Pretty Woman this ain't. Streetwalkin', out on DVD from Shout! Factory on August 2, is a grungy, dirty look at the dark world of prostitution. Melissa Leo (Treme, The Fighter) stars as Cookie, a young girl who moves to New York City to escape her abusive stepfather. There, she meets an abusive pimp named Duke who beats his women around if they cross him. Things only go downhill from there.The story is pretty predictable, but that's not what matters. The main appeal of this movie is that it gives us a look at the young Melissa Leo -- who looks just like an unblemished version of her current self. The Oscar-winning Leo is a fantastic actress, and turns what could have easily been an abysmal flick about eighties street life into something more memorable.
Also starring Khandi Alexander (Treme) and Julie Newmar (Batman), the film comes to DVD with a one-disc set, featuring a reversible cover and the banner of Roger Corman's Cult Classics. The DVD's only special feature is a commentary featuring writer-director Joan Freeman and writer-producer Robert Alden.
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