Review by Poppy Mae Bee
Sean Baker, the writer-director has a real connection to the dark world of sex workers in his films and how they affect not only the protagonist but the people connected to them. Not sure how he manages this but his films look like documentaries when they are not.
Loved the movie, Florida Project, which focused on a six year old girl of a young prostitute. The little girl who plays Moonee is brilliant and appears not to act but is very natural as if this was truly her life. The actor Wilhem Defoe was nominated for several awards for his part as the manager of the seedy motel where they live.
This new film about a fading porn star and parasite, Mike Saber, is much more difficult to watch. From the beginning he dos not seem to have any redeemable qualities, although he can b quite funny. But very soon I found how he manipulates women and one man in a manner that is articularly distasteful. Everything is a lie.
Yet I found myself sticking to the end of the movie. One reason was watching him slowly groom a ;young (17) woman towards the world of porn acting. You know that will not end well for Strawberry (the girl) and her fate will be similar to Mike's wife (and only if she is lucky).
This movie is well made and does not hide or excuse any of the characters. It has some amusing bits but what happens is not at all funny.
Worth a watch partly for me to get an education about this dark world. and how painful and damaging it can be to the willing and unwilling participants.