Despite its premise, Angel is pretty tame. It is also more empathetic toward the central character.
We never see Angel at work, and the movie does not try to titillate the viewer with the tease of seeing our (underage) lead naked.
It is a gentler movie, but it feels like a sibling to Vice Squad - no surprise, since writer-director Robert Vincent O'Neil co-wrote that picture.
What it shares with the earlier movie is the empathy for its sex worker protagonist.
Donna Wilkes is solid in the title role. At times her delivery comes off a little forced, but it works for the character’s age.
Cinematographer Andrew Davis (later director of The Fugitive) captures some great shots on the streets. These seemingly found moments help to create a sense of verisimilitude.
The streets where Angel works are not an environment - this is a real place populated by real people trying to get by.
While Vice Squad aims for authenticity, it features more explicitly genre elements, such as WIngs Hauser’s demonically evil pimp Ramrod. By contrast, Angel’s closest analogue is a serial killer who is not the focus of the film until the third act.
The focus is on Angel, her trans friend Mae (Dick Shawn) and the other people who make up her found family.
Even when the movie goes wild in the climax (with our heroine chasing the villain with a huge peacemaker), it does not play like an action movie.
It is not some searing social drama, but Angel has better intentions than its poster tagline implies.
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