There is perhaps no better platform to premiere a thriller about cam girls than AFI Fest’s midnight slot.
On the night (or actually the early morning?) of its AFI Film Fest debut, director Daniel Goldhaber was shocked to see the theater near capacity with only a few empty seats remaining. Embracing the moment, he said, “This movie will never be seen by this many people in one room again.” The audience burst out laughing- Goldhaber had just teed us up for a night of mayhem and mystery, but no amount of forewarning could have prepared us for what we were about to see.
From the producers of Get Out, Cam is a psychological thriller set in the underbelly of webcam pornography. Alice (Madeline Brewer) is a young and ambitious cam girl who is working her way through the ranks and will stop at nothing to reach the #1 slot. Every night, she sets up elaborate scenarios for her male-dominated audience and encourages them to tip her by acting out their cheekiest fantasies and fetishes. With her growing notoriety, people begin to take notice, and not necessarily in a good way. Not only is her career affecting her relationships with her brother Jordan (Devin Druid) and mom (Melora Walters), but her online cam account becomes suspiciously sabotaged overnight.
When Alice realizes that she has lost control of her account, livelihood, and status, her revenge is kicked into high gear. To make matters worse and very confusing, it looks as if the person behind the hacking is an exact replica of herself, and so begins the “mind-bending psychological thriller” aspect of the film. Determined to reclaim her identity and her ranking, Alice uses her skills from past webcam experiences to attempt to defeat this mysterious evil twin.
What is perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Cam is the fact that it was written by a former sex worker, Isa Mazzei. Cam marks Mazzei’s first and only screenplay, and it’s clear that this film has a serious and personal underlying message about the women who cam. The stigma of sex work may have somewhat decreased over time, but it is still considered a taboo topic and Mazzei sets out to dispell any false assumptions about these women. What Mazzei brings to the film is far from an exploitation of this profession- yes there is nudity, yes, it is provocative, but above all else, Cam gives the audience an opportunity to sympathize with a sex worker. We feel her pain and desperation and see the desire for basic wants and needs that every human being deserves. We root for her and want her to kick ass.
Cam is a technology-driven, women-empowering film that will push audiences past their comfort zone and into the very real lives of cam girls. It is informative, eye-opening, and will hopefully leave audiences with some aspect of appreciation for the people and professions that have been overlooked or regarded as “less than”. All this packaged as a devilishly fun thrill ride makes Cam a film not to be missed.
‘Cam’ is not rated. 94 minutes. Streaming this Friday on Netflix, opening Friday, 11/23, at Arena Cinelounge.
