Add this portrayal of a woman abused, hurt, and recovering to Ashlyn Gere's gallery of award-winners. Kudos to Ashlyn for the story idea, to Ariel Hart's spare and effective script, to director Layne Parker, and flawless videography by Jake Jacobs.

Ashlyn flees an abusive relationship with Rocco Siffredi with the aid of her friend Sean Michaels. In flashback, we watch Ashlyn's epic, passionate oral assault on Colt Steele, as directed by Rocco. As they move into furious doggie pounding, Rocco joins in for a dick-slapping blowjob. Both men flash in her face, and dump her. Humiliated, panting, glowing with sweat and dripping with cum, Ashlyn is both the ultimate sexual object, and the ultimate vulnerable child. What a moment! What a scene!

Ashlyn is guided to sanctuary with the kindly Marie (Nina Hartley, in an awards-worthy performance), who guides her reacceptance of her sexuality. The therapy involves watching loving couples enjoying sex, including bullet-nippled hardbody Anna Malle with Hank Armstrong. Nina joins in as player-coach in the Oral Olympics, and Hank drills both ladies.

Nina and Ashlyn watch, and then emulate, a lesbian video, in a topnotch girl/girler. A somewhat gratuitously shoehorned scene matches Mark Davis and Tera Heart, featuring reverse cowgirl and doggie anal. This sets the stage for a passionate, climactic reunion of Ashlyn and Sean. Even better as lovers than they were as friends, this pairing of two of the best ever is soul-stirring.

All three of Ashlyn's sex scenes here deserve nomination consideration. Ashlyn Rising – a must-stock vid!