MODERN WHORE
Starring: Andrea Werhun
Director: Nicole Bazuin
NICK
I’ve been waiting for a feature length version of Modern Whore since seeing the original short film back in 2020. Luckily, director Nicole Bazuin and star Andrea Werhun bring the same charm, comedy, importance, and magic to this feature film. Werhun's magnetic presence instantly pulls you into her story, as she never shies away from the judgement bound to come, nor the intricacies of being a sex worker. Bazuin, for her part, incorporates the animation, cut-scenes, and graphics that made the short films work so well, while adding interviews with those closest to Andrea, which gives the film an added personal element. Worth the wait.
ADRIANO
I don't quite know how I felt about Modern Whore's mix of documentary and scripted skits. Not that it's a bad idea, it's more how it was executed. The best parts of the movie are when the subject, Andrea Werhun, opens up about her experiences and speaks to other sex workers and her loved ones. Those were the moments where the film's themes were the most effective, but the momentum halts whenever these scripted moments come up, as they just felt amateur, making me wish more effort had been put into making sure it was all done right.
BODE
Sex work is one of the oldest professions in existence, but to this day, there’s a significant stigma towards it. Modern Whore takes the opportunity to blow that up. Director Nicole Bazuin brings Andrea Werhun’s memoir to life as a hybrid documentary, utilizing scripted re-enactments, animation, and interviews (especially with other sex workers, a major highlight) to illustrate her lived experience in the industry. Its short runtime means skimping a bit on details that might’ve provided an even bigger picture, but the film is nevertheless charming and insightful as is - thanks to Werhun’s magnetic storytelling, and Bazuin’s imaginative filmmaking.
KATIE
Modern Whore is a hybrid documentary that tells the account of subject Andrea Werhun’s experience as a sex worker, utilising imaginative and creative storytelling to explore her experience. It uses dramatisations, animation, interviews, and surprising humour, challenging assumptions about the industry and exploring the experience of sex workers with empathy, curiosity, and understanding. However, I found some of the scripted scenes between the interviews distracting, and they somewhat detracted from the first-person accounts. Overall, Modern Whore is a thoughtful, informative, and entertaining film with a unique approach to its subject.
This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.