Advanced Search >
Help Me Search

Movies

Weekend Box Office
Film Awards & Top 10s By Year
All-Time High Scores
All-Time Low Scores
Best / Worst of the Decade

Wide Releases
Now In Theaters

sort by namesort by score

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Limited Releases
Now In Theaters

sort by namesort by score

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Wadd: The Life and Times of John C. Holmes

EMAILPRINTVCA Pictures

Wadd: The Life and Times of John C. Holmes reviews
64
8.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 7 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 7 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >

Movie Info

Genre(s): Documentary

Written by:

Directed by: Cass Paley

Release Date:
Theatrical: January 12, 2001

Running Time: 120 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: Not rated

Starring Misty Dawn, Larry Flynt, Al Goldstein, and John Holmes

This documentary examines the facts and legends surrounding the life of male porn superstar John Holmes.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

75

San Francisco Chronicle Wesley Morris

Disarmingly intelligent if scattered documentary.

Read Full Review >
75

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

A relatively straightforward portrait of Holmes, using interviews with family members, friends, wives, X-film producers and his former co-stars.

Read Full Review >
70

The New York Times Stephen Holden

A fairly tough-minded film until the end, when several commentators who have been critical suddenly turn misty-eyed and suggest that underneath it all, Holmes was really a sweetie.

Read Full Review >
63

New York Post Jonathan Foreman

Fascinatingly, many of the interviewees disagree vehemently about Holmes' personality: some of his co-stars and colleagues found him repellently abusive and selfish.

Read Full Review >
60

Chicago Reader Fred Camper

Fans of the famed porn star, who died of AIDS in 1988, will want to catch this exhaustive 1998 video biography.

Read Full Review >
60

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

Holmes's story isn't pretty, but it's fascinating, in no small part because the people Paley interviews offer a glimpse into a brief time when making porn was an act of rebellion that attracted a diverse and eccentric group of filmmakers and performers.

Read Full Review >
60

Village Voice Amy Taubin

Filled with people who cut Holmes more slack than he deserved.

Read Full Review >

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jeff M. gave it a6:
Doesn't really get interesting until it deals with his involvement with Wonderland murders. Most of it plays like an extended A&E Biography, zooming in and out on the same stock photos numerous times.

Sharon H. gave it a 10:
A fantastic documentary about this man. The only thing it does not explain is why he left those fantastic women, Sharon and Dawn, and took up later with a rectal porn queen. John seemed to be repelled by class and attracted to sleaze. And that's... kind of sad.

Dawn S. gave it a 10:
This was a great movie that showed all dimensions of John Holmes. He was both a great guy and a monster at the same time. Sad but accurate story of how life can take bad turns.

Laurie H. gave it a 0:
It could have really been a good movie - right up until the Amerson's Greed and hatred for Laurie Holmes was prioritized.

Mr. S . gave it a 10:
Movie about a God! Excellent

Popular on CBS sites: College Signing Day | Olympics | Lost | iPhone | Cell Phones | Video Game Reviews | Free Music

About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy (UPDATED) | Terms of Use