Escorting is the easiest job in London, rentboy Greek Pete says. He's only been on the job for six months, but renting has already proven to be a fast track to saving money. The Andrew Haigh documentary Greek Pete: A Year In The Life Of A Rentboy follows London male escort Greek Pete (Peter Pittaros) as he navigates his way through the London sex industry, eventually earning the "Escort of the Year" title.
Surprisingly, Pete isn't the adonis you'd think. At 24, he has no washboard abs or tight pecs. Greek Pete is an average looking man with sides one would grip instead of envy. He has a rather large nose that's slightly crooked, low-sitting buttocks and flappy ears. He also has a determination to use whatever tools necessary to reach his financial goals. Yet, Pete's normalities are what make him attractive and a hot commodity in the sex industry.
If by confidence alone, his clients get a rare treat with Pete. His every day looks add a level of comfort that one wouldn't expect from a boy from the yellow pages. You can see how his clients can become enamored by his calm yet assertive commands. "Go on, go on, you know you want it," he practices in the mirror before greeting a date.
Surprisingly, Pete isn't the adonis you'd think. At 24, he has no washboard abs or tight pecs. Greek Pete is an average looking man with sides one would grip instead of envy. He has a rather large nose that's slightly crooked, low-sitting buttocks and flappy ears. He also has a determination to use whatever tools necessary to reach his financial goals. Yet, Pete's normalities are what make him attractive and a hot commodity in the sex industry.
If by confidence alone, his clients get a rare treat with Pete. His every day looks add a level of comfort that one wouldn't expect from a boy from the yellow pages. You can see how his clients can become enamored by his calm yet assertive commands. "Go on, go on, you know you want it," he practices in the mirror before greeting a date.
Pete's cool, calm demeanor shows no signs of moral quips or desperation. Renting is easy to Pete, because he's strictly in it for the money. "The easiest hundred pounds I ever made," he describes a sexual encounter to friend and lover LondonboyKaI (Lewis Wallis). London is where the money is, he says, and he wants to make as much money as possible. He wants to live nice without wanting, the opposite of his poorer upbringing.
The doc is sprinkled with old footage from Pete's childhood. To the viewer—and by Pete's description of holidays with the family—it seemed like a happy home. But tensions rise as Pete relishes in disappointment at his mom's not-so-favorable reaction to his chosen career. Pete also underestimates the strain being a rentboy has on fellow boy for hire and boyfriend LondonboyKaI, who's looks yearn for a more complete relationship than Pete can give.
The production is no cinematic wonder (it was shot for under £10,000 with a crew of two) and heavy muffled British accents beg for subtitles. However, as a bonus there are no missed opportunities to see Greek Pete's assets and a few graphic sex scenes bump the doc into the private viewing category.
Overall, Andrew Haigh presents a promising and intriguing glance inside the lives of rentboys, what motivates them, and how they balance clients, friends, relationships, and many temptations surrounding them.
The doc is sprinkled with old footage from Pete's childhood. To the viewer—and by Pete's description of holidays with the family—it seemed like a happy home. But tensions rise as Pete relishes in disappointment at his mom's not-so-favorable reaction to his chosen career. Pete also underestimates the strain being a rentboy has on fellow boy for hire and boyfriend LondonboyKaI, who's looks yearn for a more complete relationship than Pete can give.
The production is no cinematic wonder (it was shot for under £10,000 with a crew of two) and heavy muffled British accents beg for subtitles. However, as a bonus there are no missed opportunities to see Greek Pete's assets and a few graphic sex scenes bump the doc into the private viewing category.
Overall, Andrew Haigh presents a promising and intriguing glance inside the lives of rentboys, what motivates them, and how they balance clients, friends, relationships, and many temptations surrounding them.
