Talk of the Town – Wicked Pictures – Director – Jessica Jasmin – Cast – Liz Jordan, Coco Lovelock, Melody Marks, Kenzie Taylor, Parker Ambrose, Seth Gamble, Isiah Maxwell, Josh Rivers.

****1/2 Stars

Back in 1993 when Wicked Pictures first came on the scene it took them a couple of years to find their footing. But with the signing of future superstar Jenna Jameson everything changed for the new company, and for the better. They became a label in the industry known for expansive productions, films with a story, a plot, good acting, realism and productions geared to couples. Dramatic, award winning films like Flashpoint, Blue Movie, Dream Quest and Conquest, comedies like Double Feature and a roster of stars over three decades that reads like a “who’s who”. When it comes to awards, Wicked has probably won over a thousand awards in its history from every award organization. Since 2020 Wicked has been under the Gamma Entertainment umbrella and is bringing back that old Wicked feeling once again with meaningful productions that are much more than just steamy sex, like this new release that is chock full of sex, suspense and drama.

The premise of this drama centers around Ophelia and Patrick, very well played by Liz Jordan and Parker Ambrose. They have been dating since junior year in college. Ophelia is from the east but came out west for school and decided to stay after graduation to be with Patrick. His family lives in an exclusive and affluent small town called Palm Ridge, where the family is very popular for being so well connected and wealthy. Patrick’s mom and dad are played by Seth Gamble and Kenzie Taylor, both doing a bang up job in their roles. In this film the writing is very crisp, realistic and the set ups for the scenes come right along with it under the deft direction of Jessica Jasmin. Naturally in a setting like this, gossip doesn’t have far to travel so people know everything about everyone else’s business. When something major goes down between Ophelia and Patrick, it doesn’t take long for it to be known from all over. Things take a turn for the worse and everyone thinks they know the story, but they don’t.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this story and just when you think you have it figured out…..wrong! These two lovers, while the feelings are real have a different idea about their relationship. Patrick wants Ophelia exclusively but she is not ready for that commitment. They tried everything, living together, getting engaged, but that exclusivity still lingers and creates problems for Ophelia. She decides that maybe it’s best if she heads back east to New York, Then along come Christmas and with family and friends all gathered together Patrick proposes to Ophelia and she abruptly says no. This takes everyone by surprise, especially his parents. Ophelia tells Patrick they work something out, but will they?

Patrick’s mom is no angel and has a very nasty mind and way of dealing with things. This turn down of her son does not sit well. So Kenzie begins to spread rumors about Ophelia, while having her own play toy, Isiah Maxwell to keep her happy. The two lovebirds are now under a lot of scrutiny, not only by the family but seemingly everyone in town. What happens after all the dirty rumors, deceit, lies and secrets about the couple and other dirt that come up? Nah, we’ll leave that for you to discover on your own when you get hold of this terrific couple’s friendly release from Wicked.

There are four very vivid, steamy, intense and passionate sex scenes in the film that pop up at just the right times to add  more intimacy to the story. The music, right from the start, is a winner. The acting by the cast is excellent and the entire story and plot line are carried out beautifully under Ms. Jasmin’s direction. This is a great film that will bring back a lot of memories of the old Wicked days when story, cast and performances all blended together to give the viewer a total entertainment experience. Bottom line is, if you are looking for a good cuddle up late night film to enjoy, this is it. It will be getting a lot of award buzz for sure. Well done Wicked, nice to have you back!

Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN