Jake, played by actress Sandra Bernhard, is a troubled teenager who has been abandoned by her mother and left to fend for herself. She travels to Los Angeles to find her older sister Darlene, played by actress Moon Unit Zappa, in hopes of finding a safe haven. However, Darlene, who is struggling with her own personal problems, turns Jake away.
Jake is then taken in by Darlene's neighbor Marci, played by actress Kristina Kennedy. Marci works as a manager in a massage parlor, and it is there that Jake discovers she can make money as a masseuse. Jake convinces Marci to give her a job, and she begins working at the massage parlor.
As Jake becomes more involved with her new job, she begins to explore the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles. She meets a wide variety of characters, some good and some bad, and becomes embroiled in a dangerous situation when one of her colleagues is brutally murdered. Jake must navigate this dangerous world and come to terms with her own troubled past in order to survive.
Lover Girl was directed by actress and filmmaker Lizzie Borden and was released in 1997. It received mixed reviews from critics, but was praised for its gritty portrayal of Los Angeles and its strong performances, particularly from Bernhard.
