Working Girls

Working Girls

Year: 2020

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: French

Directors: Frédéric Fonteyne, Anne Paulicevich

Drama

During one sweltering summer, three sex workers regularly cross the border from France into Belgium for their work. As the season comes to a close, a shared secret emerges, forging an unbreakable bond between them and forever altering their lives.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Working Girls yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Working Girls (2020)

Trace every key event in Working Girls (2020) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Tess quits after humiliating treatment at the brokerage firm

At a stockbroker firm in Lower Manhattan Tess is dismissed as a pretty face rather than valued for her business mind. A pivotal humiliation pushes her to a breaking point. She quits in a dramatic yet controlled display of resolve.

Early in the story Stockbroker firm, Lower Manhattan
2

Becomes administrative assistant to Katharine Parker

Tess lands a job as the administrative assistant to Katharine Parker at a mergers and acquisitions firm. Katharine initially seems supportive, inviting Tess to share ideas and promising a path forward. Tess senses a chance to prove herself and advance through merit.

Shortly after quitting Katharine Parker's firm, Manhattan
3

Katharine's initial encouragement and promise of advancement

Katharine invites Tess to contribute ideas and hints at a real path to promotion. She frames Tess as a valuable resource to be cultivated. Tess feels hopeful that her hard work might finally be recognized.

Soon after starting Katharine's office
4

Deal would not work; a test is set

Katharine privately warns that the Trask deal would not work and signals a test Tess will have to pass. The warning suggests fragile loyalties and control over advancement. Tess braces for a challenge she did not anticipate.

Soon after Katharine's office
5

House-sitting and discovery of Katharine's plan

During Katharine's absence while she breaks her leg Tess is asked to house sit. While there Tess uncovers meeting notes showing Katharine intends to pass off the Trask acquisition as her own idea. The discovery deepens Tess's sense of injustice and the precariousness of her position.

While Katharine is away Katharine's home
6

Infidelity and breakup

Returning home Tess discovers her live-in boyfriend is having an affair. The shock compounds the professional bruises she has suffered. Their breakup leaves her emotionally unsettled but more determined.

Shortly after Tess's home
7

Opportunity seized and image makeover

With Katharine away Tess seizes an opportunity by borrowing her clothes and leveraging her connections to present a more professional image. She enlists her friend Cyn to help navigate the new role and opportunities. The makeover sets the stage for a crucial meeting connected to Trask.

After the breakup Katharine's network and home
8

Dinner with Jack Trainer's firm and a spark

Tess attends a bar level dinner hosted by Jack Trainers firm. Jack is attracted to Tess and follows her after she leaves. A night of missteps unfolds including the influence of Valium and alcohol, ending with a cab ride to Jack's apartment.

That night Bar; Jack Trainer's apartment
9

Next-day meeting and plan take shape

The next day Tess arrives at her own meeting with a sense of unfinished business. Jack arrives at her office to pursue the idea further and they decide to move ahead with the merger. Their collaboration yields a solid financial plan and a persuasive presentation to Trask.

Next day Tess's office; Trask meeting
10

Professional success blended with personal risk

On the strength of their plan Tess and Jack deliver to Trask, and their professional success becomes intertwined with a growing personal attraction. Tess keeps wrestling with how the idea originated and Jack's past entanglements with Katharine, which adds ethical tension to the achievement.

Shortly after Trask Industries conference room
11

Merger day confrontation

Katharine returns on the day of the merger and confronts Tess, accusing her of stealing the idea. Tess cannot defend her contributions in the heat of the moment and exits the meeting in apology and embarrassment. The confrontation triggers the unraveling of the original plan.

Day of merger Merger meeting room
12

New beginning at Trask and new dynamics

Days after the merger Tess clears out her desk and meets Jack, Katharine, and the Trask team in the hallway. She explains exactly how she arrived at the Trask idea, proving the originality of her contribution. Trask offers Tess an entry level position and she moves in with Jack, discovering that her secretary Alice is actually her equal and reinforcing a new ethos of equality and collaboration. She also reaches out to Cyn to share that she has truly made it on her own terms.

A few days after merger Petty Marsh hallway; Trask offices

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:51

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Stories of Underdog Triumphs like Working Girls

Determined protagonists overcome systemic barriers to achieve a hard-won professional triumph.Find more movies like Working Girls where determined characters face and overcome systemic injustice. These similar dramas feature a steady pace, medium emotional weight, and an inspiring, hopeful tone, perfect if you enjoyed the cathartic victory in Working Girls.

determinedinspiringcatharticfrustratingprofessionaltensetriumphantresilient

Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow a linear path where a protagonist's ambition and integrity are tested by a corrupt or biased system. Key narrative beats include facing belittlement, navigating ethical dilemmas, experiencing betrayal, and culminating in a pivotal confrontation or discovery that leads to a satisfying, character-affirming win.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared focus on a hopeful, determined journey against odds. They balance professional tension with personal resolve, maintaining a steady pace and medium intensity that builds towards a cathartic, uplifting conclusion, creating a consistently inspiring viewing experience.

Movies about Secret-Bound Bonds like Working Girls

Unlikely bonds form between characters united by a confidential truth that changes their lives.Explore films similar to Working Girls where a shared secret forges a powerful found family dynamic. If you liked the bonding between the protagonists in Working Girls, you'll enjoy these dramas about solidarity, life-changing secrets, and hopeful new beginnings.

catharticanxiousbondingsolidaritytransformativesecretivesupportiveinspiring

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a group of characters navigating a challenging environment or circumstance. A significant secret emerges that they must collectively carry, which becomes the catalyst for their deepening connection. The story explores the tension of keeping the secret, the trust it requires, and the way it ultimately solidifies their bond and alters their collective path forward.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by the powerful thematic core of a shared secret creating profound solidarity. They blend medium emotional weight with a hopeful outlook, focusing on character relationships and the life-altering impact of collective confidentiality within a steadily paced drama.

Unlock the Full Story of Working Girls

Don't stop at just watching — explore Working Girls in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Working Girls is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Working Girls Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Working Girls, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Working Girls Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Working Girls

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Working Girls. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Working Girls

Working Girls Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Working Girls that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Working Girls Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Working Girls

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Working Girls: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Working Girls