Fucktoys is a mesmerizing debut from Annapurna Sriram. Its DNA is comprised of John Waters, Greg Arraki, and a little helping of Kenneth Anger, yet told in a voice that is entirely hers.
Set in the backwater slums of Trashtown, Fucktoys is the story of AP (Sriram), a sex worker who has had a string of really bad luck lately. After her tooth falls out, she seeks the guidance of a soothsayer (Big Freedia), who tells her that AP's been cursed. It's not an issue, though, as in this capitalist hellscape that is modernity, everything has a price. For her, it's a thousand dollars and a baby goat to undo the spell.
So, AP sets off to work, which involves both physical and emotional labour for lovesick and lost men, hustling at private nightclubs for the rich who pretend they're above all this, and simply making ends meet. Her odyssey unfolds in an almost episodic manner as she trashes her way from one encounter to the next, often making the worst choices possible, but mostly taking the only outs she is given.
Throughout all of this, it's remarkable how deeply empathetic and kind Sriram's insightful and often painfully observant tale is. Capitalism turns everything into a series of transactions, which in turn forces everyone to treat kindness and compassion as deeply suspicious. After all, who gives anything away? Especially something as precious as love.
Sriram is wonderful in the lead, which might be a funny way to describe a role with dialogue like, "If you like trash, you're going to love me!" But AP is never the butt of the joke. Yes, she makes terrible choices, but it's not like the hand she's dealt is anything but crap. Sadie Scott, as Danni, AP's friend and lover, is equally fascinating. They're dreamers who've been kicked in the head so often and from such a young age that their hopes of a better tomorrow look askew even on a good day.
But there's a genuine compassion in the way that Sriram frames her heroes. There's no leering or judging of their work. Sex functions as a tool and bartering good for the most part. It's when feelings get involved that both AP and Danni start to trip up. There's a whole unspoken language they can't fathom there, and both Scott and Sriram portray the teetering at that threshold beautifully.
Beautifully shot in 16 mm film by Cory Fraiman-Lott and delicately performed by Sriram and Scott in the leads, Fucktoys is the kind of wonderfully unique mix of genres and influences that crackles with energy. I can't say I "got" everything, but there's also a lot here that's not meant for me to get. Sriram's vision is unapologetic and razor-focused on an audience rarely catered to in film, especially when it comes to sexuality.
I love how candid it is. I love that it doesn't apologize or explain itself, and that, even at its most delirious, it feels honest on an emotional level. Yes, it teases and deliberately pushes buttons to elicit a reaction, but that's part of the fun. To do so effectively is a skill of its own, and Sriram handles even the most complex mix of titillation and comedy like a seasoned veteran.
You won't see anything like it any time soon.
