The Specialist

Young conservative couple Marie and Alex Bloom (Ashley Lane and Codey Steele), love each other very much, but are experiencing some difficulties in the bedroom. Sex is, and has always been, uncomfortable and somewhat painful for Marie, whose only partner has been her loving husband. At their wit’s end, the couple decides to consult gynecological specialist Dr. Todd Sphere (Cooper) hoping he can diagnose Marie’s ailment and offer a viable medical solution.

Ricky Greenwood directs this taboo tale written by studio creator Missa X. This is a short film (about an hour runtime), which means the performances have to be strong from the start because there’s not a lot of time to develop characters, tone and plot. Greenwood selects a fantastic cast (Stirling Cooper’s performance is particularly noteworthy), and everyone does an admirable job becoming their characters, which in turn allows the audience to connect with the sex on a deeper level. Sex is always more impactful in my opinion, when the people engaging feel personal in some way.

To watch Ashley Lane become the meek wife torn between finding relief and not making things awkward with her husband, to watch Codey Steele (bearded!) become the insecure husband torn between wanting his wife to get the help she needs and wanting to avoid emasculation at the idea of not being an adequate lover, to watch Stirling Cooper become the doctor who violates doctor/patient trust while remaining so aloof the audience can almost believe he’s just there to provide the best care possible for a suffering patient? This is the appeal of story-driven porn. These performers become characters, and through them the story comes to life and the sex develops an additional layer beyond the physical.

The story is built on the premise that Marie has an imperforate hymen. This is a legitimate medical condition which brings an element of realism to the story and those types of elements work to connect the audience with the fantasy. Even Dr. Sphere’s treatment options include a procedure that is similar to the actual medical procedure often recommended. Ah, but of course this is porn, so naturally Dr. Sphere suggests penetration as the least invasive treatment and of course, Marie agrees. Still, these are the types of choices writers can make in porn that give the stories weight and make them stick with viewers well after the fapping is done. The lighting was mostly good (there are some wonderful shadows cast over the bodies of Lane and Cooper throughout), although there was a portion of the standing doggie where the action was too dark for my tastes, especially considering it occurred during a squirt.

The sex is an extension of the story and the performers play it perfectly. Note the way things start, with Stirling as the aggressor thrusting into Ashley relentlessly while she lays passively on the examining table and takes it. But as the pleasure begins to build within her and her lust begins to grow, she begins to physically reciprocate Stirling’s actions. The way she starts pushing her pussy towards his thrusts is a subtle change, but it acts as the physical representation of Marie choosing to reach for an ecstasy she’s never experienced. At one point she grabs his stethoscope and asks him to choke her as he’s fucking her doggie style; a perfect example of her sexual awakening.

After an intense creampie, Marie declares that she’s not done. Filling her mouth anew with Dr. Sphere’s meat, she slurps him to readiness before mounting him like the stallion he is. What a beautiful visual to watch Ashley lean over the table and suck Cooper’s cock while opening her legs just enough to grant the audience a view of her throbbing pussy! That shot should absolutely be part of a promotional photo set for this film. The way he finishes across her face (two pops in one scene from stud Cooper) while using a wand to bring her to another heaving orgasm is perfectly dirty.

This is a very good film with equally impressive performances from all involved. Ashley Lane does a great job projecting a sense of trepidation which is later overshadowed by a cascade of pleasure, and Stirling Cooper does a great job passive aggressively antagonizing Codey Steele’s character while simultaneously appearing to be soothing and comforting towards Ashley. It’s a hard dynamic to pull off, but Stirling does so with relative ease.

Codey’s performance perfectly supports the story between Ashley and Stirling as he is on the outside looking in both figuratively and literally, a very personal fear experienced by many men. This portrayal goes beyond the popular cuckold idea of a man having to watch his wife fuck a much more virile partner, it really speaks to the immense pressure men can feel when it comes to sex.

I also want to take a moment to commend everyone involved for including the outtakes at the end of the film! Oh I miss things like this so much! This is how fans build such strong connections with their favorite adult stars! If you want to just fall in love with Ashley Lane instantly, watch the way she completely breaks take after take due to the hilarious nature of the dialogue. Listen to earnestness with which she apologizes as the laughter just spills out of her like water over a dam. These are such genuine, endearing moments and it’s what I want every porn set to look, feel and sound like.