Director Alexandra Berger has chosen an unusual subject for her debut feature documentary, and the result is unusually good. Danland follows Dan "Porno Dan" Leal, a successful pornographer, as he searches for real love in his own life, forever complicated by the trappings and temptations of his chosen career. The film follows Dan for several years as he falls in and out of love with various women, all while carrying on a busy schedule as a maker (and star) of porn films. While this movie is not pornography, some scenes are rather graphic, so the timid may want to steer clear. But if you appreciate a raw, honest story, it doesn't get much better than this. Danland succeeds in humanizing a subject that many would write off as simply a frat boy out of control. Berger manages to get under Dan's skin numerous times, bringing out a side that is vulnerable, lonely, and tragically sad. Yet, there are laughs as well, such as when Dan manages to turn the tables and get under the filmmaker's skin. Berger's awkward expression when she is spontaneously recruited by Dan to shoot an unfolding porn scene is well worth the price of admission. In the end, Danland is a human tale, demonstrating the fact that deep down, whether we're porn stars or accountants, we all just want to be loved.
