Top 10 Movies Featuring Characters in the Sex Industry

Top 10 Movies Featuring Characters in the Sex Industry

The best movies about prostitution: a look at the “world’s oldest profession” through a bunch of great films featuring iconic characters working as prostitutes.

In this blog, we will explore some fun and thrilling movies about sex workers and prostitution. Prostitution is the oldest profession in the book, and movies have explored it in various ways, from romanticized in Pretty Woman to the brutal reality of sex trafficking in Apartment 407. We will look at sex work portrayed with a sense of fun and creative license, with a list of 10 fun sex worker movies worth checking out.

10. Sensation (2011)

After his father dies, social misfit Donal hires the services of prostitute Kim. The two develop a relationship, with Donal coming to Kim's aid after an ugly incident with a fellow punter. He takes her home, ostensibly to keep her safe. Amidst some sexual tension erupting from his ravenous libido, the two happen across the idea of Donal funding Kim's proposed business venture. She wants to start an upmarket escort agency and needs a backer. The wily whore knows a sap when she spots one, hooking Donal in with a fleeting blowjob for serious capital. Writer-director Tom Hall's film paints a bleak picture of prostitution and loneliness and has an unwillingness to bring much humor to Kim and Donal's story. But in doing so Hall dodges the typical character arc despite some obvious nods to convention. Donal's directionless outlook and inability to approach the opposite sex is of course on the agenda as the film progresses, but Sensation doesn't pander to expectation and happy endings. Indeed, the sadness in the story is what really distinguishes it. And, while Donal needs Kim more than she needs him, the culmination of their story is somewhat unexpected.

9. Night Shift (1982)

Night Shift sees Happy Days colleagues Ron Howard (in the director's chair) and Henry "The Fonz" Winkler (in the leading role) bring this delightful comedy to life. The film also features an ensemble of strong comedic performances, particularly from Michael Keaton in his first starring role and Shelley Long, as Howard and co. approach working girl life with entrepreneurial but decidedly light-hearted flair. Winkler plays Chuck, a man who decides to reduce the stresses of working the stock markets to take refuge as an attendant at the local morgue. When he's forced to work the night shift, he meets Keaton's Bill "Blaze" Blazehowski, whose neighbor Belinda, a prostitute, is having trouble with her pimp. They decide to work together to give Belinda and her fellow prostitutes a safe haven to conduct their "business" in the morgue.

8. Pretty Woman (1990)

Pretty Woman paints its romanticized picture of the life of a Los Angeles-based prostitute in much lighter shades than, for example, Martin Scorsese in Taxi Driver. Julia Roberts plays the call girl who answers Richard Gere's plea for by-the-hour companionship. What transpires is true love, or at least true love in the sense that few people can turn down endless streams of cash, lavish socializing in the best restaurants, and expensive clothes.

7. Personal Services (1987)

Cynthia Payne's small-time brothel "empire" is realized on screen in Terry Jones' Personal Services, which details her rise from a mother-of-one suffering financial strife to a successful madam hosting lucrative "special parties" for her paying guests. It's perhaps the easiest sale of all time; it's definitely the oldest.

6. Risky Business (1983)

Directed by Brickman in 1983, launched Tom Cruise's career as the protagonist of the film about a teenage boy who runs a high-class brothel. In Reagan-era America, where commercial success and materialism reigned supreme, Joel Goodson (played by Cruise) was left in charge of his family's home while his parents were away on a trip. When a prostitute named Lana (played by Rebecca De Mornay) and her friends begin serving customers at Joel's house, he seizes the opportunity to turn it into a profit-making business. However, as expected, things begin to unravel in this classic 1980s film.

5. Unforgiven (1992)

Directed by Eastwood in 1992, stars Clint Eastwood as a hired gun in the Old West. When a group of prostitutes realizes that the authorities won't take action against the men who violently attacked one of their own, they offer $1,000 to anyone who kills the perpetrators. Eastwood's character steps up to do the job.

4. Blow Out (1981)

Directed by De Palma in 1981, was a commercial failure upon its release but has since gained a reputation as one of the key films of the 1980s. The film features a standout performance from Nancy Allen, who plays an escort reluctantly involved in sound effects technician Jack Terry's (played by John Travolta) investigation into the death of a presidential hopeful. Terry, who specializes in sound effects for trashy slasher films, hears a tire blow out while recording one night and sees a car go off a bridge. He initially thinks it's an accident, but as he digs deeper, he uncovers something far more sinister. The film features plenty of nail-biting suspense and a conclusion that comes as an unexpected punch in the gut.

3. Irma La Douce (1963)

Directed by Wilder in 1963, is a farce set in early 1960s Paris, carried by the chemistry between Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine as the titular prostitute. MacLaine dominates the screen with her razor-sharp comic timing and disarming innocence, while Lemmon is equally charming as the disgraced French policeman who falls for her. The film's sharp dialogue and solid casting elevate this romantic comedy, despite the obvious soundstage restrictions that sketch a community of Parisian archetypes.

2. Trading Places (1981)

Directed by Landis in 1981, features Jamie Lee Curtis in a standout performance as a call girl who helps an egotistical Wall Street banker out of a difficult situation. After he is left destitute and homeless by his former employees, she turns his life around. Trading Places became a huge audience favorite and one of the best comedies of the 1980s. Curtis' portrayal of the good-hearted prostitute added an unexpected warm touch to the film's cynical themes.

1. True Romance (1993)

Directed by Tony Scott in 1993, is a romantic film from Quentin Tarantino, which is never conventional. The film features an undercover prostitute named Alabama, played by Patricia Arquette, who shares a love of kung fu films with her customer, an Elvis Presley fanatic. They quickly fall in love, and after a vision of the rock n roll star instructs him to kill Alabama's abusive pimp, Clarence Worley (played by Christian Slater) does just that. This starts a chain of events that leads to the pair being bloodied and bruised by the end. True Romance is an interesting combination of Tony Scott's notorious action-adventure directing style and Tarantino's obscure verbosity. The film features a terrific ensemble cast that includes Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken, and Brad Pitt, among others. True Romance has all the elements of an action film that will keep you on the edge of your seat, but it also offers a unique love story with memorable characters and witty dialogue. The chemistry between Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette is palpable, and their journey is both violent and romantic. It's a film that showcases the talents of all involved and has become a cult classic over the years. If you're a fan of Tarantino's style of storytelling, then True Romance is a must-watch.

In conclusion, the movies on this list featuring sex workers and prostitutes demonstrate the complexity and diversity of these characters, showcasing their humanity and agency beyond the often-stigmatized portrayals in media. While some of these films may be controversial, they provide an opportunity to shed light on important issues such as gender, power dynamics, and exploitation. Ultimately, these movies challenge us to see beyond the stereotypes and recognize the experiences and struggles of sex workers, and encourage empathy and understanding for all members of society, regardless of their profession.