![‘Manhood’ Review: A Sensitive Look At The Nuances Of Male Enhancement [SXSW]](https://cdn.theplaylist.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/14215300/Manhood-SXSW_Primary_1770141723045001DTfj.jpg "‘Manhood’ Review: A Sensitive Look At The Nuances Of Male Enhancement [SXSW]")
It would be easy, perhaps shockingly so, to start with how hard it might be not to lead with any manner of male enhancement-related pun, even though that absolutely just happened. Indeed, viewing a documentary about this highly specific “industry” may inevitably conjure up a chuckle or two at the mere thought, with such a mentality far from pioneering, as shown satirically, for example, in a memorable scene from “Austin Powers.” Yet, “Manhood” strives for something far different, if perhaps surprising: a sensitive, thoughtful look at those on the receiving end of the procedure, the doctors behind it all, and even some whose results turned out far, far worse than they had hoped.
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Bill Moore is one of those doctors. Growing up in a religious household and eventually coming to terms with the sexuality he’d known from a young age, his venture into the field sadly fails to resonate with his dementia-stricken mother, but in using a pioneering technique is he able to see success through the treatment of patients such as Ruben, father of five and in between jobs who feels this course of action is just what his relationship to Alana, mother of three such offspring, needs in the long run. On the flipside, clips showing this aspiring stand-up comic bombing onstage intersperse with his realization that the cost of multiple procedures may very well have been the impetus for his family’s eviction and subsequent relocation to awkwardly live with Baby Mama #2. He insists Alana loves his newfound girth; Alana isn’t so sure. The topic of financial burden will arise again later, as a urologist will discuss by using a hypothetical scenario in which someone might express concern over being unable to pay their mortgage; in such a case, advising them to take care of their housing before anything else becomes paramount.
Meanwhile, OnlyFans phenom David’s story couldn’t be further from Ruben’s in more ways than one, as a botched surgery at the hands of one Dr. Loria meant to achieve visible results saw him left with a member now riddled with rock-hard nodules and a devastating blow to his self-confidence and overall well-being. Mental health enters the conversation throughout the film, with other patients musing while laying prone across the operating table of their various motivations behind wanting to “be bigger,” and in the film’s final act does Loria sit for his own interview, where a boastful, defensive persona quickly emerges amongst the reflections on his career and the Mafia connections (!) that defined his childhood. By focusing on just a few subjects, what could be an examination of an objectively simple, joke-bait subject turns far more personal, at times intimate, and frequently revealing as it peels back the layers.
Yes, what was just uttered could be construed as another pun, which, considering the oft-downbeat mood, could be considered a breath of fresh air. There’s no question it’s ultimately a straightforward concept to partake in, but director Daniel Lombroso does his best to inject (again, my apologies) “Manhood” with the humanity it needs. Maybe it’s a difficult subject to discuss, or maybe, as Ruben himself is shown undertaking onstage at one point, something at which it’s near-necessary to poke fun. Everyone deserves a shot at happiness. Some are willing to take it farther, or perhaps longer, than one might expect. [B+]
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