Throughout the years, men have sought out sex workers for various reasons, whether to fulfill sexual desires, avoid emotional entanglements, compensate for a lack of time for traditional dating, or to combat loneliness. All of these motivations apply to Chester, the protagonist of Paying for It, the film adaptation of Chester Brown’s 2011 graphic memoir about his own experiences. In both the memoir and the movie, we see Brown forgo conventional romantic relationships in favour of exclusively engaging with sex workers. However, the film also follows Sonny, a stand-in for the film’s director, Sook Yin Lee. As Chester’s ex-girlfriend, she was the catalyst for his decision to explore this path. Still, she embarks on her own journey of self-discovery as well.
The film presents an intriguing take on loneliness and fulfilment. Can a person feel complete without real love? And is love the same as romantic love? Both Chester and Sonny find different ways to fill that void, Chester through sex workers, Sonny through shifting relationships, and the movie suggests that these approaches may not be as different as they seem. Ultimately, both are attempts to avoid the isolating reality of being alone, a struggle heightened by the pressures of modern urban life, particularly in a city like Toronto, where the film takes place.
As a film, Paying for It is efficient in how it tells its story and parallels its two leads (though it sometimes seems more invested in Chester’s experience than Sonny’s; more interactions between them would have strengthened the thematic connections). The film benefits from the humor in its script, particularly in Chester’s awkward, nerdy demeanor and the absurd encounters he has when sex workers do not meet his expectations. Lee allows her characters to speak for themselves, striking a balance between presenting their perspectives without necessarily endorsing them. This willingness to paint a full picture of their experiences gives the film more depth than similar works, which might shy away from fully exploring such morally ambiguous territory. Some may find it a bit too direct in laying out its themes, but as the characters’ motivations evolve, this approach proves effective.
Sonny’s sequences, however, could have been more engaging. The film plays these moments a bit too straight, lacking the humor that makes Chester’s misadventures so compelling. At times, it even feels like the director is hesitant to fully depict her own experiences on screen (even if she is not the one acting the part). That said, both Dan Beirne and Emily Lê deliver strong performances as the leads, fully committing to their characters’ flaws. At the same time, Sabrina Saudin adds hidden depth to a character that could have gone more unidimensional.
Overall, Paying for It lands in an interesting place, with humor and thoughtful themes that elevate it beyond a simple exploration of transactional relationships. It may not be the deepest film on the subject, and it features a bit more graphic nudity than necessary. Still, its perspective on loneliness, relationships, and self-imposed isolation makes for a compelling watch.