Review: Jezebel
In the age of OnlyFans, the opportunity to turn your sexuality into a lucrative income is becoming more accessible to a lot of people. Shooting your own porn or sharing nude photos are very taboo actions. They are often scandalized and shamed but, according to Numa Perrier’s debut drama, it is very empowering.
Owning your sexuality, your body and the power it holds is liberating. It provides a confidence that is hard to mimic. Jezebel thrives off using this phenomenon to tell a rich coming of age story amidst the glow of the sex industry.
In 1998, the young Tiffany is living in a shoebox apartment with her sister, brother, niece and her sister’s boyfriend. Her sister Sabrina is a phone-sex operator to provide for the family while their mother is terminally ill in the hospital. When their mother meets her unfortunate end, pressures force Tiffany to quickly find a job and attempt independence.
With Sabrina’s help, Tiffany finds a job as a local cam-girl. Going by the name Jezebel, her innocence and charisma help her assemble a steady fan base. The gig seems too good to be true until a racially charged incident wakes Tiffany up to just how ugly the industry can be. The harsh realities of the business as well as a budding connection with a special client are simple steppingstones on Tiffany’s journey to discovering both herself and her power.
Jezebel is sensational. It is a story of family, sisterhood, female empowerment and the sex industry. Its themes seamlessly weave together within an intimate screenplay with delicately fleshed out characters.
Jezebel represents a new type of coming of age film. It provides the same feel good energy without relying on overused tropes or confining its protagonist to a PG setting. The juxtaposition of Tiffany’s innocence with the grit of the web-cam industry is brilliant. It allows the viewer to clearly witness each moment of Tiffany’s emotional journey.
One of the movie’s greatest triumphs is its positivity towards the sex industry. At no point does Jezebel ever diminish the work or lean into easy, stereotypical jokes. Sabrina’s presentation of the job isn’t a bottom-of-the-barrel, last pick job. It’s a promising opportunity that could make Tiffany a lot of money. Tiffany might be nervous starting out, but she is never judgmental of the job nor of the other girls.
Tiffany Tenille - Official Jezebel Trailer
Tiffany’s co-workers are presented as smart, savvy women. Her boss, although showing glimmers of sleaziness, respects his cam-girls and isn’t trying to take advantage of them. Sabrina’s career does not diminish her role as the family’s matriarch figure.
Sabrina is an amazing character who exemplifies the movie’s themes. It’s no surprise as she’s played by writer and director Numa Perrier, who loosely based the film on her life. Sabrina is an anchor amidst the chaos. She is Tiffany’s emotional confidant, always looking out for her without holding her back. She is a provider for her siblings, her daughter and her boyfriend. She takes no nonsense but in an endearing way.
The nuances in Perrier’s performance highlight the love Sabrina has for each member of her family as well as the intelligence she possesses. I would love a prequel following Sabrina’s backstory. The biggest case for a Sabrina-centric feature was the heartwarming scene between her and her boyfriend, David.
For most of the film, it is very questionable as to why the strong Sabrina stays with the deadbeat David. Tiffany questions the relationship and it is hard to disagree with her. However, in this scene we witness a passionate, dirty exchange of words.
Sabrina’s wide smile is infinitely more passionate as when she is with a client. David worships her sexually but then respects Sabrina’s wishes when she tells him too “finish up in the bathroom”. It shows a respect between the pair as well as a glimpse into real romantic feelings.
Learning that David was once Sabrina’s client adds yet another layer to their relationship but more importantly it mirrors the situation Tiffany finds herself in with her client Bobby. It's one of many moments throughout Jezebel that link the two sisters together. The movie shines best when it highlights the similarities and strengths of their relationship.
For example, the movie begins with Sabrina deep into a kinky conversation with a client. A grand example of a women in touch with her sexual power. Later in the film, we witness Tiffany engaging in a conversation with Bobby over the land line. She hangs up the phone in disbelief that she did it but also with a smile and confidence that she’s never felt. She did that!
The most compelling moments of the film comes in the beginning and end of the movies. Both scenes show Sabrina helping Tiffany getting ready in the bathroom. In the early scene, Sabrina helps Tiff put on the Jezebel wig for the first time.
Fresh off the death of their mother, the sisters share an intimate moment together. Their playful banter, the smooth way Sabrina glosses her hand across Tiff’s face shows an intimacy only siblings can replicate. Tiffany fears the future now that they’re on their own. Sabrina says they're going to be okay.
The movie’s final scene once again places the sister in the bathroom getting Tiffany ready for her date with Bobby. Tiffany’s cries mimic the first-time but now, they are tears of happiness. She’s transformed herself into a strong, independent women. Everything was okay, just as Sabrina said and she couldn’t have done it without her.
Tiffany Tenille - Official Jezebel Trailer
Tiffany Tenille truly shines in her feature film debut. The complexities in her visual performance are essential to showing Tiffany’s growth from girl to woman over the course of Jezebel. She really develops Tiffany into a multifaceted character. She’s innocent, flirty, emotional, strong, badass, confidant and the list goes on.
Jezebel was a truly enjoyable film that surprised in every aspect. Its acknowledgement of sex workers was inspiring. I enjoyed these characters and was really invested in their journeys.
“You are Jezebel” says Sabrina in the film's final moment. She is speaking to Tiffany but also the audience. The story Numa Perrier created allows audiences to not only liberate themselves sexually but liberate themselves in anything that’s holding them back. We can all be Jezebel.