Pertinent background: I'm a pretty big fan of Devinn Lane, who has four scenes (two b/g) in this classical music-themed feature, and I used to play violin semi-professionally.

The plot: Steven St. Croix is an imperious conductor/composer for a little chamber group who plays manipulative power/sex games with the new cellist, Devinn Lane. His commitment to his art has left him impotent, and he must orchestrate the passion of his subordinates for inspiration. Yes, by the end Devinn has become the cure for impotence. Works for me.

The key: How well are the musical themes incorporated into the porn? There's a real danger of looking ridiculous. But I found it charming. I admired the effort put in by Lane, Asia Carrera, Jessica Drake et al to pretend to play their instruments. Some of the technical dialogue sounds a little clunky to an ex-musician, but it's nothing to be alarmed by. There is a moment when Scott Styles, surprised that the hot new cellist is going for his dick, drops his violin. Never happen.

Pros: The usual Wicked standard of quality. Devinn Lane looks good, as usual, and these are her first b/g scenes in a feature. The musical setting is pretty erotic, as it can be in real life. Sex highlight: A unique position I'll call hanging doggie, in which Lane takes Evan Stone from behind while both of them cling to a stepladder. Pretty cool. Personal highlight: seeing a sex scene use as background music the Bach a-minor violin concerto, my competition piece for my first real public performance.

Cons: I'm usually a big fan of Brad Armstrong commentary tracks because he tends to be a ball-buster when he's got a star in the booth with him (Lane is on this one). But he didn't seem to be in the mood this time. The track's a little sparse.

It's a strange thing to complain about in porn, but let's face it, there are sexual harassment issues in this workplace. Maybe I've been overbrainwashed, but there is a tiny sting of discomfort for me when the conductor hires a cellist, than demands that she let a hooker go down on her that night in his limo (it's a pretty good scene, though, that develops both characters). Oddly, the other Wicked movie I watched this week, About A Woman, also had this problem. The plot was a nice one about opposing workplace discrimination against gays (hot lesbians, anyway), but at the end Devinn Lane totally jumps on her new assistant, Jessica Drake, as soon as she gets the OK to hire a lesbian. Oh well, I do realize I'm watching porn.

Anyway, I liked Improper Conduct overall.

Edited by - obibong on Oct 26 2003