Review by
Eric Hillis
Directed by: Bryan Wizemann
Starring: Morgan Saylor, Ben Rosenfield, Lindsay Burge, Tom Riis Farrell, Jacinto
Taras Riddick, Nicholas Webber
Public opinion on sex work has rarely been as divided as in today's
world. On one hand it's gained mainstream acceptance with the likes of
OnlyFans attracting everyone from your mate's mum to minor celebrities
with the promise of making money by flashing your goods. At the same
time there's a vocal movement that decries any kind of sex work as
misogynist exploitation.
American cinema tends to take the latter view. I'm struggling to think
of too many movies that put a positive spin on the sex industry. Even
when sex workers are portrayed as being in control in the likes of
Showgirls and
Hustlers, it's against the backdrop of a sleazy world.
Writer-director Bryan Wizemann's
You mean Everything to Me has all the trappings of
prestige American indie cinema, but its curtain-twitching view of sex
work makes it a modern descendant of movies like
Reefer Madness, where vulnerable youngsters were set down a horrifying path by the
merest indiscretion.
The film's heroine is named Cassandra (Morgan Saylor, Timothee
Chalamet's sister from TV's Homeland). A quick google tells me Cassandra means "the one who shines and
excels over men," so I can only assume Wizemann chose this name
ironically. Cassandra turns up at her sister's home, hoping to crash on
the couch for the night. When her sis's husband "accidentally" walks in
on her on the toilet, he pretends she was the one making advances, and
Cassandra is promptly kicked out.
Popping into a local bar, Cassandra is approached by creepy DJ Nathan
(Ben Rosenfield), who wins her over with his dubious charms. A
one night stand leads to an extended stay at Nathan's apartment. There's
talk of raising the money to follow their mutual dreams of opening a
nightclub and a vintage clothing store. But how could they possibly get
their hands on the necessary funds for such pipedreams? Wouldn't you
know it, Nathan DJs in a strip joint currently looking for
dancers.
Thus begins Cassandra's descent into the underworld of sex work, with a
night on the pole soon leading to the temptation of prostitution.
Cassandra attempts to extricate herself from the situation at several
points, but keeps going back to Nathan, who has a manipulative hold over
her.
Maybe it's because I'm not a vulnerable woman in her early twenties,
but I simply couldn't buy the weedy Rosenfield as some sort of Charles
Manson figure hypnotising young women into following his every whim. The
whole affair progresses at an improbably fast rate, with Cassandra
immediately falling for the sort of guy most women would tell to sling
their hook within seconds of his initial approach.
Perhaps part of the problem is that Cassandra is too experienced and
knowing to become this sort of victim so easily. At several points the
film demonstrates her resilience, suggesting she knows exactly what
she's gotten involved in, which leads to more head-scratching on the
viewer's part.
Had we been given more details about Cassandra's relationship with her
family it might have been easier to accept her actions. It's clear she
has an estranged relationship with her sister, but she's quickly
forgiven, and her mom seems perfectly willing to accept her into her
home. There are no addiction issues at play here, which usually account
for young people steering clear of loving families.
While I never bought into Cassandra's predicament, the strength of
Wizemann's direction and Saylor's performance kept me involved. The
final 20 minutes consists of an extended sequence that's as tense and
nerve-wracking as anything I've seen recently, as Cassandra finally
attempts to escape the clutches of Nathan. Had I been more convinced
that a girl as strong-willed as Cassandra would allow herself to get
trapped in such a plight, I can only imagine how effective the movie's
final act would have been.
