Every once in a while, an actor will step outside their comfort zone to take on a role that goes against type. Charlize Theron did it in Monster, Heath Ledger did it in The Dark Knight, and Adam Sandler did it in Uncut Gems. However, while those examples proved to be a success, that wasn’t the case for Amanda Seyfried, who took on the daunting challenge of portraying an adult film star in a 2013 R-rated biopic that was met with controversy and criticism. Now, 12 years later, the film will soon be available to stream for free if you’re interested in seeing the Mamma Mia! actress in a whole new light.
Released on August 9, 2013, Lovelace stars Seyfried as adult film star Linda Lovelace, the pornographic actress who rose to fame thanks to her role in the 1972 film Deep Throat. The biopic directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman focused on her life before and after the hit movie that was at the center of the Golden Age of Porn, detailing her dramatic rise to the top, and her abusive relationship with Chuck Traynor (portrayed by Peter Sarsgaard). It was certainly a role that was outside the norm for Seyfried, who up until that point had made her mark in Hollywood by starring in a string of comedies and the occasional thriller.
Unfortunately, Lovelace wasn’t the hit everyone was hoping it would be, as after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, it received a very limited theatrical release and only managed to take in $1.6 million at the box office against a budget of $7 million. Still, you have to hand it to Seyfried for diving headfirst into the role, which couldn’t have been easy to play. It was an emotional portrayal of a complicated woman that some critics said helped her shed her “good girl image.” Check out the synopsis for Lovelace below:
“After the release of Deep Throat in 1972, porn star Linda Lovelace (Seyfried) becomes an international sensation and spokeswoman for sexual freedom and hedonism; six years later, she presents a darker side to her story.”
‘Lovelace’ Was Met With Controversy
Aside from the obvious complaints about the subject matter, Lovelace was met with criticism from those within the adult film world who claimed it demonized the entire industry, and used broad strokes to paint a picture of a vocation filled with abuse. Others felt the film didn’t go deep enough, and only scratched the surface of who Lovelace was as a person to deliver a superficial biopic that was light on substance.
Some went further to dispute the accuracy of events told, claiming that the film took Lovelace’s word as gospel and ignored the arguments of those who lived through the events with her. As critic Kevin Carr put it:
“I understand that movies based on true stories take plenty of liberties, but if those liberties can be blown apart with a five-minute visit to Wikipedia, they went too far.”
That being said, if you ignore all the noise and sit down to watch Lovelace from start to finish, it’s still a harrowing tale of a woman who the world never truly got to know. It’s definitely worth the 93 minutes you’ll spend in front of the TV, if for nothing more than Seyfried’s commanding performance of the controversial figure. Look for Lovelace to hit Tubi on October 1, 2025.
