After 17 years in the business, Mikey (Simon Rex) had more bangs to his credit than the Big Bay Boom. The Los Angeles-based porn star vowed never again to set foot in Texas, but the universe, and a fickle industry, monkey-wrenched his plans. In lieu of conversation, rapid-fire Mikey riot-hosed a stream-of-conscious spatter of bullshit over anyone within the sound of his voice, hoping that some of it would stick. A rap on his ex’s front door is greeted with a level of enthusiasm generally reserved for the tax collector. And one look at his Pornhub page is enough to turn off any prospective employer. Mikey’s day job as a walking dispensary doesn’t pay enough to buy one one-way ticket back to L.A. let alone a second seat for Strawberry (Suzanna Son), the 17-year-old donut shop clerk he plans on using as his co-star back to the top. Director Sean Baker and his co-screenwriter Chris Bergoch (Starlet, The Florida Project) again take us through the brightly colored corridors of small town America, never once passing judgement on what lurks beneath the surface. And kudos to Mr. Rex. Not afraid to stand naked and unashamed before the camera, he puts the fun in dysfunctional. (2021) — Scott Marks
This movie is not currently in theaters.