Source: Adult Industry News
By: Rich Moreland
These Things We Do starring Kimber Day, Siri, Bailey Blue, Marie McCray, Dana DeArmond, Alan Stafford, and Steven St. Croix. Directed by B Skow and written by David Stanley. Studio: Girlfriends Films — Rich Moreland Reviewer Rated: Power On!
These Things We Do is the sordid tale of Dr. Tom Berkin (Alan Stafford) who is unable to escape the obsessive-compulsive self-pleasuring that masks his desire to take advantage of his female patients.
Unfortunately, one of his patients is his sister-in-law Mandy (Kimber Day) whose inability to get the therapy she needs will do her in.
The first sex scene features Mandy, who is lying on the psychiatrist’s couch, and Tom who sits behind her. She can’t see him, but she knows what he is doing.
“I can hear it. I can hear it right now!” an incensed Mandy says. His reaction is to gag her with a mouthful of water, shutting out her story and minimizing his need to deal with it.
But she’s into rough sex and they quickly get to work. The action is pulsating and intense. Kimber’s performance should persuade film reviewers to nominate this scene for an AVN oral award. Unfortunately her character’s demise removes Kimber from the film early, so the viewer will not see her sluttiness again.
After the pop, a frustrated and angry Mandy storms out of the room, slamming the door.
Incidentally, when viewing this film keep in mind that Skow uses quick, jerky camera shots with the purpose of exposing raw emotional conflicts. There will be sudden flashbacks and off center angles that are specifically designed to complement the story.
Back in the office, Tom’s secretary Roberta (Dana DeArmond) takes a call from the police. No words needed, just an image. An overhead shot of a submerged and nude Mandy, staring straight ahead, legs splayed, water gentle rippling over her and into her, is an invitation in death.
The remaining film explores Tom’s complexity and the vengeance planned by three women for his irresponsibility regarding Mandy. A voice over of her torment explains it all. “It’s all your fault . . . You were supposed to be helping me, you of all people.”
When an avenger enters the narrative in the form of another patient, Sara (Siri), the pace of the movie picks up. She is involved in a BDSM relationship with Hodgy (Steven St. Croix) and describes a highly charged sexual three-way played out in a sterile room only a clinician would love.
Though she was scared, Sara confesses that everything was “An act” with Anna (Bailey Blue pre-Dahlia Sky), playing Hodgy’s slutty submissive.
Overall, the scene is BDSM lite with lots of oral, vaginal, and anal penetrations and a DP that includes sex toys. A mechanically operated dildo steals the show, driving Anna and Sara to ecstasy. Watch for a nasty clean up between the two after the pop.
In the meantime, the depressing bedroom scenes with Tom and his listless and distraught wife, Abby (Marie McCray), illustrate another of Tom’s obsessions, a pocketknife corkscrew and matches. It’s his odd way of trying to resuscitate an emotionally dead Abby while entertaining his own fantasies.
There are two more sex scenes, the first between Roberta and Sara in Tom’s office and the closing reconciliation between Tom and Abby. As is his style, B Skow hires the best performers available and lets them take their sex scenes and do what they do best. Chemistry between performers is topnotch. Bear in mind, however, that the sex is framed to fit the story, not the reverse.
Sara and Roberta offer the best of Girlfriends Films fare in their girl/girl scene. There’s oral, finger banging, choking among the offerings. Later, Tom and Abby’s round of rough sex is as good as the film’s opening act.
B Skow has an imagination and talent that ranks him among the best directors today. These Things is dark and brooding and worth the price of the DVD. Extras include an informative BTS and a couple of scenes from other Skow productions.
Rating: Power on.
