Exit 118

When troubled Mandy (Abella Danger) returns to the trailer park where she grew up after things didn’t work out for her in the city, her best friend Mel (Kristen Scott) is ecstatic to see her. Unfortunately, Mel’s mother Daisy (Reagan Foxx) doesn’t share her daughter’s enthusiasm at Mandy’s return, labeling the young woman a wicked and corrupting influence. Determined to prevent Mel from following Mandy’s sinful path, Daisy delivers an ultimatum: Mandy is never to see Mel again, or Daisy will make sure Mel’s dreams of leaving the trailer park and building a glamorous life in the city never come true. Will Mandy abandon the only friend she’s ever had in order to keep Daisy from stifling her dreams or will the two friends find a way to escape the dead-end existence at the end of “Exit 118”?

This is the first of Lena Paul’s directing projects I’ve seen, and I must say I’m impressed. She does a good job keeping the story moving and capturing emotional tone, and both those elements are essential to a story like this. The setting also helped create a believable feel and the accompanying music worked perfectly in tandem with it. I found myself completely invested in the characters, their world and their stories. That’s a credit to everyone involved, including Paul as the director, writer Kelly Kay, the editors and the cast. I was particularly impressed with Kristen Scott, who puts a ton of emotion into her performance, making the audience sympathize with her plight.

The story opens with Mandy scraping into town on her last dime and reconnecting with Mel. The way Mandy arrives sets the tone for her character right from the start. She’s barely been getting by, often resorting to using the only consistent asset she’s got to keep her head above water: her body. When Mel sees her, there’s a heartfelt moment of shock and relief that establishes the depth of their relationship for the audience. The reunion leads to a tender kiss before Mel’s mom Daisy barges in and shatters the moment. Disgusted with Mandy’s return, Daisy sends Mel away so she can threaten Mandy properly, leading to a sort of sexual exorcism where Daisy tries to fuck the sin out of Mandy. The opening angle with a completely nude Abella resting her foot on the back of a completely clothed Reagan is striking. The contrast between the two is great and Abella looks perfectly wanton with a big smile on her face as Reagan licks her muff. The face-sitting is also pretty great, as Reagan practically suffocates Abella with her pussy while reaching back and fingering the young woman into ecstasy.

Having satisfied her hypocritical carnal urges, Daisy throws Mandy out, vowing that if she ever sees Mel again, she’ll make sure Mel never leaves Clearwater Acres. When Mel catches up with her, Mandy blows her off in a painful exchange that sees her chastise Mel for being absent in her life the last three years. Dejected, Mel wallows alone, processing Mandy’s choice to abandon her yet again. Mandy’s ex-boyfriend Braden (Alex Jones) arrives on the scene wondering if Mel will tell him whether Mandy ever cheated on him with her. Annoyed with Braden’s ill-timed inquiry, and still reeling from Mandy’s betrayal, Mel decides to take her frustrations out on Braden. The setting is beautiful here, with the two large logs flanked by thick green trees and a shallow brook. Having this sex scene take place outside instead of inside another trailer helps build the story’s world and makes it even easier for the audience to lose themselves in the tale. Kristen looks fabulous as Jones spears her in all manner of positions including a very fun bouncing cowgirl and standing missionary. The moments of pure joy that flit across Kristen’s face as Jones rails her really speak to Mel’s disposition in the moment. She’s not looking for love; she’s looking for an escape. The sex acts as a representation of her life at the moment.

The story returns to Mandy who is hitchhiking her way out of Clearwater Acres when Scott Nails picks her up. He promises her a ride to the city but he’s got to stop by his place first. With no money or other options, Mandy agrees. At Scott’s house she notices a photo of Mel on the table. Curious, she asks the pertinent question, and Scott reveals that he’s Mel’s dad, though he doesn’t visit her much because of his contentious history with Daisy. Sensing an opportunity, Mandy asks Scott if he would be willing to pick Mel up and bring her to the city under the guise of reconnecting with her. Scott is intrigued by the idea, but nothing comes for free and Mandy is forced to once again rely on the only commodity she has faith in: her sex. Watching Abella lay side-saddle on the bed facing away from the camera as Scott nails her in a variation of standing missionary is a real treat. What an ass! I think this is the best scene in the film and it was a great way to end the action. I particularly enjoyed the aftermath, where Scott (who was fantastic in his role) callously dismissed Mandy like so many others have after she’s given herself to them. Again, it’s a great example of the sex acting as an allegory for the character’s life. Mandy’s only sense of self-worth is her sex, and that’s the only thing of value anyone else sees in her … except for Mel.

The film ends on quite the cliffhanger that will have audiences shaking their fists in the air and I think it’s a great way to end the tale. This is a really good story with great sex incorporated into it. I love the fact that everyone is fighting for Mel’s future and she doesn’t even realize it. It’s a very relatable story of powerlessness (a theme that is spelled out in a very good line of dialogue from Scott) and I just loved the way it was executed.