John Leslie may be soon parting ways with VCA (he will direct features for his own company, associated with Evil Angel), but he's going out with a bag, as this vid is a triumph of tease, Martin Brimmer has provided a topnotch, complex script, with twists that work, and Leslie negotiates the complications without ever seeming convoluted, and integrates seven searing sex scenes into the plot, all (but one) well-shot by Jane Waters. With a fine box cover design, Bad Habits should prove to be another chart-topper for VCA.

The plot centers on oversexed romance novelist Sean, played with just the right touch of hauteur and vulnerability by Deidre Holland, in an awards-worthy turn. Sean is in therapy with unscrupulous shrink Randy Spears, whose ease in the roles of intelligent villains brings to mind none other than John Leslie himself. Mark Davis is fine as the ex-con who plays the twists nd wins Deidre's heart. The therapy setting, old-hat in many other videos, is given fresh life here, as sex scenes grow out of therapeutic confessions by Deidre; out of a post-session sex bout between Spears and receptionist Tiffany Mynx; and as part of a past-life hypnotic regression therapy session. This intelligent set of variations beats hell out of standard flashback techniques.

You get the idea —this video is technically and thespically excellent —so let's talk about the sex. A fabulous backlit scene at a sex club is a surefire Best Tease, as Dyanna Lauren, clad in black latex, wields a fine spray of water until she drips with anticipation, and the men drip with lust, to the tune of four cumshots on her rubber-covered ass, as Deidre fondles her and urges the men on. Spears' scene with the luscious Tiffany Mynx features mutual teasing, sensuous stripping, as Tiff does an utterly crotch-grabbing turn into a cat, crawling, rubbing, licking, and literally purring over Spears' dick, which he plunges into her delectable ass, in another awards-worthy scene. A three-way therapy session features the too-little-seen Angel Ash (Face Dance, Slave to Love) taking on  lover T.T. Boy and hubby Ted Craig. the other four sex scenes are all worthy of note, too, although the Deidre Holland/Tom Byron pairing is too coyly shot through a plant, obscuring the action. This only quibble shouldn't stop you from stocking this surefire multiple awards nominee. Additional cast: Mark Davis, Deborah Wells, Jon Dough, Sasha Strange.