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I think the British do this sort of comedy well (although there are dramatic elements in the story too). This is a slightly odd movie and perhaps not for all tastes due to its plot and main character (and the poster!)  It is inspired by the real life story of a famous English brothel owner, here played by Julie Walters, but not a biopic. (She is the only actor I really know in this one.)

At first we see Christine works as a waitress but also tries to make some money on the side by renting out several of her apartments to prostitutes. This is not working so well as since the working women are not paying her, she is herself owing money to her landlords. Christine’s apartments run from the seedy to the glamorous. She also at times will give sex to pay a debt. She does all this to be able to afford a good school for her son, being a single parent, as well as trying to live up to her family's expectations, who have always thought less of her. (One would consider her low class or common.)

When Christine's money troubles become too much, she kicks out her prostitutes and goes into business for herself, making a niche business by catering to the slightly kinky tastes of middle-aged husbands and businessmen. Although Christine is open to sex with strangers for money, she is a bit of a novice, not knowing for instance some slang terms for certain sex acts. She and a couple of middle-aged waitress friends continue to do this until she becomes so successful as to afford to buy her own house where she continues to serve these sorts of men, until the law catches up with her.


Also included are some scenes showing Christine’s domestic life and the relationship with her father—her sister marries and Christine is a black sheep at the wedding, having to angrily complain to her father that he never acknowledges her son and causing unexpected trouble. You can see she is genuinely hurt by this long-standing treatment and has tried to hold her tongue, yet is not one to back down when it finally gets to be too much for her. She and her father reconcile later in the story. Julie Walters is a good choice for this role. She is a bit of a loud and brassy actress who can, as Christine, give lip to authorities and not give up.

The film is also directed by Terry Jones, of Monty Python fame, so that might also give you an idea of some of the type of humor in the story.