Cast: Daryl Hannah, Denise Richards and Joaquim de Almeida
Director: Mar’a Lid—n
Studio Synopsis: Combining narrative and documentary techniques, The Life takes a highly stylized look at the world of prostitution. Denise Richards stars in the narrative portion of the film as a young woman studying anthropology in graduate school. When pressured by financial worries and her prostitute neighbor (Daryl Hannah), Richards decides to sell her body for cash.
DVD Rating: Unrated
DVD Running Time: 87 minutes
DVD Extras: Filmographies
Official Web site: http://www.yoputa.com/
Trailer: http://www.yoputa.com/
Review: Is there anything new to say about the oldest profession? Obviously not, at
least judging by this glossy but grubby documentary, which played at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival as Yo Puta. It shamefully takes cruel delight in
exploiting the interviewees it halfheartedly seeks to humanize. Blame director
Mar’a Lid—n: she seems more intrigued with undressing her admittedly frank subjects than understanding why they turn tricks to put clothes on their backs. The parade of prostitutesÑfrom high-class call girls to aging streetwalkers to hunky gigolosÑexplain clinically and graphically their clientsÕ peccadilloes, the dangers they encounter daily on the job, and the sexual gratification they derive, if at all. But their revelations will only open the eyes of those who consider Pretty Woman an honest depiction of a working girl. And too bad Lid—n also neglects to follow up on comments made in passing on the legalization of prostitution or Eastern EuropeÕs sexual slave market. Ultimately, the most fascinating insights come from adult actresses and porn casting directors, who draw a clear but somewhat dubious distinction between selling oneÕs body on the street and stripping for the cameras. One casting director explains that he tries his hardest to persuade potential porn starlets from getting into the business to weed out the willing from the desperate. Lid—n jumps on this by following a European girlÕs videotaped audition. The girlÕs discomfort is evident, making the audition extremely painful to watch. This would be enough of a cautionary tale for women with notions of entering the sex trade, but for some unfathomable reason, Lid—n unwisely decides to mirror fact with fiction. She cobbles together an ill-conceived story of anthropology student Denise Richards laughable descent into prostitution with the aid of old pro Daryl Hannah. Unfortunately, Lid—n fails to spruce up this stale tale with the same whiz-bang special effects she employs during the interviews with her real-life subjects. The result feels terribly tacked on in a desperate bid to lure audiences to an documentary that fails constantly in its objective to edify and entertain.
ÑRobert Sims
|
