Paying for It

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1:46

Paying for It

In Theaters Jan 30

1h 25m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

Popcornmeter

0 Verified Ratings

When an introverted cartoonist's girlfriend wants to redefine their relationship, he begins sleeping with sex workers and discovers a new kind of intimacy in the process.

Coming Soon

In Theaters Jan 30

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Sook-Yin Lee

Director

Dan Beirne

Actor

Emily Lê

Actor

Andrea Werhun

Actor

Noah Lamanna

Suzo Jones

Chris Sandiford

Cain

Adam Nayman

Sight & Sound

Dec 18

Paying For It may be a modest movie, but it’s not prudish or squeamish in the least; it’s got a humane spirit.

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Barry Hertz

Globe and Mail

Jan 29

It doesn’t matter which prism you view Lee’s film through -- they all intersect and add up together so seamlessly and confidently that you can choose your own adventure without sacrificing the whole.

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Peter Howell

Toronto Star

09/20/2024

3/4

Paying for It becomes a provocative romance in the style of Pedro Almodóvar (check out those bold primary colours) crossed with a documentary about alternative life paths (many of the sex workers in the film are real). See where it goes.

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Leandro Ariel Porcelli

Cinéfilo Serial

Aug 14

9/10

A sex work comedy about human connection that has so much love for it's characters that it manages to make the experience of a director adapting a real life inner odyssey in which she was a supporting character even more special. [Full review in Spanish]

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Rose Ho

The Asian Cut

Jul 24

4/5

Lee’s version, thankfully, infuses much more context and humour to the story [than Chester Brown's graphic novel].

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Eric Marchen

Rogers TV

Feb 1

B+

Without mocking character growth, Lee skillfully addresses progressive politics, destigmatizing non-traditional lifestyle choices and supporting marginalized communities, providing a valuable and vulnerable service.

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Paying for It: Trailer 1

1:46

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Synopsis

When an introverted cartoonist's girlfriend wants to redefine their relationship, he begins sleeping with sex workers and discovers a new kind of intimacy in the process.

Director: Sook-Yin Lee
Producer: Matt Code, Sonya Di Rienzo, Aeschylus Poulos
Screenwriter: Sook-Yin Lee, Joanne Sarazen, Sook-Yin Lee, Joanne Sarazen
Distributor: Film Movement
Production Co: Wilding Pictures, Hawkeye Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 30, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2026
Runtime: 1h 25m