Customer Reviews

Happy Endings?

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

In this film Hurley explores the dark secrets of the Rhode Island legal Asian Massage Parlors. Due to a 25 year old legal loophole, it is not illegal in Rhode Island to pay for sex, as long as it is indoors. Happy Endings? follows a number of the women, Massage Parlor owners and patrons of these underground Parlors. Hurley shows an amazing behind the scenes perspective, that you won't see in the papers, or even on television. If you were ever curious about what goes on in a Asian Massage Parlors, you will not be let down.

Hurley's style is unabashed, and shows you a very honest and true version of events as they happen every day in Providence, RI. This film is well balanced, and shows both sides of the story. From interviews with governmental officials, including Mayor of Providence, RI David Cicilline, to interviews with sex workers. Happy Endings? will leave you with enough facts to make up your own mind about Asian Massage Parlors, but will leave it open to your interpretation. You won't be disappointed!

I love this dvd for a few reasons. I am from Rhode Island and always wondered about the "loophole" in the prostitution law and about those "spas" I drive by every day on my way to work. This film was a great combo of history (background of this 30 year old loophole law) and contemporary (the lives of the women in the spas). This film is full of cult characters, and the filmmaker commentary is great. This really is what indie film is about, so if you like indie films and taboo subjects that are not usually spoken about, grab this one.

This DVD suffers from too loud background music played over the talking of various subjects. Have said that, it is a solid look at AMPs (Asian Massage Parlors) and the lives of the women, managers/pimps, lawmakers and police involved in this subject.

This is a non-titillating movie that shows a fairly objective view of the commercial sexploitation of women. It really doesn't take sides but flushes out the viewpoints of it subjects.

I can tell you that it was an uncensored look at a very hard life for these sex-workers.

It discusses sexual slavery in the trade without any direct examples but I think it is more common than believed, just not here. It appears that the sex workers are really harassed and that it is a very hard life though the subjects here do not appear to be involved in sexual slavery but by personal choice. The johns here are shown to get away with their visits without any repercussions. The underlying racism of some of the law enforcement personal is also discussed.

A powerful and moving documentary.

There is not a Happy Ending but a tragic one.

Highly recommended. Well worth a look.

This is an excellent film about asian prostitution in the United States of America which should be mandatory viewing for all American clergy and law enforcement personnel. It is a brutal,horrible and completely honest portrayal of a major part of America's sexual mentality. Absolutely terrifying! Any man who would argue that buying sex from a woman is o'kay as long as she is a consenting adult should first consider his wife, daughter, mom, or sister working as a prostitute. Only an insane man or one with a serious mental illness would welcome a female family member to be a sexual prostitute. Men, we may buy sex from women and say they are part of the world's oldest profession, but it has never been, nor will it ever be, the "o'kay" thing to do.

Excellent film, buy it today. It has my highest recommendation. Horrifying, absolutely horrifying. Enuff said.

I bought this DVD documentry thinking there would be hot massage attendants and behind the scenes of some funny things going on in a massage parlor. It turns out it was mostly interviews with government officials and a few cops. I wanted to see the day in life of a massage attendant. It was really boring and it is nothing like the documentry "Cathouse". I would give it a poor rating.