Paul, the latest documentary feature from prolific Quebecois director Denis Côté (Curling, Vic + Flo Saw a Bear) takes a detached and sympathetic look at one man’s idiosyncratic corner of BDSM culture. Featuring a variety of whips, ropes … and donuts (don’t ask) wielded by a panoply of friendly neighbourhood dominatrixes, it would be difficult to imagine a more fitting venue for its world premiere than the venerated Berlinale.
Visually striking from the first frame, Côté’s film takes a deep dive into the life and mind of the titular Paul, or as he’s known on Instagram: Cleaning Simp Paul. At first quite unassuming, we observe as he makes his way through his seemingly mundane routine. Trudging around the snowy streets of Montreal. Editing photos and videos on his computer. Tidying up around the house. Nothing much to see here. Or so it would seem.
Our first clue as to why Côté has chosen this rather ordinary man as his subject arrives with a glimpse into his online persona. In an effort to heal himself from a long depression and free himself from the shackles of social anxiety, Paul has taken to documenting his self-help journey online. Taking a rather unconventional approach (alongside more expected wellness content), he channels his energy into cleaning the houses of dominant women (largely pro bono) as a kind of therapeutic release.
Following along as he makes his rounds, we learn that despite having been banned by many dating apps mistaking him for a professional cleaning service, Paul has managed to accumulate a roster of about fifteen “bossy ladies” he serves on a rotating basis. Despite his drive to serve these women, Paul does not consider himself a full-fledged member of the BDSM community – a claim that feels increasingly odd as we watch one woman after another whip, ride, or debase him in exchange for his services.
Maintaining a curious but objective gaze, Côté offers up a fascinating window into his interactions with these women, as often caring and familiar as coldly transactional. While the relationships are certainly unorthodox, they clearly add something to Paul’s life, pulling him from the depths of depression and solitude that he experienced for so long. Many of the women he interacts with are clearly friends, and genuinely appear to care about Paul’s well-being. For each expected instance of debasement or punishment, there seems to be an equal moment of care: cutting his hair, teaching him a new yoga posture, or simply chatting with him amiably about his family life.
For Paul, perhaps the framework offered by his arrangements with these women simplifies the power exchanges hidden in more commonplace relationships, allowing him to feel more comfortable in his own skin. At one point, he mentions that his family has been trying for years to set him up with submissive Asian women in a wild misreading of what he actually seems to be looking for. Paul is clearly uninterested even in taking charge of himself, let alone anyone else. As one his ladies sits atop him, grilling him about his diet and exercise plans for the week like some sort of demented motivational coach, we start to understand how much Paul must need this. If serving himself will serve her, then perhaps that is all the motivation he needs. To be fair, it seems to have worked a charm. In his own way, Paul is actually kind of… thriving.
At the time of filming, Cleaning Simp Paul had amassed about 7500 social media followers (he now has nearly 10 000, putting him firmly in micro-influencer territory). Clearly connecting in some way with his growing audience, the introverted Paul finds he can no longer take refuge in complete anonymity, and the awareness that so many people are watching him begins to cause him some anxiety. Despite this, he obsesses over views, craving the validation that comes with the increased attention. When you get right down to it, in all of his (admittedly unusual endeavours), Paul simply seems to be seeking the same thing that most of us are: connection. And what could be more relatable than that?
Paul premiered in the Panorama Dokumente programme of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival.
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