Rented Lips

Archie is a documentary filmmaker who lives at home with his mother, who is frustrated by his single-minded focus on work. He teams up with his best friend and cinematographer Charlie to make ambitious projects. Their world is about to change when they’re offered a chance to pursue a passion project.

They must complete a film for an executive to secure funding for their dream project, a musical on Indian farming techniques. If they succeed, they’ll be allowed to use the same cast and crew. Hopeful, they accept the challenge.

They arrive on set and discover the film they’re supposed to fix is actually a pornographic feature with a terrible World War II–era script. Despite the deception, they decide to press on and salvage the project by turning it into a musical exploitation film. The revelation tests their partnership and resolve.

They commit to elevating the material, hoping to salvage the production by turning it into a musical exploitation film. On-set issues pop up as they navigate a tense atmosphere and conflicting ambitions. An eccentric actor named Wolf adds to the chaos.

Archie's mother arranges a blind date with Mona Lisa, who is thrilled to meet a director. He finds her enthusiasm infectious and she becomes a potential collaborator. She’s eager to act, but insists she will not be involved in explicit scenes.

Mona Lisa is added to the film’s cast, though she is not given any adult scenes. This choice heightens tensions as Wolf pushes for more provocative material from the original script. Archie and Charlie try to keep the production on track.

Wolf attempts to insert sex scenes from the original script, but Mona Lisa firmly rebuffs him. The on-set friction grows as the cast and crew contend with divergent creative visions. Archie works to maintain momentum despite the clashes.

The leader of an extreme religious organization arrives with followers to shut down the shoot and threaten the production. Tension peaks as his presence looms over the set. The situation shifts when he learns Mona Lisa is his daughter.

Overwhelmed by the family revelation and the on-set chaos, Archie storms off the set. He questions his choices and the feasibility of finishing both films. The moment marks a personal and professional turning point.

Archie reconsiders and decides to complete both the farming musical and the on-set version. He commits to finishing the two films, balancing competing visions and pressures. The decision injects renewed energy into the production.

Archie discovers that Rev. Farrell produced pornography himself and wrote the original script, using it as leverage to force the project forward. This knowledge reframes the conflict and motivates Archie to use the information to his advantage. The revelation deepens the moral questions behind their film.

Archie completes both films and achieves professional success, signaling a major breakthrough in his career. A montage shows his rising recognition and the fruits of their stubborn persistence. The double project redefines his ambitions.

The film cuts to Archie waking up at his typewriter, implying he may have been dreaming or writing a script. He resumes writing as scenes of professional success continue to play out. The ending leaves it up to the viewer to decide what was real and what was imagined.