8mm (1999)

An elderly Pennsylvania millionaire passes away and his widow finds a reel of 8mm film hidden among his personal possessions. The reel contains what appears to be a 'snuff film' where a young woman is murdered for purposes of sexual gratification. The widow and her lawyer hire a PI played by Nicolas Cage to investigate the film and determine if it is authentic or not. The first 30 minutes or so of this movie is really interesting, but after Cage, having managed to identify the girl in the film travels to her last known whereabouts in California and starts investigating the underground porn scene there, it gets more and more difficult to watch. I respect that the film treats its story with some gravitas and not just as a throw away excuse for action. Cage's character, who is married and has a baby daughter, becomes so disturbed by what he encounters in the course of the case that he starts to come unglued emotionally. The film walks the fine line of exploitation pretty well, but perhaps unavoidable there are times you just feel dirty watching this. Joaquin Phoenix plays a musician and porn store employee who helps Cage with his investigation. **1/2