Louis Theroux: Louis and the Brothel

Louis Theroux travels to the US to visit a newly opened legal brothel in Nevada, the Wild Horse where he spends time hanging around in the background, getting to know the husband/wife owners and some of the girls, especially Hailey who tries to convince Louis to `party' with her in exchange for interviews.

After spending time with so many celebs in his `Louis Meets' series, Louis Theroux had found himself running out of famous people who would actually agree to spend time with him. Of course he also had the problem that those who did agree to go on his show already new what to expect and either played him or just refused to be drawn. It is partly due to this, I think, that Louis has gone back to the Weird Weekends formula of just hanging out with unusual groups to get an unique insider view.

Here he hangs out at a brothel that, in itself, is hardly an area that has a shortage of TV documentaries. Louis' show has a bit of nudity but nothing that could be held as being titillating or just for pleasure. Louis tries to just be natural and he does manage it for the most part, getting the girls to talk. He doesn't really go after the `whys' of their business directly but indirectly asking about them - letting them give the background to why they have joined the business. For some we find it is to get money for their husband, others have been hurt by men and have turned to the job. He gets some interest out of it; but more from the girls themselves rather than the profession as a whole.

The film is interesting as it is a mix of interest and comic. The characters are all nice people and are quite open with Louis. Hailey is probably the most interesting and tragic of the bunch - a difficult past, an alcohol problem and a desire to play games with Louis rather than chat - Louis seems to spot this and focuses on her.

Overall this is a pretty good show even if it isn't introducing us to new and unusual groups that we may not have seen focused on before (as he did in Weird Weekends to good effect). Louis' usual `innocent abroad' act is as good as always and he manages to get some interesting/amusing stuff out of his visit. Not riveting but still interesting due to Louis' presentation.

Sometimes the fantasy of paying for sex runs away with us. A fairytale akin to 'Pretty Woman' or the mentality (presented here) of how it's empowering to females. Guys get swept up in it too. The idea of sex no strings attached without considering the emotional or financial harms. This doc 'Louis and the Brothel' touches on these points and more.

In 2003, he ventured to Nevada the only place prostitution is legal in the United States. Where a real estate developer husband and his wife (former prostitute) open their new brothel venture the Wild Horse. You get some insight from the owners, their views but Louis also chats with many of the women working there and a few male clients. Prostitution isn't a new subject in front of the cameras so all roads leading here might seem predictable, sad, cliche, but it is what it is.

Louis doesn't push too hard and at the end of the day you know (confirmed here) that it's all about the money for the ladies (no matter how they arrived at it) and reasons vary for the men who partake. Whenever that means physical pleasure only, an inability to form a relationship and gain sex, tragic events or an unhealthy lifestyle habit.

Sex work will always be taboo. A stigma around those who provide it and those who pay for it. This episode from Louis is on the lighter side, but at least no one is being abused or grossly exploited & it brings the fantasy crashing to reality in a lot of ways. They don't call it the world's oldest profession for no reason.