Ileana Pietrobruno’s examination of the client

Early in the film Girlfriend Experience, the protagonist, Daniel (David Lewis) notes a certain emptiness after a sexual encounter with a prostitute.  “That’s it?” he observes, “the chase is the best part.”

He freely acknowledges that the anticipation is the biggest part of the thrill: what leads up to the consummation of what is both a business and sexual relationship.  There is also, of course, the base excitement that stems from sex with a stranger.  And yes, there is the hunger for sexual variety, too, but Girlfriend Experience makes it very clear that the experience is as much about the client as it is about the sex provider, and maybe more so.

Daniel is a working class guy – he has a job he doesn’t like much and an attractive girlfriend who seems to genuinely love him, but he’s addicted to sex with prostitutes.  Or sex workers.  Or sex providers.  It doesn’t really matter what you call them: he is buying what they are selling.

And the holy grail of the pay-for-sex scene is the so-called ‘girlfriend experience,’ where a prostitute goes to some lengths to make the situation seem like an authentic romantic encounter, as if one was being romantically intimate with a girlfriend.

Enter Adrian (Ivy Vine), a prostitute Daniel meets and develops an increasing fascination.  While the ‘real’ Adrian doesn’t consent to show her face or speak on camera (the film is styles as a faux-documentary), an ‘actress’ (Emma Lahana) helps re-create several pivotal situations in their intersecting lives.  And this is a profound statement on the part of the filmmaker – indeed, this is a film about the client, not a film about a prostitute.

Girlfriend Experience therefore examines the dynamics around the prostitute-client relationship primarily from the point of view of the client.  This is unusual in cinema, as often when prostitutes appear in movies they tend to be the the focus of the film, and the client is often depicted as distant and reduced to a vaguely creepy status: a largely uncultivated character.   Girlfriend Experience explores that uncharted territory.

The method of keeping Adrian anonymous is effective and powerful: indeed, while Daniel pays for a simulation of intimacy, the woman who delivers this experience remains, to all intents and purposes, really incidental to the selfish experience being sought.  Daniel grows increasingly obsessed with Adrian, and the release that she offers him.  This is clearly a self destructive path, but whether he is oblivious to the foolishness of his behavior or simply resigned to his fate, Daniel’s fascination threatens all aspects of his life, both personal and professional.

Does the closing moment of the film present an inevitable fate for Daniel, or could he have pursued his fascination in a wiser way – controlling his instincts as opposed to his instincts controlling him?

Writer/Director Ileana Pietrobruno chose to craft Girlfriend Experience as a faux documentary, and the narrative includes observations from clients of prostitutes, offering observations and insights into the world’s oldest profession and what they are seeking from these encounters.  Explicit sex scenes aren’t prominent in the film, because ultimately, they are not what this exploration of the prostitute-client bond.

Pietrobruno displays extraordinary talent and skill as a filmmaker.  The dialogue and situations ring true, even when they depict situations that are unusual.  The faux documentary style is handled very skilfully, and it delivers a compelling method for relating this story.  The acting is very good, too, with David Lewis as Daniel as the standout with a very credible, realistic performance.

This is a film that will be of particular interest to readers of Insider Escort Secrets. It’s a frank exploration the client’s point of view of his relationship with prostitutes.  The film presents these issues very intelligently and maturely,  and I recommend the film strongly.

Readers may also be interested in reading an in-depth interview with filmmaker Ileana Pietrobruno regarding Girlfriend Experience conduced by Louise Bak for Toro Magazine.

Girlfriend Experience (2009) 83 minutes D: Ileana Pietrobruno You can order a copy of this film on DVD at Amazon.com.