Sean Michaels, as actor and filmmaker, wastes the opportunity to deliver a convincing portrait of a sex worker. Instead he is quite smug, depicting himself as a Black version of "American Gigolo", caught up in a very poor melodrama.

Sean plays Louis Duval, a slick, smooth-talking gigolo of the title. He has the glamorous wardrobe, snazzy sports car and is rolling in dough servicing hot women. But, and this is where the video turned me off completely, he is soul-searching about his life choices. What does he really want to do with his life? When will he give up this whoring lifestyle?

Watching this poorly made video in 2025 (lousy sound recording and music, plus subpar acting), with hindsight we know that Sean has been saving away in the sex trade for 37 years, so that introspection by his character Louis didn't extend to his real life.

The screenplay is awful: Louis is setup for murder by someone he's wronged but the details of the frame-up and the chronology of events is way off. In fact, the story here is so flimsy that all we're left with is a glamorized look at prostitution, in this case from a male prostitte's vantage point. In particular, the character of Louis's boss, played by Sydney St. James, is not credible at all.

Like many of his famous peers, such as Manuel Ferrara, James Deen and Lexington Steele, Michaels has directed and/or produced hundreds of porn vehicles for himself, surrounded by adoring, beautiful ladies. Besides earning his keep, they are ridiculously self-serving ego trips.

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The romance genre features the theme of romantic relationships and emotional connections between characters. These stories focus on the development of love, desire, and intimacy between protagonists, often exploring the challenges, conflicts, and triumphs that arise in their relationships.

Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)

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