Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
For decades, a nice Jewish couple ran Circus of Books, a porn shop and epicenter for gay LA. Their director daughter documents their life and times.
Circus of Books is a genuinely singular documentary — the intersection of a nice Jewish family, a hardcore gay porn distribution empire, and decades of LGBTQ history in Los Angeles is an almost unbelievable real-life story. The novelty is high because this specific confluence of subjects (family memoir, queer history, obscenity law battles, the AIDS crisis) coalesces in a way that feels entirely one-of-a-kind. The plot benefits from rich archival material and a strong personal hook as director Rachel Mason investigates her own parents, giving it emotional texture beyond standard talking-head docs. Acting is not applicable in the traditional sense but the subjects are candid and compelling, earning a modest mark. Cinematography is serviceable but unremarkable — standard documentary visual grammar with archival footage doing the heavy lifting. The ending is emotionally resonant as the family reaches a kind of quiet reconciliation, though it doesn't fully land the catharsis the story seems to be building toward.