Pleasureland (2018)

Reality TV has given birth to the 'shotgun' celebrity. Reaching fame via one of many TV shows, they are paraded around the PA 'circuit' by fly-by-night agents until burn out. What's left is a shell of a human being - desensitized to sexual or any other kind of meaningful relationship, isolated and penniless. They are left on the road, picking up any Z list work that comes their way up and down the country in some town that time forgot. 'Pleasureland' focuses on one such man, who 'used to be that guy on TV'....the story takes place across one weekend in one of the UKs tired seaside towns and where our unnamed protagonist has been booked for a couple of PAs [personal appearance]. This is the bottom of the barrel, the last hurrah before the end of the road. However much to his surprise, he finds himself drawn in by the hotel's receptionist, Dina. Through Dina, he slowly reconnects with what matters and attempts to fill the void that has been left from the years of partying. But can these two people from two different worlds find happiness together? Pleasureland is an honest depiction of what you don't see on the countless Instagram accounts of these so-called celebrities when they step out of the limelight. It highlights the brutal reality of being cast and manipulated for the sake of entertainment - and should serve as a cautionary tale for the thousands of wannabes that audition for such shows.