13 Movies About the World's Oldest Profession That Don't Sugarcoat Anything

Story by Tim Molloy

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An in-depth look at 13 films that tackle the gritty realities of the world's oldest profession without sugarcoating the struggles of sex workers.

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Charlize Theron won a Best Actress Oscar for her transformative performance as real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the uncompromising 2003 drama 'Monster', which suggests her descent into murder stemmed from desperation and mental illness.
Tangerine, shot entirely on iPhones, is acclaimed director Sean Baker's empathetic and gorgeous look at the lives of two transgender sex workers, and it's surprisingly one of the best Christmas movies ever made according to Rotten Tomatoes.

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Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Dustin Hoffman, Elisabeth Shue, Nicolas Cage, Charlize Theron, Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Alexis Bledel, Benicio Del Toro, Anna Karina, Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Bria Vinaite, Willem Dafoe, Taylor Paige, Riley Keough, Rotten Tomatoes, Klute, The Parallex View, All the President's Men, Midnight Cowboy, Leaving Las Vegas, Monster, Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, My Own Private Idaho, Requiem for a Dream, Sin City, Vivre Sa Vie, Tangerine, The Florida Project, Anora, Zola, Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles

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