I think they hate themselves for what they do, but in some weird way it turns into resentment of men; even ones willing to help them.
That's a small piece of it, but there's also the reality of it -- as mentioned above by another poster.
The movie The Wrestler literally delves directly into the topic that this film somewhat glosses over: Marisa Tomei's character literally lectures Mickey Rourke's Randy "The Ram" about how he's infatuated with the fantasy she sells on stage and in the booth as a stripper, not the reality of her being a single mom, saving up to go back to school, or to move to another place where she doesn't have to do that kind of work anymore.
It struck him in the film because he hadn't thought of that; that this hot chick approaching mid-life had bills, a kid, and responsibilities outside of the fantasy she sells on the pole.
Brooklyn's Finest avoids getting into the grit of it, but outside of the fantasy, what did Gere's character know about this woman he sleeps with? He foisted on her his problems, his life, and his issues while receiving sexual gratification from her. But that was a client/service relationship. What happens in real life where he has to deal with her emotions? Her baggage? Her life? And her problems? If he couldn't handle himself there's no way in the world he could deal with her.
She knew this, and people perceptive of that lifestyle know this, but the film didn't explicitly communicate this to people who aren't familiar with the troubled, dangerous, and unflattering life of a sex worker.
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kuatorises (7467)
4 years ago
What does ANYONE know about someone else they're interested in besides how/when they met and know one another? Whether it's a coworker, cashier at a store you regularly see, someone from your gym you shoot the shit with, etc. That's all we know about them. The fantasy is all we know in ANY situation. EVERYONE has responsibilities.
Her being mad at him is simply misguided. He did NOTHING WRONG by simply asking her if she wanted to go with him.
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cyguration (3951)
4 years ago
The fantasy is all we know in ANY situation. EVERYONE has responsibilities
That's very true.
Her being mad at him is simply misguided. He did NOTHING WRONG by simply asking her if she wanted to go with him.
You're actually right.
However, as another poster mentioned... THAT was her life. I think the film, in many ways, conveyed that she didn't want to give up that life for him in part because of the things I mentioned above, and because she had a love/hate relationship with the lifestyle.
You hear strippers talk about that A LOT: they love the money and attention, but had the grab-arse nature of the business.
Based on what we saw of her throughout the film, she definitely liked the attention but didn't want to go beyond the client/service relationship she had established. I think there was also a response of indignation based on the fact that he did sort of backhand compliment her about accepting her for what she was, because he was saying he wanted the fantasy, had no clue what her reality was like, and at the same time was okay with her line of work, which was depraved and unhealthy.
I think it was definitely her fault for not communicating with him how she actually felt, but he was desperate and lonely, and in many ways she probably felt like she was getting the short end of the stick with a guy who really had nothing to offer her.
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kuatorises (7467)
4 years ago
It's a weird bizarre in between world. They are there to earn money, but they're human too and some of them get to know and even like customers. Tomei's character gives Rourke's character advice about reaching out to his daughter, the prostitute gave Gere's character the watch, sometimes they develop feelings too; even when they don't want to or pretend to get angry when the guy shows he cares.
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