Secretary Reviews

One for the masochists

Or should that be one for the sadists, the bondage fans, the orange, ligature and fishnets brigade? Lee Holloway (played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, Donnie Darko's sister) finally shakes off her teenage self-harming misery years by falling hopelessly in love with her lawyer boss, Mr Grey (a sparkling James Spader) who just happens to be a dyed-in-the-wool sexual sadist.

It would be easy to dismiss this film as a prurient voyeuristic eye on the affairs of those who exist on the margins of sexual behaviour. I'm sure too that a lot of professionals working with people suffering from psycho-sexual problems would throw up their hands in horror at the notion that their clients could emerge from self-destructive, self-harming phases by embracing regular bondage and caning sessions. So far, so politically incorrect.

There is something more to this film though than the brief synopsis given above. When Lee looks us in the eye at the end of the movie, she's saying, "Come on, judge me if you're so sure of yourself". As far as she's concerned, she's swapped misery for bliss and her relationship with Mr Grey is entirely positive and consensual.

I would recommend this film for anyone who is prepared to put up with a few tremors and quakes in their moral universe. It's well-played, fairly credible and amusing without being too up itself.

Rent it you might like it!

This is the sort of film that surprises you as you expect it to be one for the dirty mac brigade as one of the themes is sado-masochism but it's actually a very sweet, moving and heart warming movie. Gyllenhaal (who we last saw in Donnie Darko along side her brother) gives an outstandingly touching performance and the always underated Spader is as convincing as ever.

There are some very funny moments (one with a tree near the end!) and hopefully you'll feel at the end that it's one of the best and most original rom-com's you'll ever see. Proof that not all movies with a general outline of a standard Hollywood formula need to be so predictable or with such one dimensional characters.

Spankadelic

Very unusual - another James Spader playing a weirdo film. Does anyone else think he looks like Christopher Walken? But I digress.

Nice, darkly humourous plot: self-harming girl's entering into the real world, comes to work for a bullying lawyer who is underneath it all a good egg.

Ending was a bit Hollywood - take yr hands off the table goddamit!

No explicit nobbing, everything is done most tastefully, even a couple of cracking cracking off scenes (them, not you) and some hanky spanky. What more could you want?

Kinky and quirkily fantastic!!!!

Don't be put off by the cover which makes it look like some kind of American Pie style sex comedy. This is a sophisticated black comedy / romantic art film, which defies being categorised any more than that. Although the main theme of the film is S&M, don't expect too much graphic detail - this is no soft porn flick. It's a psychological study of two oddball characters, each with their own individual dysfunction, who discover that they fit together like Yin and Yang, and embark on a mutually satisfying affair. Eventually their relationship transcends the physical and romance creeps in. I came away with the feeling that everyone is damaged in their own way and if 2 people can find a way of comforting each other then no one should judge that. There are no rules about relationships ? they are all unique and you never know what is going on behind closed doors. This film is original, funny, dark, raw and touching - the best one I?ve seen all year.

They should dub this in French

Two people who suffer from deep self loathing suddenly find the opportunity to fall in love. They are so repressed that they can only express their passion by playing games of dominance and submission. Eventually this disgusts one of the pair and the other has to fight for their love to survive. Strange, funny, and erotic. I still find it hard to believe that this film came from Hollywood rather than mainland Europe. Wonderful stuff.

[Highly rated reviewer]

A fascinating exploration of love, power, control and abuse

A sparkling little film exploring abuse, control, power and love in a wonderfully sensous way.

From the acting right through to the soundtrack I find it hard to dislike anything in this film.

It's not an action film and there's no 'freeze frame' moments for those of you who are renting it for 'personal reasons' however if you're looking for an exploration of love that arises outside the normal boundaries of convention then look no further. This is done as well as any such exploration.

Peculiar pleasure

The thought of a sado-masochistic relationship developing naturally between a maladjusted lawyer and his self-harming secretary does not sound the best premise for a love story. But Secretary manages to deliver an uplifting, fulfilling and peculiarly romantic love story.

The characterisation is excellent and the plot is developed credibly. James Spader is good as the pernickety lawyer but the movie’s star is undoubtedly Maggie Gyllenhaal as the unbalanced yet wholeheartedly dedicated secretary

There were scenes that I wouldn’t want to watch with my parents or child but I thoroughly enjoyed this movie – even if that enjoyment made me feel a little uncomfortable

Cheeky Cheeky

This is a wierd and wonderful movie thats a little ruined by the sentiment towards the end.

Kinky as hell though !!!

I really enjoyed this. It isn't just another bizarre, meaninglessly confusing film that tries too hard to be intellectually stimulating. This does actually have an underlying story, some characters you WILL care about at the end (even if it scares you!) and despite the fact it's not really a feel-good film, you will leave feeling curiously uplifted. If you want yet another Hollywood movie equivalent of food-through-a-straw, then give it a miss. If, however, you want to be challenged to enjoy a film about perversion that isn't perverted, and end up relating to characters who start out either somewhat insane or pathetic, give it a go. It's uplifting in a downbeat way, disturbing in a fastinating way and basically a very watchable film!

Life's Too Short to Use Tippex

...seems to be the message here.

This is an exciting film, where the main characters speak as much with their bodies as they do with their mouths. The script is taut; words are only used where they are felt appropriate.

Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader are both excellent and their instant physical connection has you hoping they find solace in each other long before the director allows them that release.

The physical manifestation of their personality traits is gently but insistently introduced and maintained. When release does come, it is neither overt or unnecessary, but somewhat uplifting. You want these people to overcome what society has labeled them, and what they have labeled themselves.

Life's too short; Vive la difference!