An old cliche goes something like this: "There's two sides to every coin." In the case of this documentary on the wold of adult movies, the filmmakers decided to show us the dark side of the coin.

Fallen Angels purports to be an honest depiction of what goes on behind-the-scenes of XXX-rated movies and video. There's intimate conversations with people involved in the industry, from adult film actors and actresses to producers and directors to agents to the boyfriends and girlfriends of the people who make their living performing sex on-camera. Despite the impressive interviews on record here and the often fascinating glimpses into the side of this business you never see, something seems phony with the way the material is presented. I just can't buy such a one-sided view of the industry, especially when there's so much name-calling, back-stabbing and negative commentary from the subjects featured in the movie.

The shot-on-video feature is something of a jumble; it seems that it may have started out as a look at three women and their experience making adult films. But somewhere along the line, the filmmakers apparently thought what they were capturing with their video-cameras wasn't sordid enough. So by adding sequences of people renting videocassettes and a full-blown theatrical porno premiere, as well as other seemingly inserted segments, they've attempted to tackle the whole industry. But when Fallen Angels tries for too much, it comes up short.

Still, there are some memorable, telling moments captured here, the stuff of which controversy is made of. It's no wonder the film has been mysteriously held up from video release for some months.

Kristara Barrington is introduced as Kim, a 19-year-old beauty with a boyfriend and little experience performing sex in front of the camera. Eighteen months later we see her starring in many hardcore films and involved in a phone-sex business. But Barrington doesn't condemn the industry, although her boyfriend appears quite uncomfortable with his partner's occupation. She says it gives her power and "puts her up on a pedestal, higher than men." On the other hand, we're offered a look at Diana, who has gone from top XXX actress to a confused, burned-out woman who lives in a motel room and makes money doing private photo sessions for middle-aged men. She claims the business has ruined her, and has made her incapable of having a normal relationship with anybody.

Equally memorable are the sequences involving the men in the business. Loop director Bruce Seven comes off like a chauvinistic sleazoid who prepares for his directing chores by "Getting laid the nigh before so I'm not horny." Producer Hal Freeman seems like a craggy no-nonsense businessman, who elicits our sympathy when one of his former actresses, a high-priced hooker, gets him embattled in a court case in order to get herself off of a prostitution conviction. Agent Jim South, a former insurance salesman, probably comes off best of all, as he serves as business liaison between performers and producers, while acting as sort of a Big Brother to his "models." Although South says the most important aspect of his job is "getting the ladies to trust you," Diana and her boyfriend later recount some os his less-than-respectable practices.

Ultimately, everybody gets fingers pointed at them, and, in return are given an opportunity to point their fingers back. Diana surfaces as something of a victim of the business, a woman "ruined" by making XXX movies. But that's exactly how she wants us to think of her, although she's really a victim of her own choice: she's had every opportunity to stop making these films, but has chosen to continue, perhaps for too long. Her story, as well as the other personal stories in the film, make for fascinating, problematical viewing. Lots of questions are raised; most go unanswered. Anyone interested in adult movies or documentaries should definitely take a look at Fallen Angels. It allows us to see why some like it hot in front of the cameras, if not in back of them.