Love Ranch is a 2010 drama film directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci.

Background[link]

The film is based on the lives of Joe and Sally Conforte, a married couple who opened the first legal brothel in the United States, the Mustang Ranch in Storey County, Nevada.^[3] Violence results when their marriage is tested by infidelity.^[4]

Filming began in January 2008. The film was released in limited U.S. theaters on June 30, 2010.^[5]

Plot[link]

Charlie Bontempo (sometimes called Charlie "Goodtimes") and his wife, Grace, run a legal brothel known as the Love Ranch on a large, remote property near Reno, Nevada. Grace's mother had been a madam, so Grace knew the business, but it was Charlie who persuaded her to open a brothel in a part of Nevada where doing so would not be violating the law.

The business runs smoothly but is not without its headaches, such as unruly customers needing to be dealt with by a bouncer or prostitutes who get out of line. Grace is amazed, meanwhile, when Charlie procures the contract of a professional heavyweight boxer, Armando Bruza.

Bruza is from Argentina and has had fights against the likes of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Charlie is eager to have a fighter, but coaxes Grace into becoming Bruza's actual manager because Charlie has a felony conviction that prevents him from getting a license.

Grace can hardly believe Bruza is willing to live and train at the brothel, where he moves into a trailer. She is surprised even more when Bruza begins to demonstrate a physical interest in her, since she is married and considerably older. She is offended at first, but the boxer's attentions and outgoing personality begin to win her over.

Bruza's conditioning deteriorates due to excessive drinking. He also begins to voice an interest in becoming Grace's business partner in running the brothel. Charlie begins to become aware of what's happening behind his back, leading to a disastrous outcome for all.

Cast[link]

• Helen Mirren ... Grace Bontempo
• Joe Pesci ... Charlie Bontempo
• Sergio Peris-Mencheta ... Armando Bruza
• Bryan Cranston ... James Pettis
• Gina Gershon ... Irene
• Scout Taylor-Compton ... Christina
• Taryn Manning ... Mallory
• Gil Birmingham ... Sheriff Cortez
• Ling Bai ... Samantha ^[6]
• Rick Gomez ... Tom Macy
• Leslie Jordan ... Mr. Hainsworth
• M.C. Gainey ... Warren Stamp
• Elise Neal ... Alana
• Harve Presnell ... Dr. Smathers
• Wendell Pierce ... Naasih Mohammed

Reception[link]

As of December 25, 2011, the film has received mostly negative reviews, with review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reporting that just 12% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 50 reviews with an average score of 3.8/10.^[7] The site's consensus of reviews was, "Despite its saucy setup, the return of Joe Pesci, and the always marvelous Helen Mirren, Love Ranch is disappointingly flaccid."

See also[link]

• Oscar Bonavena – murdered real-life model for boxer Armando Bruza

References[link]

External links[link]

• Love Ranch at AllRovi
• Love Ranch at the Internet Movie Database
• Love Ranch at Rotten Tomatoes
• Love Ranch, The Worst Little Whorehouse Movie in Nevada, Village Voice