FILM REVIEW: Secretary

[diebitter]

This is on the surface, a strange sadomasochistic drama that is a voyeuristic look into the lives of people that dig that sort of thing.

But it's better than that! Here a stange, out-of-touch girl played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, becomes secretary to a strange, reserved lawyer (James Spader).

He's both strange and demanding, and their relationship rapidly goes from professional (well it actually barely starts as that), to an intimate one based on domination and submission. He spanks her, he has her crawl on all fours, and despite all this, they grow more and more attached.

An interesting aspect of this is we see our lead actress slowly transform from a timid, self-harming girl into a confident and strangely lovely woman. She gains power in her submission, getting what she wants, ultimately, by showing how far she will go for love and her dominating partner. That makes it sound sinister, but it is actually quite feelgood, believe it or not.

Deep down, this is a romance, and a very affecting and unusual one, so don't watch it cos you think it's kinky, watch it cos it's different.

It's well acted by the main leads (some of the secondary characters are mediocre at best), but the dialogue is good, and the direction reasonable. I'd say this is for those who are willing to watch with a mature person's outlook.

Overall: 2.5/5
Rewatchability: Bears rewatching every now and then, but you have to be in the mood for something a little out of the ordinary.


RATINGS (out of 5):
0 - This is a complete waste of time, and you will regret wasting it
1 - don't bother unless no other options at all
2 - okay for a single watch, if you've got time
3 - Definite watch if you get a chance
4 - See it very soon, at least once before you die
5 - See it immediately, no excuses


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Recent Reviews: The Frighteners, Groundhog Day