Released in 1990, the movie Pretty Woman is widely regarded as a classic romantic comedy that portrays the unlikely love story between a woman in prostitution and a wealthy businessman. Earning over $400 million in box office sales worldwide, it is one of the highest grossing romantic comedy films of all time. While thought of as a popular fairy tale love story, the film fails to acknowledge many of the real-world problems that are associated with the commercial sex trade. Beneath its romanticized storyline, the film glamorizes the dark and traumatic lived experiences of women in prostitution by depicting one prostituted person’s experience as a fun and exciting story full of charming characters and luxurious encounters.
The plot follows Edward, a wealthy businessman who meets a woman in prostitution named Vivian. Edward initially pays Vivian to spend the night with him and engage in sexual activities. The night quickly progresses into a week-long stay, for which Edward pays Vivian $3,000. During their time together, he buys her new clothes, takes her to upscale dinners and social events, and flies her to an evening at the opera on a private jet. Despite challenges throughout their association, the film concludes with Edward climbing up a fire escape to “rescue” Vivian. The final scene shows the pair kissing and seemingly establishing their relationship in his limo, a classic fairytale ending.
Many attribute the film’s success to this love story narrative and its fairytale happy ending. Notably, however, this was not the end to the film’s original storyline. In the original, the plot had a darker but more accurate depiction of the sex trade, one in which Vivian struggled with a cocaine addiction and Edward abandons Vivian back on the street at the end of the film.
The producers altered the script to include a happier ending to please audience members. While the happier version received positive reviews, it intentionally distorts reality and fails to acknowledge the lived experiences of many of those in the commercial sex trade.
The distortion is two-fold. First, the film falsely portrays sex buyers as charming, romantic men who strive to make an emotional connection with women in prostitution. Second, the movie paints the sex trade as an exciting and hopeful opportunity to find true love and economic stability for women currently in the life as well as women considering joining it.
As for the first distortion, Edward’s character represents the wealthy sex buyer who rescues a woman from prostitution, an idea that is largely a fantasy. By defending her from the judgements of others, encouraging her to pursue her goals, and offering to financially support her, the film portrays him as a romantic savior. This grossly contradicts the character of most sex buyers. In reality, more often than not, sex buyers exploit the vulnerabilities of women in the sex trade, perpetuate harm, and are directly involved in sex trafficking. Many sex buyers take advantage of the financial desperation, psychological instability, and substance addictions that trap many victims in prostitution. Rather than rescuing them from the industry, sex buyers often further entrench victims in “the life.”
Moreover, unlike Edward in Pretty Woman, most sex buyers are not charming, romantic, or respectful. In the film, Edward treats Vivian with dignity and respect by valuing her advice and respecting her boundaries. At no point does Edward pressure Vivian to do anything against her will. Sex buyers, in contrast, are often vulgar men who seek only to protect themselves and get the best sexual “services” possible with no regards for the safety or dignity of the victims. These victims face heightened risks of homicide and sexual violence at the hands of the men purchasing their services.
Furthermore, sex buyers often acknowledge clear signs of trafficking, coercion, exploitation, violence, desperation, or substance abuse, only to complain about it interfering with their experience. This predatory and dehumanizing behavior is explicitly illustrated by one sex buyer’s own words stating, “She would literally do anything you want. At one point she got so high that she passed out and I had to wake her up.” Unlike the fictional Edward, sex buyers are not rescuers, but exploiters who prioritize their own pleasure over the pain and vulnerability of the women they purchase.
As for the second distortion, the film contributes to the romanticization of the sex trade and desensitizes viewers to the plights women in the sex trade face. In Pretty Woman, Vivian appears to be enthusiastic, optimistic, and carefree. While the film briefly hints at Vivian having a tough upbringing, it does not focus on nor explicitly discuss that. She also does not appear to struggle with addiction, trauma, or depression, as many women in prostitution do. This depiction of an almost easygoing lifestyle greatly contradicts the reality, in which many women in prostitution are sex trafficking victims who have deep-rooted physical and emotional trauma. One survivor shared, “There is nothing pretty about prostitution. Nothing pretty about it at all.”
Pretty, it is not. Additionally, this inaccurate narrative can give women in the sex trade false hope that one sex buyer could be their savior. In the film, Vivian seems to enjoy her sexual relations with Edward, portraying the experience as pleasurable, emotionally fulfilling, and economically rewarding.
This romanticized depiction stands in stark contrast to the reality many women in prostitution face, including experiences of coercion or emotional distress rather than pleasure. By presenting prostitution as a pathway to love and luxury, the film glamorizes the lifestyle in a way that may mislead vulnerable young women. The truth is, many women enter the industry as a means of escaping economic hardship. Pretty Woman presents prostitution as an enticing, glamorous, and lucrative opportunity, obscuring the trade’s brutal truths beneath a façade of luxury and liberation.
While Pretty Woman continues to be one of the most popular romantic comedies to date, viewers must be mindful of the ways it distorts the realities of the sex trade. Moreover, it is imperative that movies and media accurately represent the lived experiences of victims and survivors. It is necessary to spread awareness about the dangers and risks inherent to the industry to combat commercial sexual exploitation. As part of this series, the CSE Institute will continue to explore how films like Pretty Woman contribute to a narrative that distorts public understanding of commercial sexual exploitation through sanitization, normalization, glamorization, and sensationalization. This blog was written by 1L blogger Madi Lopez.
All views expressed herein are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law or of Villanova University.