Like a less raucous version of The People Versus Larry Flint, this tells the true story of a man brought to trial in America for obscenity. The difference is that Dennis Barrie (James Woods) is a curator who put on an exhibition of photographs by the controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati. These 'dirty pictures' could land him in jail, not to mention the divorce courts, but he stands firm. Although the moral dilemma at the core of the film is interesting, the insertion of documentary-style comments from art fans and friends of the photographer interrupts the flow of the drama. There are contributions from Mapplethorpe himself, Salman Rushdie and Susan Sarandon.

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