Happy Endings? (2009) - By Josh Samford

Film Reviews: Happy Endings? (2009) - By Josh Samford
Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 @ 20:27:24 Mountain Daylight Time by Duane

Prostitution has become a bit of a hot topic as of recent in our society, with the brothels of Nevada becoming so popular that we even have the Bunny Ranch given a television program on HBO. We as a society are still very much on the fence about the issue, with decent arguments coming from both sides. Legal prostitution has its ups and downs. In situations where it works, the positives are that you have two consenting adults doing an activity that leaves them both happy. The women are monetarily pleased and the men on the physical side. However opponents of the lifestyle generally point out the risk involved due to the amount of sexual diseases (although the Nevada situation has proven that safe-sex has worked for them tremendously), but also that it is damaging to the mental state of many women and generally ruins the soul. These are valid enough reasons, however in Rhode Island they have an entirely different issue to contend with and director Tara Hurley's film tackles the issue face first and does a good job of presenting the different sides of the issue, although I don't think it's any secret she has at least a little bias towards the working girls when it comes down to it.

The documentary focuses on the sex industry within Rhode Island, which has a bylaw that makes prostitution indoors legal. This means that Asian massage parlors are able to flourish with their "full service" menus provided by girls who will fulfill your any desire. Local politicians are upset with this law and doing their best to shut down these modern brothels, and are instead targeting the women that work in these brothels - especially those from Korea, because they're simply easier targets. The film deals with whether this issue is fair and takes a look at both sides of the coin and explores the lives of everyone involved, from the girls who work in the Spa's, to the John's who frequent them, the owners of the shops and the cops who look to bust them. The film covers heavy ground and doesn't intend to offer the audience a lot of answers, but these are important questions that we as a society need to answer for ourselves. Happy Endings? puts forth a lot of these things and asks of you to take a look at the varying corners from those with a stake in the debate.

The documentary is ultimately a very rewarding experience. Is America ready to accept the sex-trade as a legitimate enterprise, are these women being used or is it all as squeaky clean as the porn industry likes to portray itself (although obviously is not). Although a lot of points are made that show how everything seems on the up and up, there are detractors that speak to my mind such as the character of "Chris" in the film who is married to a 'working' woman and defends the industry - but his own attitude and demeanor shows him to be a sordid character. The girls are shown as not being drug addicted, as it's simply not something that is popular within the Korean community - but are all big fans of gambling instead, which can be just as dangerous. Ultimately, I think Hurley shows this lifestyle as anything but glamorous and that works best. Although it's a little bit more dressed up and appealing on television, this documentary shows the life day in and day out for these women. I'm not of the opinion that any of these women are forced into anything they're unwilling to, but I still don't see it as the glamorous and marvelous lifestyle it is so often being portrayed as.

Although everyone is going to walk away from the film with a different perspective depending on their view of the issues, director Tara Hurley does a fantastic job with the film and keeps it from being overly preachy in either direction. The question of whether we're ready for legal prostitution on a national level isn't tackled in the film, I don't think many have the guts to tackle that just yet, but it is a question that stays in the back of your mind. The Rhode Island situation is a bit of a burden, as we watch politicians trying to change the law, simply because it's something that they dislike - which I always find disturbing. An interesting segment shows one politician oblivious to the entire sex industry, until they try to open a spa in her neck of the woods - which starts her crusade to outlaw something that is already legal. The film is edited together at a brisk pace, at all times demands the audiences attention and asks for your own moral input. If you're interested in any of these issues, I highly recommend you search the film out. Happy Endings? is a search for answers that only we can find within ourselves. You can read more about the film at the official site located here, and do yourself a favor by checking this one out.