NOW IN THEATERS! In her sixth feature film, Paying for It, director/co-writer Sook-Yin Lee brings to life provocative cartoonist Chester Brown’s 2011 autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. Brown’s story is a poignant examination of the complexity of romantic relationships and the inherent fragility of the human heart.
When Sonny (Emily Lê) tells her socially awkward cartoonist boyfriend, Chester (Dan Beirne), that she wants an open relationship, a confused and lonely Chester embarks on a journey into the world of sex workers to avoid the “messiness” of romantic love. Sonny struggles with a series of failed relationships as she tries to rediscover what she has potentially lost by distancing herself from Chester to seek out additional options.
Dan Beirne is perfectly cast as Chester. He brings the audience along as he navigates a landscape of confusion and jealousy, creating a character that authentically evolves as the story plays out. Adding a fascinating layer of metatextual depth is the fact that Sook-Yin Lee’s actual past relationship with Brown is the inspiration for the leads. Lee expands the character of Sonny from the book (where she appeared as Sook-Yin Lee) to provide a dual male/female perspective that was largely absent from the original novel. As Sonny, Emily Lê wears her conflicted heart on her sleeve, delivering a performance rooted in pathos. She captures the heartbreak of pushing forward when it hurts to look back.
“… cartoonist Chester embarks on a journey into the world of sex workers …”
The film draws the viewer in as the narrative shifts from Chester’s perspective to the lived experiences of the sex workers he engages with. In this way both Chester and the audience learn that these are real women working to survive like everyone else. When Chester meets Denise—played with brilliant authenticity by actress and sex worker rights activist Andrea Werhun—he finds himself falling in love. Werhun’s performance provides a vital contrast to the commodification of sex that is Chester’s initial motivation. This grounds the film’s climax in genuine emotion that reflects Werhun’s own real-world advocacy for sex-worker rights.
The soundtrack pays homage to the story’s real-life 90s Toronto setting, featuring tracks from iconic Canadian indie artists Sloan and The Inbreds. Showcasing her immense versatility, Sook-Yin Lee is also the film’s composer alongside longtime collaborator Dylan Gamble, even performing a moving duet of “The Way You Look Tonight” with Werhun.
Paying for It is a tremendous effort that honors Brown’s source novel while digging deeper into its subtext. By further developing these characters and emphasizing the female gaze, Lee provides a compelling narrative that neither glamorizes nor denigrates the women Chester encounters. I highly recommend this film. It gives a voice to the unheard and a face to the rights of sex workers, resulting in a story that is as intellectually provocative as it is emotionally tender.
"…gives a voice to the unheard, neither glamorizing nor denigrating sex workers"
