The Red Light Rules: Sonny
"As far as movies that deal with adults who were trafficked as children, I think 'Sonny' provides an accurate portrayal. So often Hollywood likes to play into the 'stranger-danger' side of things which ISN'T how trafficking actually happens, especially with children. Children are sexually exploited most often by a family member or someone they trust. In 'Sonny', James Franco's character Sonny was trafficked by his mom from the age of 12 until he eventually joins the military at 18. Once he returns to his hometown and tries to get a civilian job no one will hire him because of his past. Which shows how trafficking survivors and sex workers are treated in the workforce, the label is attached to you forever even if you're no longer involved in the life.
Something that really stuck out to me in this movie was when he travels to Texas to work for a friend he met in the military. Once there, he realizes his friend didn't actually have a job for him. He proceeds to go on a double date with this friend since he is in town and throughout the date Sonny seems awkward and unsure of how to act. When they get back to the girls' house he seems to understand a little bit more what is expected of him. He ends up sleeping with the girl he goes out with and after they fuck she jokingly says "You should get paid to do that, you're so good." To which Sonny says, "I used to.. I was a whore." She thinks he is joking even after he says that he isn't. Once it sets in that he was serious she gets freaked out and takes some cough syrup. This triggers Sonny and he starts breaking the dozens of bottles of codeine this wealthy white girl had. He realizes that civilians (non sex workers) poor or rich are just as fucked up as he is. He comes to terms with the fact that "normal" isn't real and that there isn't this "better" world out there waiting for him.
He struggles with his sex worker identity throughout the entirety of the film but not in a self-hating way but more of a 'it is what it is' way. This film definitely showed an understanding of choice, circumstance, and coercion and how folks may experience all three at varying times of their life. Sonny's identity crisis is inflamed by the sex worker he is dating that his mother is pimping out. She wants to get out of the life, start over somewhere new and asks Sonny to come with her. But he knows that there isn't anything that much better waiting for him anywhere else, just more hard work. The movie ends ambiguously with him fantasizing about what it might be like to leave and start over with his girlfriend, so not a happy ending really.
Overall, the movie wasn't horrible and the sex worker representation was okay. I didn't get a preachy tone or cautionary tale vibe from this movie but it was a dramatic and sad story."
– Mel
Sonny scored 2/4 on The Red Light Rules™ test that assesses portrayals of sex work in film. We created 4 questions to determine this:
1. Does the film show an understanding of choice, circumstance, and/or coercion? yes
2. Does the SWer interact with another person in a positive manner unrelated to SW? yes
3. Does the SWer have a storyline, hobby, or interest outside of SW?
4. Does the film have a happy and/or non-traumatic ending for the SWer?
