. The result is definitely interesting, and sporadically very funny, but unfortunately shies away from Rocco's darkest fears and the low-points of his life. For those unaware, Rocco is a porn actor known for very rough scenes, though apparently (judging from this movie, at least) the work atmosphere on his sets is quite friendly and supportive of the women he works with. You could obviously question if the team is always this nice to the actresses, even when they are not being filmed by outsiders or the women decide in the last minute they don't want to do the really hard stuff, and since the directors rarely interview the porn stars without Rocco present, that element of the film doesn't hold up to much scrutiny. We just have to believe the movie that Rocco is always a nice guy to every girl he has sex in front of a camera with, and your willingness to sympathize with the main character in his more emotional scenes will likely depend on wether you go along with that or not. Speaking of emotional scenes, there are a couple in which Siffredi talks about his family life growing up, or his family life now, and in these moments he seems honest and open about his feelings. However, once more the film suffers from a lack of outside perspective from people who might give a more critical account of our star's private behaviour. The scenes with his sons in particular are awkward to watch, and you can clearly see how uncomfortable they are with being filmed while their dad talks to them about porn. Most of the movie is centered around Rocco with very few outsiders commenting on the man or his work. One is his wife, though we only get a few lines from her about how great a guy her husband is. Another is his cousin and co-worker Gabby, though he serves more as comedic relief (the disappointed look on his face after Siffredi simplifies a set piece he thought of is hilarious and sad at the same time) than he does provide a different viewpoint on the hardcore scenes he films. The only person who manages to take the spotlight away from Rocco and affect the way we see him is fellow porn actress Kelly Stafford, who stole the movie for me. Not only does she offer a female opinion on porn of Rocco's caliber, her friendship with the man, which ostensibly goes much deeper than a mere business relationship, is also very believable and heartwarming. Overall, if you're interested in how porn scenes are filmed, this film might be of interest to you. Just don't expect it to be very critical of its subject.

So he's a porn star who is obsessed with his own Mother but gets off on hurting and humiliating girls he is attracted too...... Hmm? Norman Bates anyone? He said his mother was protective and would defend him and she would go after people using various things as weapons. Who were these people and why did he need protection from Mama? To be honest my opinion of the porn industry wasn't changed by this effort. I just see damaged goods who are making a living from letting us see them mating.

Up until last night, I'd never heard of Rocco Siffredi. Maybe that's because I don't watch pornography, Italian porn in particular. Last night, after re-watching the final episode of the 3rd season of Peaky Blinders, then deciding not to begin season 4, I browsed netflix for something different. It took at least 15 minutes of indecisiveness before coming across Rocco. The "jacket" is him, standing nude, somewhat like the photo above, but full body, excluding genitalia. Reading the blurb, it says Rocco is, "showcased in this documentary that shadows the legendary performer during his final year in front of the camera." I thought what the heck, this is New Year's Eve, I'm having a few drinks instead of going out and risking car accidents and drunk driving charges, and there should be a fun element to the evening - how do these sound for rationalizations to give myself permission to watch it - so I clicked "play".The film globe-trots between porn sets in Italy and in parts of California. It is very matter-of-fact about the porn industry, where it appears to want to portray all of the females as happy, well-adjusted, and just jumping for the chance to be pounded in every orifice, slapped around, etc. Likewise the porn producers are all gentlemen, would never think of sampling the merchandise, and have noble ideals when it comes to plot lines, etc. That's a conversation for another day. To watch Rocco, those thoughts must be suspended, like when you watch a Star Wars movie.The star of the film, and not just because he's hung like a horse, is Rocco. It must be stated here that there are literally only 2 or 3 shots of Rocco's substantial package. Along with globe-trotting porn sets, it intersperses business with the human being behind the legend. Rocco the husband, the father, the son. His remembrances from childhood that certainly contributed to the career line he chose for himself and has continued until recently. What is impossible to ignore is the humanity behind the appendage. Rocco's personality is what makes him the star that he is.The latter part of the documentary focuses on Rocco's decision to stop making porn movies and who he wants starring with him in his final film. Kelly Stafford, from England, is the chosen one. There's a very interesting discussion that takes place on the road trip with Rocco, his cousin, Gabriele Galeta, who is Rocco's cousin/best friend/director/cameraman, and Kelly on the way to the studio about dominance, submissiveness, etc.There isn't a lot of nudity in Rocco. There are tastefully edited scenes around the porn itself, and I don't remember much, if any, swearing. You might say why watch a movie about a porn star if none of these things are in it? Why? Because Rocco is in almost every shot and Rocco is a God. Or, if not a God, at minimum he's a fallen angel.

I want to believe that people, who venture out creatively and do the things that they do to make something, are complex and interesting. This expo leaves only my imagination to fill in the blanks of many questions I have regarding the life and times of Rocco Siffredi. I am left to wonder that all Rocco has to say, after 90 minutes, is that there is a sexual void in his life, and nothing can fill it? Rocco is tortured emotionally by the death of his brother at a young age and his Mother much later in life. His Mom, in the interim, has shaped whom we know as Rocco the porn star today. The films ambiguity makes it confusing to watch, however, as a surveyor of pornographic material, it compels this viewer to wonder, is there anything more I need to ask about Rocco? On the surface I find a man too manly to admit that he may need some type of treatment to deal with what may be a disorder of his mind. He subjects the viewer to his tormented state, and surrounds himself with enablers who validate his "God" only gift, Rocco's sexuality. It is literally a "Passion Play". On the bright side I did find the filming of it beautiful, equivalent too watching a porn without the close ups of naughty bits plugged into each other. I do empathize with reviewers' observations about the mistreatment of women in the porn industry, and for that the film supplies us with porn actress, Kelly Stafford, to dispel that notion and ground the viewer with a feminist point of view. In closing I ask myself is Rocco as interesting as I would like to think someone in his situation would be? The answer is a resounding no, and this disappoints me. Maybe on the surface most people who do pornography are merely normal with heightened sexual prowess and that is all. It's not a disparaging thing to say and maybe had Rocco been a pioneer of pornography; this look into his life could have worked. Again I am not slamming the documentary, I'm left with stones unturned. Instead of honesty from Rocco, I only have his disturbed void and the fact that he may never fill whatever it is.