Duplicity

Molly (Evelyn Claire) and Miles (Charles Dera) Morgan have the perfect life together: newly married, madly in love, and recently wealthy thanks to an inheritance. But something sinister hangs over the couple’s perfect life: Molly’s best friend Zeena Gray (Freya Parker). Zeena’s scandalous past and mysterious motives are a constant thorn in Miles’ side, and Molly’s insistence on having her stay with them for a few weeks is putting a strain on their marriage. Zeena’s intentions are clear, but her motivations remain a mystery. Is she looking out for Miles’ best interests, or does she have something more nefarious in mind?

Axel Braun continues to remake Wicked Pictures to match his vision with the first film in the company’s new Wicked Noir imprint. Film noir is known for its emphasis on dark lighting, pessimistic tone, and stylistic storytelling. When I first heard about this concept, I was incredibly stoked because film noir and porn are a perfect match for one another. It should come as no surprise that a film aficionado like Braun envisions an imprint like this as part of the Wicked brand, and tapping James Avalon as the first writer and director in the line was a fantastic choice. Avalon clearly understands the genre, as evidenced by the way “Duplicity” is shot, lit and written. The characters all feel real, there’s a foreboding sense of dread that hangs over the entire story, and the mystery element feels straight out of a Humphrey Bogart detective film. Parker is amazing as the lead. This is the third time I’ve seen her in a film, but the first with such a substantial acting role — and she blows it out of the water. Claire also smashes it in the acting department, and Dera plays the victim caught in the middle perfectly.

This is some of the best sex I’ve seen in quite some time. Zeena and Miles’ father Bentley (Steve Holmes) opens the action with an absolute banger. As is the case for the entire film, the lighting is so important because it helps create a specific tone. Zeena looks like a vision as she lounges on the bed rubbing her pussy for Bentley. It’s a brief moment, but my God, does she look sultry and amazing! The blowjob is slow and sensual, and Zeena oozes sexuality as Bentley thrusts into her. The cowgirl is also wonderfully shot.

Porn models Daphne (Diana Grace) and Rod King (Jay Romero) engage in a coupling that has huge narrative implications. The most striking thing about this scene is the color palette. Daphne is clothed in a bright red dress, while the rest of the room has a muted pink and black scheme. It makes Daphne stand out and draws the viewers eye to the sexual action unfolding. Romero’s chiseled physique looks amazing pressed against Diana’s athletic body, and the way she rocks her pussy into his cock is mesmerizing.

Zeena and Miles hook up in a charged encounter that is full of pent-up aggression. Miles has been pushed to his breaking point, and Zeena is there to be a sexual pincushion for him. Again, the lighting is incredible, and the spoon is heavenly. Freya’s got an incredible ass, and holy cow, the way they clutch to each other during the cowgirl is brilliant. What an amazing scene.

The Morgans cap things off sexually with a passionate hate fuck. The cold fury emanating from husband and wife causes their sex to be absent the loving tenderness one would expect from a husband and wife. Instead, it’s a cynical sexual competition between the two that is fucking sexy as hell. Character sex is so, so good, and this is it in spades.

I am going to absolutely love the Wicked Noir imprint. If this film is any indication of the stories that are going to come out of this endeavor, fans of feature films are going to have a new favorite genre very, very soon.