The central thrust of this graphic French drama may be a radical notion to some: that a sex worker can enjoy the wild, carnal freedom that his or her job can provide, while also being vulnerable to its dangers.

What's the old saw about war? That it's long periods of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror? Tweaked a little, the line serves pretty well as a description of Sauvage. All that's required is the addition of "and/or emotion" at the end.

By the end, we've experienced one of the best films about street hustling ever made.

Félix Maritaud delivers a "brave" central performance, though Camille Vidal-Naquet's gritty (verging on trauma porn) depiction of sex work feels pretty judgey, despite claims to the contrary