What Is Love?

Fairy tales often tell us that true love conquers all. What happens when love isn't enough? Follow the intertwining tales of two friends as they both struggle to salvage their relationships with their significant others. Can they help each other recapture the individual sparks that brought their unions to life in the first place? Or will they both learn that sometimes, love just isn't strong enough?

With "What Is Love?," Alis Locanta directs what I think is her strongest feature in years. She tells a story that will resonate with couples across the board, and the tale has enough twists in it to keep viewers invested in the story. Cherry Kiss delivers a fantastic performance as the desperate and vulnerable wife, while Venera Maxima injects an emotional bout of hopelessness into her performance that fits the story perfectly.

The sexual action begins with Cherry and her husband Ricky Rascal sharing a somewhat raunchy rendezvous one morning. While the sex is certainly hot (goodness gracious, Cherry looks great riding Ricky in cowgirl!), there's a tenderness that's missing between the two. It's sex that's meant to fix a widening chasm between the couple, and they both know it's not working. They aren't making love, they're feeding their lust. It's hot, but narratively, there's a hollowness to it that sets the tone for the entire film.

Like Cherry and Ricky, Venera and her longtime girlfriend Lia Lin also share a passionate tryst one afternoon. But unlike the strained tone of Cherry and Ricky, Venera and Lia have a legitimate connection with each other. Lia writhes with pleasure under Venere's touch, and Venera relishes every shudder of Lia's body under her gentle hands. The way Lia moans and pushes her ass back into Venera's mouth as the older woman licks her from behind is a perfect example of her genuine excitement.

As real and powerful as Lia's sex with Venera is, she is even more visceral when she makes her way into Ricky's bed. The story narrative takes a sharp twist as the viewer learns how fractured Cherry and Venera's relationships truly are, and the way Lia and Ricky delight in fucking each other is proof. There's no tenderness between them, but there is true joy. They are fucking each other for carnal pleasure and shedding their veils of domesticity in the process. Their sex is fast, free, and liberating.

Ricky takes his rebellion against his marriage a step further when he has a threesome with his business partner Tommy Cabrio and his girlfriend Barbie Brill. She's hungry, slutty, and overly indulgent. She loves having her pussy and mouth filled simultaneously, and she eggs Ricky on with her eyes every chance she gets.

Meanwhile, Cherry and Venera finally find common ground in their individual quests to save their relationships after finding sexual satisfaction in each other. Venera brings Cherry to multiple body- shattering orgasms with her fingers, tongue, and a glass dildo in her ass. Cherry returns the favor, diddling Veneta's clit while smiling as she pumps her ass with the dildo.

Eventually, Cherry and Venera find resolutions to their respective problems, and Cherry celebrates by making love to her husband for the first time in a long time. She slurps him down hungrily, her body coiled around his as if it's been missing the emotion behind his touch. He pounds her desperately, as if finally remembering what it's like to actually make love to his wife. They gaze at each other lovingly but also in wonder, as if discovering each other for the first time. It's a beautiful ending to their story, and it's told through some scalding sex.

This is a good movie and a reminder for audiences that Alis is a damn fine feature director. Cherry really holds the story together with her emotional performance, and the supporting cast is fantastic. The sex is impeccable, and audiences will love every minute of this.