Working Girls

While rather acclaimed in 1986, today Working Girls just serves to demonstrate how far the independent film movement has come in the last decade. Louise Smith stars as your typical lesbian-Yale-student-turned-professional-call-girl in this look at the surprisingly plodding 9-5 lifestyle of a group of NYC prostitutes. Co-writer and director Lizzie Borden reportedly spent six months interviewing actual prostitutes for this then controversial drama, but with the shock value now gone, what will surprise viewers most is the film's wooden acting. This release does earn itself an optional purchase recommendation, though, but only for its very engaging commentary with Borden, director of photography Judy Irola and co-star Amanda Goodwin. (S. C. Sickles)[DVD Review—Sept. 4, 2007—First Run, 94 min., not rated, $24.95—Making its second appearance on DVD, 1986's Working Girls sports a mediocre transfer. DVD extras include an audio commentary (with director Lizzie Borden, cinematographer Julie Irola, and costar Amanda Goodwin), a photo gallery, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning film.]