On September 13, 2024, 'Sweetheart Deal' was released by Abramorama to universal acclaim, currently holding at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the documentary, "When the dangers of the streets close in on a group of sex workers battling addiction, they find refuge in the roadside motorhome of a self-styled savior with a mysterious past. But just as they begin to rebuild their lives, a shocking betrayal comes to light that will change them all. Rather than fall victim to another cruel injustice, they discover the strength to stand up for themselves and for each other." But what did the critics say?
Carla Hay of Culture Mix says, "Sweetheart Deal takes an unflinching look at four drug-addicted sex workers in Seattle, but what they experience can happen to anyone with the same struggles anywhere. This documentary is a cautionary tale that offers glimmers of hope." Adding, "Doescher also presents himself as being a protector who’s ready and willing to seek justice for his sex worker friends who’ve been violated. In the beginning of the documentary, Krista/Amy has survived a brutal rape and other assaults from a customer. She literally had to escape from the customer’s home and genuinely feared that he was going to kill her. Krista/Amy tells Doescher all the details, and they secretly drive back to the customer’s home to get his address and his car’s license plate number. With Krista/Amy’s permission, Doescher is then seen making a phone call to report this information to law enforcement in Seattle. It turns out that this customer has been under suspicion of being a serial rapist of women sex workers in the area. Doescher says he wants to do whatever he can to help bring this alleged criminal to justice."
Matt Baume of The Stranger notes, "Do not miss this documentary. It's Seattle noir at its finest. Raindrops on windows, long nights, dusky downtown, the underworld of Aurora Avenue."
Josiah Teal of Film Threat praises the film, stating, "The documentary creates a complete story, never favoring the shame-heavy or the cliche inspirational versions of the steered-straight narrative; instead, Levine and Miller give us reality." Concluding, "The motion picture is never preachy or judgmental of the women or their addiction. Instead, it focuses completely on these four women to tell their own stories at the lowest point of their lives. Because of the focus on a human-centered and natural narrative, the film makes each of their arcs so much more powerful. Moments in the movie discuss the opioid epidemic and a search for justice personified. But Kristine, Krista, Sara, and Tammy are always given the final say, allowing them to explain how their life on the street began and many of their escapes (or attempts) from addiction and assault. It’s a story of survivors told in a way that will resonate beyond the streets of Seattle."
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| Photo by Catherine Heath on Unsplash |
Jennie Kermode of Eye for Film writes, "The film is unusual throughout in its straightforward, non-judgemental approach to the women, their addictions and their work, which is neither romanticized nor disparaged." Continuing, "The film is unusual throughout in its straightforward, non-judgemental approach to the women, their addictions and their work, which is neither romanticised nor disparaged. None of them want to be there, but living with addiction is like having a chronic illness without any associated sympathy or legal protections, and most employers won’t even hire them in the first place. “I personally have never met a working girl who has gotten out of the life and not gone back to it,” says Tammy, though over the course of the film we see some of them try. Sara wants to get her kids back, having left them with family members because she knows she can’t manage as a parent whilst addicted. We see her go through the agony of withdrawal. She’s Elliot’s favourite, and he tries to keep her in his RV whilst she does it, but the ethics of the situation are difficult even before that revelation."
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