When I first heard about a project titled Love Ranch, I assumed it was going to be a reality TV series featuring Bret Michaels at a ranch in Texas surrounded by scantily clad women. That's not at all what it turned out to be. Sure, there are scantily clad women, but Love Ranch is actually a film from critically acclaimed director Taylor Hackford (Ray, An Officer and a Gentleman) about the first legalized house of prostitution in the United States.

Academy Award winners Helen Mirren (The Queen, Red) and Joe Pesci (Goodfellas, Casino) star as Grace and Charlie Bontemo, proprietors of the Love Ranch brothel in Reno, Nevada. Charlie is a flamboyant businessman who has run afoul of the Internal Revenue Service and a Christian group who for some reason seem to have a problem with the Bontempos' method of earning a living.

Grace is far more level-headed than her husband — she keeps track of the company's books (the real ones and the phony ones they show the IRS), and basically keeps their business afloat, which isn't easy thanks to some of Charlie's questionable dealings.

Basically Grace and Charlie are as mismatched as you would expect them to be, considering they are being played by Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci.

Things get even more divisive for the couple after Charlie becomes involved in the boxing business, which he hopes will help bring attention to the Ranch. Charlie assigns his long-suffering wife the task of managing Armando Bruza, who he hopes will be challenging Muhammad Ali. Things backfire for the philandering Charlie when his wife falls for the fighter.

As expected, Mirren does a terrific job as Grace. No one ever says, "You know that movie was pretty good, but it could have done without Helen Mirren." It is two of her co-stars that really interested me however.

Pesci, best known for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese, hasn't had a major screen role since 1998's Lethal Weapon 4. I had always wondered what happened to him — I assumed he retired to dedicate more time to playing golf and breaking people's knee caps. He returns to the big screen in Love Ranch and doesn't skip a beat. Charlie Bontempo is a vintage Pesci character. If you loved his work in Casino and Goodfellas, you'll love him here as well.

I was also delighted to see Gina Gershon make an appearance in the film. Gershon portrays Irene, one of the Ranch's lovely ladies. Irene serves as a confidant for Grace, and also is the only one of the ladies of the night to stand up to Charlie. Gershon first caught my eye back in 1995 when she starred in the infamous Showgirls. It seemed that she was in every movie I watched for the next five years after that. I haven't seen her in anything over the past decade though. It was nice to see her back and even better to see her front.

Love Ranch is highlighted by tremendous performances, and a story (inspired by real life events) that really sucks the viewer in. If you enjoy crime dramas, the work of Mirren, the work of Pesci — hell, if you enjoy prostitutes, then I recommend Love Ranch.

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars