THE VICIOUS SWEET

Written, Produced and Directed by Ron Bonk
Edited by Chris Irvine and Ron Bonk
Director of Photography - Jeff Forsyth

Tyler Phenix - Sasha Graham
Grimaldi - Robert Licata
Charlie - Jason Wicks
Christine - Theresa Constantine

In the opening scenes of Ron Bonk's THE VICIOUS SWEET, Sasha Graham, as Tyler Phenix, finds herself in a room filled with Hollywood executives, watching the studio's next, big horror release. Bad Acting. Bad Dialogue. Bad lighting. Tyler can't help but laugh, she can't figure out which is worse, the movie or the fact that she's the star.

After years of hard work, Tyler has built a reputation being the most popular Scream Queen in the industry. On the verge of mainstream stardom and personal fulfillment, Tyler cuts off those closest and retreats within herself. The only one who can remove Tyler from her shell is an obsessed fan, and torture is the only method he knows.

THE VICIOUS SWEET is a hard movie to watch. Anyone who finds enjoyment at watching someone else tortured and abused needs to be put in a padded room and have their head examined. Films have crossed my desk before where their only purpose is to linger on the exploitation and degradation of the subjects. At times it's hard to decide which is worse, the film or the filmmaker.

THE VICIOUS SWEET could have easily been shameless muck, but Ron Bonk rises above trite contrivances to deliver a powerful debut. His film works on numerous levels. Ron points the finger not to the subject, but to the viewer. It is us, the viewers, that are the true problem. We buy the tapes and revel in someone else's humiliation. We buy the merchandise and support the flesh merchants. It is us who perpetuate the industry. Like sharks, we feed off wounded souls floundering in a sea of misery.

Please don't think Ron to be Jesus on the mount. He doesn't sermonize, just peals away the layers, allowing us to draw our own conclusions. Once the layers are revealed and laid open, Ron delivers the hard question. "Who are you?"

Who are any of us?

Tyler Phenix is a woman handcuffed to a bedpost, forced to answer questions about her past just to get a sip of water. She is a woman forced to watch her early film work, porno which she prayed would never again see the light of day. She is a woman forced to relive memories of rape by her uncle, who she may or may not have murdered. Tyler Phenix is a woman of strength and endurance, who did what she had to do to survive in the shark filled sea.

The heart of the film lies with Sasha Graham, who easily gives her best performance. It saddens me to know she has since left the business, that girl has got talent. She never betrays her characters' emotions, delivering every scene with the utmost honesty. Sasha lays Tyler bare during that first scene in the Movie Theater. Her laughter isn't aimed at awful film playing out before her: it's aimed at herself, fueled by contempt. Contempt at the lie that is her life. Contempt for everything she's done to create that life. Contempt that she can't leave the lies behind for fear that someone might reveal her secret.

It would have been easy for Ron to let Sasha overdo it, but he reels in a subtle and nuance-filled performance. With the help of a fine actress, Ron Bonk has proven that great film can come from the ultra-independent, micro-budget level. You just have to believe in yourself, know where you want to go, and know what you need to do to get there.

You can order THE VICIOUS SWEET directly from Sub Rosa Studios.