Porn’s early days stripped down in ‘The Deuce’

HBO drama meant to stimulate, not titillate

The most surprising thing about The Deuce is how little it tries to shock you.

The series ( out of four) has a sprawling cast of prostitutes, pimps, mobsters and cops, but its main focus is on Vincent (James Franco), who gets in with the mob to build his own bar, and Eileen (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a seasoned prostitute who is (eventually) intrigued by the opportunities offered by porn.

The Deuce works because it makes no judgments, but it also isn’t nostalgic. It has an almost clinical approach to its onscreen sex and nudity, and is remarkably restrained in what it shows. That restraint proves key in preventing the series from feeling as exploitative as the industry it portrays.

Deuce’s heart lies in Eileen. Gyllenhaal plays her with weariness and indifference, as her life on the street becomes more taxing and she sees porn and filmmaking as an escape.

Franco does double duty as Vincent and his twin, the more degenerate Frankie, but Frankie feels like an unnecessary addition.

The slow start might make it difficult to pull in viewers. But once The Deuce gets past its introductory phase, it’s much more adeptly paced and more naturally flips between characters.

Overall, The Deuce is the kind of smart, well-written and character-driven series that won’t be overwhelmed by its sex-heavy concept, nor too reliant on it to sustain interest. What’s more important than the titillation its characters are peddling is who they are and why they’re doing it.

If that’s what The Deuce is selling, it’s definitely worth buying.