PAYING FOR IT – Review by Shadan Larki

“Romantic love is bullshit, and I’m not spending more time chasing it.” This is Chester Brown’s (Dan Beirne) declaration to his friends when pressed about his romantic endeavors, presenting the central thesis of Paying for It, the latest feature from co-writer and director Sook-Yin Lee.

So, how did Chester get here?

Chester’s girlfriend, Sonny (Emily Le), admits she has fallen for someone else and suggests an open relationship. In an effort to jump-start his own sexual exploration, Chester seeks out the services of a sex worker. The exes continue living together, and as Sonny brings home a series of ill-fated romantic pursuits, Chester takes fondly to the sex-with-a-little-conversation-on-the-side framework offered by these encounters.

Navigating an open relationship is certainly a compelling hook—from Big Love to the excellent 2025 comedy, Splitsville, this, shall we say, “unconventional” approach to love has given us many fascinating twists on the romantic comedy genre.
But this is the problem with Paying for It: nearly every aspect of the film—from the women Chester hires, to Sonny, to Chester himself—feels almost there. The film falls short of its genre benchmarks because it fails to dive into the facets of human connection that make them compelling. What drew Chester to this new dynamic with the women he hires? How has he changed after each of these encounters?

The film is holding back. If it presents itself as an honest, no-holds-barred look at sex, it has to mean more than just nudity—where are the stakes? Where are the consequences? The film sets expectations for a clever meditation on why “romantic love is bullshit,” but as the plot progresses, it fails to deliver concrete answers to any of the interesting questions it raises. A strong thesis with no defining conclusion is a classic writerly mistake, made all the more ironic given that the film is based on the real-life Chester Brown’s own comic book chronicling his dating experiences.

Chester is clearly looking for human connection, as evidenced by his attempts to bond with each of the women he hires, and Paying for It does allow the audience to bond with these women as well, treating them as somewhat fleshed-out characters rather than mere sex objects. But the film mistakes this gesture for actual character development.

Beirne does his best with a rather flat character, and his sweet chemistry with Le is perhaps the only thing the film is willing to fully commit to. Paying for It doesn’t seem interested in the conversation it presents to us, and by not engaging, it makes it difficult for the audience to engage in return. I don’t need likeable characters, but I would like to care about them. Ultimately, Paying for It feels like a series of events clumsily stitched together rather than thoughtfully woven, and aside from a few chuckles, the comedy is largely absent. The result is a pleasant but forgettable viewing experience. It’s ultimately the audience that has to pay the price here.