TIFF 2025 | Movie Review: "Modern Whore" Is An Entertaining And Necessary Doc On Sex Work
10/12 ForReel Score | 4.5/5 Stars
Sex work is work. Let’s get that out of the way right off the bat. Society has traditionally look down on sex work, and in particular sex workers, for various reasons rooted in dubious morality (and religion), but the fact remains that sex work is work, and sex workers are deserving of respect and dignity. They are, after all, human beings. This is the worldview - which is the correct one, at least according to this critic - that Andrea Werhun advocates for in Modern Whore. This new documentary from Werhun and director Nicole Bazuin seems to break open doors and give viewers an entertaining and enlightening look inside the world of sex work, and the film is entirely successful thanks to fun staging and Werhun’s engaging screen presence.
The film covers Werhuns life in the sex work industry, beginning with her first forays as an escort during her university years and extending all the way up to her present day advocacy for her fellow workers. It’s a mix of interviews with Werhun herself, Werhun interviewing friends and colleagues and clients, and reenactments of some of her stories using bright colourful costumes and actors as stand ins for real people.
Each of these aspects require Werhun to carry the film, and lucky for us she is a born performer. She has a distinct and engaging voice, and presents with a confidence in every scene. Much like the 2020 short Werhun and Bazuin produced together - Last Night at the Strip Club, which streams for free on CBC Gem in Canada - the result is both illuminating and engaging as well as disarming and nuanced, which is perhaps a perfect combination for a documentary like this.
The duo present a balanced picture of the life of the modern prostitute. There are tender and kind clients who want all nighters and there are clients who want a quickie and are decidedly not kind. Werhun doesn’t shy way from the realities of the job, which is it largely caters to men, and men can be all kinds of jerks -especially when they perceive someone to disrespectful. On the one hand we’re treated to anonymized interviews with one of her regulars, but on the other she also tells the story of the time she was sexually assaulted on the job - which yes, can absolutely happen.
Bazuin does a great job with all of these moments. The reenactments in particular feel like stage performances, and she does a great job shifting the tone and pace of the movie as required for each scene while still keeping the stage-y sensibility.
This makes Modern Whore one of the standout Canadian films of the festival. Much like Werhun herself, it’s bright and bubbly and approachable, and perfectly willing to use those qualities to discuss challenges in the industry and treats to sex workers themselves.
Be prepared to laugh and cry and everything in between, all while having your preconceptions broken down systematically by actual workers in the industry. Bazuin and Werhun have done an a great job balancing all of these aspects, and more, snd the end result is a good time at the movies.