Customer Reviews

Girl Next Door (Unrated)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Just as porn star biographies seem to be hitting the book shelves with more frequency, the same apparently is true of the porn star film documentary. This time up, it's THE GIRL NEXT DOOR Stacy Valentine. Bored housewife from Oklahoma who, upon her husband's urging, discovered her love for taking it off for the camera. Talk about the cliche of getting what you wish for. Good-bye idiot husband. Hello porn!

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR follows Stacy around for her romp in porn and her alleged retirement (whether the retirement worked out, I cannot say). Although interesting, it suffers the same disadvantage as all other movies and books of this type, specifically that the subject herself, as well as those attracted to the same field, are not exactly geniuses of introspection. Stacy seems likeable and we all wish her the best. But she also comes off as painfully immature and more than a wee bit self-centered. In an environment in which her looks meant her business, perhaps it is no surprise that Stacy seems more often focused on herself rather than others, and more concerned with her appearance than something deeper. But whatever the cause, the end result is the same.

Too bad, because, again, she does seem rather nice as a regular person. At times, we see that side come out. Her scenes with her mom in particular display some evidence of an inner life. That side, though, remains hidden (non-existent?) to those outside that exceptionally small circle.

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR takes a more sympathetic angle when examining its subject (probably a necessity if the director wanted any cooperation from his star). One cannot help but smile when Stacy wins her award for being some Best Porn Star, or something like that, and sleeps with the trophy on the pillow next to her. If she is in a field that strains someone's emotions to the core, at least she got her recognition.

The fact of the matter is that, given the insular nature of the porn world, and the no doubt difficult to penetrate inner circle of porn stars, it is near impossible to make a fully well-rounded documentary on one of the genre's stars. THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is about as good as it is going to get, and it is not bad at that.

Documentaries -- especially those in the caliber of late night 'Showtime' or 'HBO' infotainment (or 'skinertainment,' as I've heard it called) tend to suffer from one serious shortcoming: it's near impossible to take anyone serious, especially when it comes to having frank and open conversations ON CAMERA relative to the one of the world's most intimate acts: sex ... which does rank just behind love, yes.

However, GIRL NEXT DOOR manages to wiggle around (pun intended) this gray area throughout about 60-70% of the time by concentrating on the life of porn star (legend!) Stacy Valentine, who, quite frankly, is strikingly beautiful with or without clothes, for that matter. The best moments of this exploration of Stacy Baker's life (her real name) deal with Stacy discovering her passion for sex, her passion for working in the sex industry, and her passion for entertaining others. She speaks frankly to the camera in some wonderful moments that give the viewer a look at the psychology many women in the adult film industry must confront ... whether it be overly adoring fans, manufacturing (through plastic surgery) a better body (Stacy, you looked fine BEFORE the implants), and maintaining a positive self-image despite being secretly loved by hundreds of thousands of fans ... and still feeling quite empty. In these moments, you get to know Stacy Baker, not Stacy Valentine, and, call me old-fashioned, but that's the woman any man (or woman) could easily fall head over heels for. Stacy Valentine, on the other hand, steps comfortably into the world of adult business, and it became very hard to distinguish her from any of the other actors and actresses briefly covered in the film.

Also, there are moments in the documentary exploring the life of Stacy Valentine that, clearly, had to have been staged for the purposes of the narrative that explores her brief career on top (yes, pun intended, too). In what appeared to be a largely single camera production, Stacy Valentine walks in and out of scenes that clearly had to be set up for the purposes of pushing the story forward. In moments of desperation, Stacy Valentine lies in the bed pondering the meaning of certain events in her life, and, though I don't doubt Stacy Baker dealt very personally with some of these difficult subjects, they didn't feel quite real. That's a shortcoming that follows many smaller documentaries around, so it's an easy gimme, but I thought it worth mentioning.

Be warned: this film isn't necessarily about titillation, though there are moments I'm sure the most involved viewer will be captivated. This isn't a soft core flick about the life of being a porn star. There are moments of seriousness of the dangers of the work, scenes of honest reflection about facing some of life's unique challenges, even a teary moments between Stacy and her mother chatting about the inevitability of death. For those of you seeking a skin flick, I'm sure Stacy Valentine's library can be found elsewhere (69 of them, to be precise). I don't say that to scare anyone off; I purchased the film based on some recommendations of documentary buffs (I guess there's a pun intended there, too), and, on that level, I found enough to enjoy. I'm no prude; I said she's striking, didn't I? I was pleasantly surprised with this small production, and, if you approach with an open mind, I think you will be, too.

If you want to know about Stacy Baker -- the person smart enough and definitely beautiful enough and saavy enough to become an adult screen legend -- then this is for you.

Stacy Valentine is a small town girl from Oklahoma who leaves her unhappy marriage to pursue a career in the adult industry. This doc alternates between scenes of her life as a porn star and aspects of her personal life, such as her on and off rocky relationship with a male porn actor.

Stacy comes across as a nice but neurotic young woman with serious emotional issues related to men, body image and trust. In other words, she is exactly the type of person who does not belong in the adult industry. But, on the other hand, she does manage to turn her 4 year stint in the porn biz into alot of money and an apparently lucrative career as a fashion designer. So it's difficult to feel too sorry for her.

In the end, Stacy seems to be a girl of average intelligence who (outside of her work) has fairly conventional values and leads a rather ordinary, even mundane, lifestyle. Personally I find someone like Nina Hartley, who views sex work not just as a job but a means of personal liberation, to be a more compelling subject than a regular gal like Stacy.

The story is at least intriguing enough to hold my interest. But Christine Fugate is a mediocre director and the editing is lousy. Basically, the film skips from scene to scene with no particular purpose. The soundtrack is lame and the plastic surgery footage is gory to the point of being unwatchable. A few scenes are mildly erotic. But if you are seeking out this film solely for it's sexual content then you should look elsewhere.

This isn't a terrible film. But, for me, it was far too ordinary.

This is simply a well done documentry. Stacy valentine was one of the biggest names in porn in the90's. This doc shows you some of the things we here about, yet never see. From her plastic surgery a sit down with her parenrs and here failed relationship with amothet big name in porn Juliane. Great
footage and honest reactions.

Stacy is a nice girl. i felt compassion for her as i watched the emotional rollercoaster she clung to ever since she was a little girl.
as this documentary proceeded i started to have an unsettling feeling in my stomach that this was going to turn into one of those unhappy endings where another adult actress takes their life or murdered or some other horrible outcome.
thankfully Stacy survived and retired from 'the business' and is now a talent scout for Penthouse magazine.
one of the central story arcs of her life as revealed in this documentary is her relationship with a man who also works in the adult film world.
i was rooting for them to live happily ever after but after one too many break-ups they call it quits for good.
the examination of how and why their relationship was not to be is sad but enlightening-enabling Stacy to look into herself for the answer.
i'm hoping Stacy is now a happier and less-lonely person.

Length:: 4:48 Mins

This is a great documentary portrait of psychopathology.

i found this look inside the life of one woman in the adult film business interesting.for whatever reason,she allowed a camera crew to to follow her around,not just while working but also during her personal life.she seemed very candid and opened her self up.and allowed herself to be very vulnerable.or at least it appears that way.but it's clear she's also a tragic figure.regardless,the film is an entertaining piece and somewhat revealing.you see someone as a human being,and not just as a sex object.as interesting as the film is,there are no real revelations.and,when you get right down to it,it's still a sad subject.for me,The Girl Next Door is a 3.5/5

Length:: 4:48 Mins

Well, Stacey Valentine is very pretty but her story isn't. The Girl Next Door is a solid documentary that profiles the immoral, pathetic, and corrupt existence of a mentally unstable porn star.

A real eye-opener at the lives of people whose idea of success is to become masturbatory material...

SAD MOVIE, BUT VERY IMFORMATIVE. LONLINESS. BEING A PRON STAR... YOU LOSE SEX AS A WAY TO CONNECT FEEL: LOVE,SECURITY,TRUST. NOT WORTH THE TRADE.