The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater

I won't lie, upon only half paying attention reading the plot of The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater. The words that stuck out were "Mafia" "Ex lover" "Extortion" "You have 30 days" "Embezzled Art collection" "MMA fighting priest" and of course "DOMINATRIX.... who plays by her own rules" ( I added that last part but it's true!!!) All those words that stuck out reading the summary, decided the trailer deserved my attention. To which it usually doesn't go past that point. ESPECIALLY With medium budget indie films. But they somehow made it to the next round. Renting It wasn't going to break the bank, and I said "hey! if I don't like it? I'll just turn it off, maybe try again later, or get done some of the work I need to do and have it as background noise... needless to say I'm behind on said work... I'm sorry! I really don't want to come across as arrogant or like my opinion is valid. Because we all know those who can't do anything become film critics. But I truly didn't think I was going to like this movie as much as I did. I'm going to buy the flick regardless, but honestly debating whether I should just but the digital or seek out a physical format of the movie (which is what I prefer, I don't know, owning a movie you're able to hold just means more to me.) The final chapter in the adventure of a movie and it's fate of either getting screened or reamed... well... it's writing a review... and here we are. Keep in mind, even if I think a movie is watchable, I usually won't bother writing a review. Note, even movies I think are terrible where my review is to purely warn others, even at that, the review is still a few short sentences of "do not do this to yourself! I watched it already! I was violated by this movie so you didn't have to be as well" There's so much that goes into why this movie deserves to be appreciated. The writing, the production, the acting, all done down to a T with precision and perfection. Obviously this movie didn't have a mega block buster budget, but given what they were given with what they were able to give. It was able to keep me invested without noticing it wasn't a Marvel Movie. Especially the acting. (When I watch movies I like to watch the background actors. It goes unnoticed when you're fixated on the characters the scene is centered on, as you normally should. But when you focus on the substance of whats going on behind the context, and the actors in the background who's characters don't have an existence beyond these few short moments. Who they are and how their story won't and doesn't mean anything. Are just a cog in the machine, an algorithm, their story isn't suppose to exist. Most of the time it causes you to find a glitch in the matrix and they look like background actors. But I didn't feel that way watching The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater. The acting is what truly made this film intriguing and able to be invested in. Especially and nothing without out Lorrissa Julianus. Lorrissa's performance bringing to life and portraying the character of Ava Moriarty, the story's main protagonist. Was not only believable, but give me butterflies, and at times give me butterflies. Let's just say if Ava was in my life? I would forget the safe word on purpose. I'm mostly familiar with Lorrissa's voice involved in a great deal of my favorite video games and small roles in movies like "Marked" "the husband" and "every 21 seconds". The charm, wittiness, and sense of humor her charisma projects on screen (not to mention absolutely gorgeous). She is truly underrated in her field and well on her way to becoming a DOMINATING force in the indie world. I highly recommend The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater. I laughed, I cried, I fell in love...

No spoilers! But if you want a strong female lead, this is it! This is your sign!

I am unsure what film those who gave this a less than glowing review were watching. Auteur, scriptwriter, and star Lorrisa Julianus, director, C. J. Julianus, and a stellar cast have created a fun, fast-paced, and well-crafted adventure story that also doesn't shy away from its more serious subplots. Ms. Julianus is blessed with precise comic timing, a deep understanding of art, and the physical presence to present herself as an object of desire, all without taking herself too seriously. Her co-star, Mickey O'Sullivan, also does a terrific job with his role as the leader of his failing church. The script is literate and entertaining, and time spent with Ava, the charming protagonist of the piece, is time very well spent.

Oh, the life of a dominatrix. Well, this movie answers the age-old question, what happens when an aspiring dominatrix meets a nice priest? Who saves who, you might ask? I'm not sure about the Russian or Ukraine accents, but what the hell. It's easy to buy into the movie right away, and I chuckled throughout. It's nice to watch a solid indie film with an actual plot and story. Add in the mob, some debt, a bit of betrayal, and you got a movie.

I really enjoyed The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater. It's a quirky comedy with a kinky and romantic theme, with Lorissa Julianus really stealing the show in the lead. She really resonates well in the character of mentally exhausted dominatrix whilst challenging the common misconception of someone in her line of work being uneducated. Her character exhibits clear cutting intelligence, through a steely and jaded exterior. The plot is entertaining and genuinely funny - a great watch.

This movie has led me to my first review on here! I just have to let you know this movie has practically everything in it. I bought it after my first time watching on Amazon Prime, and have watched it two more times! It sounds cliche, but in 2 hours, I laughed, cried, saw great fight scenes, and even learned about art history. There is never a dull moment in The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater (WOW, what a title!) Don't let the opening scene fool you...it's just showing how much she doesn't like doing what she does. But totally hilarious to see a dominatrix wearing rainbow kitty socks under her leather boots!! I love that it is a locally made film from Chicago and I am certain there will be another film with these amazing actors and hope Binary Star has another release soon!!

This is a perfect example that if you are a film buff looking for something fresh and original, you must dig deeper in the abyss of VOD platforms. Go beyond cross-searching A-list actors and you may find a real gem. In this case, a nice poster caught my eye, plot description was very intriguing, and I liked the trailer. So, I clicked "purchase" and two hours later "The Misadventures of the Mistress Maneater" turned out to be one of these gems. I liked it a lot - what a refreshing departure from recycled, mass-produced "romantic comedies". I genuinely enjoyed this original idea turned into a well-executed, fast-paced comedy with funny dialogue, unexpected plot turns and good performances. It's an independent film but they managed to skillfully maneuver around typical shortcomings of a low-budget film. Kudos to the director and producers - if they can make such a good movie for a mere $200K (as per IMDB page), I can only imagine what they could do with a budget their talent deserves. On that note, I won't be surprised if this movie becomes a career launching pad for actors playing main characters: Lorrisa Julianus and Micky O' Sullivan. BTW I saw some bad reviews left here and I'm really baffled - have we watched the same movie?

This was a fun story! The film features a unique protagonist, a dominatrix, in what can be viewed as a comedy, mystery, romance, and noir. It is a true independent film, which gives it charm and a unique voice. Some moments felt a little talky, and at times the lighting and color feel amateur. But it's easier to look past that, knowing the filmmakers put their heart and soul into this project. Nothing about this feels "cookie cutter" or manufactured for quick cash. You can tell there is a lot of heart involved behind the scenes.

Ava Moriarty is a really memorable, bigger-than-life character, convincingly and luminously portrayed by Lorrisa Julianus. I think Ava should star in her own Hallmark Movies & Mysteries series, with emphasis on her as academic prodigy and art/history expert. Unfortunately they, i.e. the Hallmark brand, would probably shy away from her striking and hilarious dominatrix dimension. Impressive how the artwork featured in the plot was done by the lead actress herself. Not really satisfied with both main characters' backstory, "big reveal's." Came off as forced and unbelievable. The overall resolution of the plot was another head-scratcher--WTF! It felt like the writer or production ran out of time/money and just threw away the ending. I do hope though to see more of and by Lorrisa Julianus. She's a real talent.

I won't lie, upon only half paying attention reading the plot of The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater. The words that stuck out were "Mafia" "Ex lover" "Extortion" "You have 30 days" "Embezzled Art collection" "MMA fighting priest" and of course "DOMINATRIX.... who plays by her own rules" ( I added that last part but it's true!!!) All those words that stuck out reading the summary, decided the trailer deserved my attention. To which it usually doesn't go past that point. ESPECIALLY With medium budget indie films. But they somehow made it to the next round. Renting It wasn't going to break the bank, and I said "hey! if I don't like it? I'll just turn it off, maybe try again later, or get done some of the work I need to do and have it as background noise... needless to say I'm behind on said work... I'm sorry! I really don't want to come across as arrogant or like my opinion is valid. Because we all know those who can't do anything become film critics. But I truly didn't think I was going to like this movie as much as I did. I'm going to buy the flick regardless, but honestly debating whether I should just but the digital or seek out a physical format of the movie (which is what I prefer, I don't know, owning a movie you're able to hold just means more to me.) The final chapter in the adventure of a movie and it's fate of either getting screened or reamed... well... it's writing a review... and here we are. Keep in mind, even if I think a movie is watchable, I usually won't bother writing a review. Note, even movies I think are terrible where my review is to purely warn others, even at that, the review is still a few short sentences of "do not do this to yourself! I watched it already! I was violated by this movie so you didn't have to be as well" There's so much that goes into why this movie deserves to be appreciated. The writing, the production, the acting, all done down to a T with precision and perfection. Obviously this movie didn't have a mega block buster budget, but given what they were given with what they were able to give. It was able to keep me invested without noticing it wasn't a Marvel Movie. Especially the acting. (When I watch movies I like to watch the background actors. It goes unnoticed when you're fixated on the characters the scene is centered on, as you normally should. But when you focus on the substance of whats going on behind the context, and the actors in the background who's characters don't have an existence beyond these few short moments. Who they are and how their story won't and doesn't mean anything. Are just a cog in the machine, an algorithm, their story isn't suppose to exist. Most of the time it causes you to find a glitch in the matrix and they look like background actors. But I didn't feel that way watching The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater. The acting is what truly made this film intriguing and able to be invested in. Especially and nothing without out Lorrissa Julianus. Lorrissa's performance bringing to life and portraying the character of Ava Moriarty, the story's main protagonist. Was not only believable, but give me butterflies, and at times give me butterflies. Let's just say if Ava was in my life? I would forget the safe word on purpose. I'm mostly familiar with Lorrissa's voice involved in a great deal of my favorite video games and small roles in movies like "Marked" "the husband" and "every 21 seconds". The charm, wittiness, and sense of humor her charisma projects on screen (not to mention absolutely gorgeous). She is truly underrated in her field and well on her way to becoming a DOMINATING force in the indie world. I highly recommend The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater. I laughed, I cried, I fell in love...