More linear than their previous biopic, Howl, this drama from codirectors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman is so respectful of 70s porn sensation Linda Lovelace that instead of humanizing the Deep Throat star, it reduces her to one dimension: victim. As a teen, Lovelace (Amanda Seyfried) rebels against her strict parents by taking up with charismatic sleazebag Chuck Traynor (Peter Sarsgaard), who introduces her to the joy of oral sex. Smelling money, he gets her started in blue movies, but he grows increasingly violent when her producers shut the couple out of the profits. As the pornographers, Hank Azaria and Bobby Cannavale lighten up this otherwise dreary tale about the high cost of free love. With Sharon Stone.
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