Lovelace is a 2013 American biographical drama film directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, centered on the life of pornographic actress Linda Lovelace, who rose to fame as the star of the 1972 film Deep Throat. The film covers her life from age 21 to 32, depicting her entry into the adult film industry, her abusive marriage to Chuck Traynor, and her later transformation into an anti-pornography activist.
Production and Cast
The screenplay was written by Andy Bellin. The film stars Amanda Seyfried as Linda Lovelace, Peter Sarsgaard as Chuck Traynor, Sharon Stone as Dorothy Boreman (Lovelace's mother), and Robert Patrick as John Boreman. The supporting cast includes Hank Azaria, Wes Bentley, Adam Brody, Bobby Cannavale, James Franco, Debi Mazar, Chris Noth, Eric Roberts, Chloë Sevigny, and Juno Temple. Filming took place in Los Angeles and Glendale, California, beginning in January 2012 and wrapping in February 2012. The film was produced on a budget of $7 million.
Release
Lovelace had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2013. It received a limited theatrical release in the United States on August 9, 2013, distributed by Radius-TWC and Alchemy.
Reception
The film received mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 54% based on 127 reviews, with the consensus stating: "Amanda Seyfried and Peter Sarsgaard do their best with the material, but Lovelace lacks enough depth and conviction to truly do its fascinating subject justice." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 51 out of 100, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. The film grossed approximately $1.6 million at the box office against its $7 million budget.
Historical Accuracy
Questions were raised regarding the historical accuracy of the film's narrative. Gerard Damiano Jr., son of Deep Throat director Gerard Damiano, and Eric Danville, Linda Lovelace's biographer, spoke to The Rialto Report about how the film conflated spousal abuse with the treatment of actors in the adult film industry.
