In this thoughtfully well-paced film — Wicked’s first since the very successful multi-AVN Award-winning Dreamquest —director Brad Armstrong plays the role of a Catholic priest at odds with his lusts and the choices he has made.

Things start with the end of Armstrong’s relationship with former flame Sydnee Steele.  It looks painful with Steele being caught naked with afternoon delight Dillon. Five years later, Steele comes back to apologize and resume things. She discovers his new vocation and is undeterred. Steele plays this obsession well, coming off as a woman who is desperate, sensual and predatory.

From there, he heads off to work to give a sermon on marriage, by way of a conversation with local hookers Jessica Drake and Nicole Sheridan. This lusty bit is the first chink in Armstrong’s armor and is a harbinger of Armstrong’s pending fall.

There, Stephanie Swift confesses to having a tryst with roommate Felecia. In what is shown as possibly Armstrong’s fantasy of the encounter, Swift pounds Felecia until she cums loudly, squeaking and frigging her own asshole. Both girls proceed to fuck their own asses with toys. The scene is hot and right for the tone of the film.

He goes to fellow priest Mike Horner and tells him about how his desire is making him weak. "He never said it would be easy. He said it would be worth it," is what Horner leaves him with, and Armstrong prays for strength and help.

The two former lovers meet at a diner and he tells her that it is over. She shows up in his confessional booth and he forces her into a back room. She kisses him and he fantasizes about giving in. In this fantasy, Steele gives him a rocking blowjob, complete with rosary beads wrapped around his hand clasped on her head as she sucks him off.

Armstrong then asks his God for a sign of what to do. That turns out to be him watching the most blistering scene of this film with Drake and Sheridan working john Voodoo over. Drake spits on Voodoo’s cock when he pulls it out of Sheridan’s pussy, spitting on it and in Sheridan’s mouth in a delectable way. Drake rides him, taking him deep in her twat.

When the two former lovers meet up as they are destined to, he lets himself go with what he wants. He asks his God to forgive before the action and on the bed, he stops her briefly before she goes to suck his cock.  The scene is full of small shards of pain and sacrifice, both in his face and in his motions. He is awkward and overwhelmed in the fuck, making it hotter and more emotionally true.

In the end, he chooses to leave his lover. He chooses to continue to feel his pain rather than to forgive her.  He chooses to deny himself her and shut himself away. He chooses what he believes his God to be over the woman who doesn’t take no for an answer.

We all make the choices that Armstrong’s character does here on some level and Armstrong is an excellent everyman, living out the pain we all face, trying to do what we feel is best on a daily basis.

And now for the pre-noms... Best Actress — Film to Steele for her portrayal of a woman terrified of losing her past and past love and Best Actor — Film to Armstrong for hitting a career high playing a man who will probably never stop running. Best All-Girl Sex Scene — Film to Felecia and Swift, Best Couples Sex Scene — Film and Best Oral Sex Scene — Film to Armstrong and Steele and Best Group Sex Scene — Film go to the scalding hot scene between Drake, Sheridan and Voodoo.

Best Screenplay — Film to Armstrong and Daniel Metcalf for telling this story in a vibrant way, Best Cinematography to Jake Jacobs for giving the film an amazing glow, Best Director — Film to Armstrong for keeping the story telling on target and Best Film to the whole production.

Marketing: Couples, fans of Armstrong and Steele will be satisfied. Storeowners in some areas may want to gauge their customers’ reactions to the box cover image.

—  Heidi Pike-Johnson