Vivid's highly publicized remake of Deep Throat is in fact a whole new take on the porn classic. All that remains of the jokey original is the concept of a woman whose clitoris is located in her throat; the only way she can reach orgasm is by swallowing cock.

Throat 2009, directed by Paul Thomas from a Raven Touchstone script, is porn noir, a dark mystery about innocence destroyed. Swiftly paced and engrossing, it plays like a mainstream movie. But it's the star, Sasha Grey, who brings it to life.

The body of a young woman is discovered in an alley with a broken bottle rammed in her mouth. Julie, the victim, narrates her own story. After she takes a job in a peep show to fund her education she discovers that "the seat of my pleasure was in my throat."

Her newly acquired knack for sword-swallowing is relentlessly exploited by her slimeball boyfriend (Trent Tesoro), who pimps her out doing blowbangs with bozos. Her life is changed by a club promoter (Evan Stone), whose more sophisticated ways of making money off her lead to her ultimate breakdown.

Julie's tale seems to parallel the real-life story of Deep Throat star Linda Lovelace who, at least from her own account, was similarly used.   

There's a subplot about the troubled relationship between the detectives investigating her death, tough Tom Byron and recovering alcoholic Penny Flame. Their sad story eventually dovetails with Julie's.

All the principals give first-rate performances but Grey's in a class by herself. She doesn't so much act the role as embody it. Impassive, mysterious, she radiates what one character calls the "light that shines within you, pure and bright."

And she does two anals and sucks a whole lot of dick — very erotically.

Some fans may find the movie a downer, but folks who crave compelling drama with their hardcore sex need look no further. This is adult feature filmmaking at its best.