Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy (2001)

Very well executed

One of my all time favorites.

Good movie but grossly overrated

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

This documentary was an enjoyable watch. Pretty much anybody who has seen a porno at one time or another in their life has seen Ron Jeremy. I have seen plenty over the years, but I particularly like his work in clothes-on roles in non-porn films, such as Citizen Toxie, Orgazmo, etc.Here, we have an interesting look into Ron's personal life. We all know Ron for all of the women he's had sex with in his lifetime, despite having a less than perfect physical appearance. Or, as Ron puts it in this movie, he proves that "anyone can get laid!" Despite all the women, however, Ron's life is fairly rough. This film lets you take a look at Ron's PACKED schedule and gigantic book of phone numbers, and we see that this guy is ALWAYS on the road and is ALWAYS busy. All of the travel has got to be hard on his body (although Jenna Jameson will help soothe his wounds).Basically, you'll end up cheering on Ron for all of the beautiful women he gets paid to {sleep with}, but you'll also feel sorry for him when you see how tough his life really is.

Stumbling upon this late last night on cable I decided to give it a go. This is the life of one of the longest surviving porn actors in the business. Two things that struck me was that Ron seems like he's an extremely nice guy. He's the type of guy that you'd want at your party because he's so interested in having fun. The other thing that struck me was that despite the upbeat demeanor it was all terribly sad. Its not that the life is a bad thing, rather its simply that Ron is trying so hard to be "Ron - Superstar" and to break into mainstream movies that he's completely missed the chance of having anything approaching a what is considered a normal life, there is no girlfriend, wife or family, there is only the drive to be famous. You can sense the sadness in him, in talking about his girlfriends, the desire of kids. I also found it telling when he said that he looked for certain things at a party, and mentioned that food rated higher than women.I liked the film, but was left both liking Ron more than before and being left clueless as to why we should care. Definitely worth seeing7 out of 10

7 out of 10 It is rare when you can use the words cute, cuddly, and porn in the same sentence and yet this is definitely one of those times. This is one of those films that is very natural and honest and has a real feel good spirit to it. You can't help but like Ron Jeremy a man who has done over a thousand adult films and has had sex with some of the hottest women in the business. He is very self effacing and affable. He seems less like a film subject and more like a chum. He is somebody you could party with and have around as a pal. The filmmakers show no intent at conveying any particular type of message. A wide variety of things are shown. Everything from his background, his childhood, his costars, his hobbies, his family, and of course his many adoring fans are seen. The approach is objective with the porn scene shown in a very matter of fact way. It also takes a look at the stressful side of being a male performer. In particular are the methods they use to gain erections and then sustain them for long periods. This is a film that can be fun even for those who don't like porn. Ron is certainly an original and nothing like what you might expect a porn star to be. He is intelligent, out of shape, and has a very warm relationship with his family. He also takes his job quite seriously and even considers what he does as true acting. He is very opinionated about this. Depending on your point of view you may find this either intriguing or just highly amusing. Some of the best parts are the deleted scenes, which you can find on the DVD version. The part where he hugs a tree that was planted the same day he was born is both goofy and memorable. He is shown to be a very good pianist and also tells of a rather arousing 'Lolita' story. The deleted scenes also shows more of his father who is fun to listen too and has a real nice 'old man' charm. Like the man himself this is fast, funny, and offbeat. It has a very humanistic approach and doesn't stay on anything too sordid. It can be enjoyed equally both by those who like porn and those that don't.

Imagine the most popular male porn star in the world being lonely and sad and you'll find Ron Jeremy. At least that's what I sense when viewing this film. Underneath all the hedonism and gaiety is a man who's dream of being a legitimate actor in Hollywood, goes unfulfilled. And it shows, too.I wanted to laugh at this film, I really did, but I just couldn't do it knowing that he seems to be one of the loneliest guys on the planet. And I don't care how many women he's balled.It seems the nature of the (porn) business doesn't allow for people to have meaningful relationships, and Ron is a perfect example of this. He knows he's getting up there in age. He knows he'll have to leave someday, so at least he has a plan, unlike most of the other victims who had a big time in the industry, only to see it all come crashing down.It's a well-done documentary that isn't tasteless. It could of been, but it wisely isn't.7 out of 10