The film, for the most part, is effectively a two hander, with the other prominent role here being that of Chuck Traynor, an infamous and not particularly nice human being. Played here by Peter Sarsgaard, Traynor starts out as a friendly man, luring the innocent Lovelace into a new world and new experiences, and overseeing her becoming a massive star off the back of the infamous porn movie, Deep Throat. But as he installs himself as her manager, and following the pair getting married, things take a turn. Yet the film’s strongest and most haunting moments are spent with Lovelace’s parents. Played by Robert Patrick and a barely recognisable Sharon Stone, there’s a moment in the film where Linda’s father tells her he’s seen her film, and the chill in the air as he does so is palpable. It’s a mixture of tenderness and confusion, a father loving his daughter but not knowing what to make of her life, that sticks in the mind long after the film has finished. There’s solid support elsewhere in the film. James Franco turns in another good cameo, this time as Hugh Hefner, whilst Hank Azaria is good value as Gerard Damiano, the director of Deep Throat (a production that Lovelace takes you behind the scenes of and convincingly recreates, albeit with limits). However, for the most part, the supporting roles are minimal, and there’s not much room to do too much with them. It’s not, ultimately, what the movie is interested in. Lovelace, therefore, is an interesting film, but never feels like a definitive one. Significantly strengthened by some excellent acting work, it’s a starting point for those interested in the era, and the haunting story of Linda Lovelace. But it feels like an opportunity missed that that’s all it is. Lovelace is out in UK cinemas now.