click to enlarge Elevation Pictures
Erika Linder and Natalie Krill in Below Her Mouth.
When
Below Her Mouth made the festival rounds last fall, much was made of its all-female crew and sex scenes shot from the female gaze. When engaged-to-a-man Jasmine (Natalie Krill) meets Dallas (Erika Linder) at a bar, she’s interested but hesitant. Dallas, who also happens to be working on the house next door to Jasmine’s, is persistent, though—cue those sex scenes. Which are hot and all—minus a ridiculous tub-masturbation scene that is more impressive for Krill’s arm strength than anything sexy—but
Below Her Mouth makes the mistake of not having an interesting story to tie those scenes into. Kudos to writer Stephanie Fabrizi for giving Sebastian Pigott the girlfriend part as Jasmine’s totally nice boyfriend Rile, but the movie’s topical selling points don’t hide the fact that it’s about bored, rich Torontonians. Krill and Linder have chemistry, but there are no new shades here beyond the standard “girl who didn’t know she was gay until she met this Shane knockoff” indie lesbian movie stuff. Director April Mullen’s first film
Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Way of the Tosser was a zany satire, a tonal 180 from this contemporary drama, but
Below Her Mouth would’ve benefitted from some of its light heart and energy. Movies about lesbians can’t be lauded simply for existing—they have to be good too.