Review: 'Secretary' Is A Kick In The Pants
Maggie Gyllenhaal Makes Mark In Unusual Love Story
UPDATED: 12:35 a.m. EDT October 4, 2002
'Secretary' (R)
(out of four)
Mainstream sadomasochism -- what will they think of next!
Yes, it sounds very sordid. But if you get past the spankings and saddles, the story is really just a fairy tale of finding the other person in this world that fits you hand-in-glove.
Newcomer Maggie Gyllenhaal (sister of flavor-of-the-year Jake Gyllenhaal) makes her first big splash in the movie biz in the film. But watch for a lot more of her in the next year because of all the projects she has been involved in.
James Spader again plays a controlled sexual freak. Why does he keep picking these roles (remember "Crash")?
Lee Holloway (Gyllenhaal) has just left the mental hospital after a nice long rest for her tendency to mutilate herself. She is meek, quiet and full of self-doubt, since everybody tells her that nice girls don't have mutilation kits hidden away in their purses. She just doesn't feel part of the family.
Then Mr. E. Edward Grey comes into her life. As part of her plan to fit in and be self-reliant, Lee learns to type and gets a job as a typist in Grey's law office.
Her first clue that this isn't such a good decision should have been the previous typist leaving the building in tears with all her belongings. At first, Grey is encouraging; then, he is demanding and downright vicious in his criticism. But even that isn't as far as it goes. Pretty soon, Grey is spanking Lee, making her do office work in portable stocks and saddling her and putting a carrot in her mouth to satisfy his intense sexual urges.
At first Lee is surprised, but then likes what is happening so much she makes obvious mistakes on correspondence to bring on the next bout of humiliation. She has finally found her partner in self-mutilation, only this time she has the release without the trips to the hospital.
Told you it wasn't your ordinary film. It is shot in almost comic-book-type hues -- very crisp and clean for the most part. Gyllenhaal took a big chance with this movie. It's the type that could bury a career forever, or kickstart it on the fast track. Because of Gyllenhaal and Spader, and director Steven Shainberg's dark comic tone, "Secretary" is definitely a kick in the pants for all concerned.
(out of four)
Mainstream sadomasochism -- what will they think of next!
Yes, it sounds very sordid. But if you get past the spankings and saddles, the story is really just a fairy tale of finding the other person in this world that fits you hand-in-glove.
Newcomer Maggie Gyllenhaal (sister of flavor-of-the-year Jake Gyllenhaal) makes her first big splash in the movie biz in the film. But watch for a lot more of her in the next year because of all the projects she has been involved in.
James Spader again plays a controlled sexual freak. Why does he keep picking these roles (remember "Crash")?
Lee Holloway (Gyllenhaal) has just left the mental hospital after a nice long rest for her tendency to mutilate herself. She is meek, quiet and full of self-doubt, since everybody tells her that nice girls don't have mutilation kits hidden away in their purses. She just doesn't feel part of the family.
Then Mr. E. Edward Grey comes into her life. As part of her plan to fit in and be self-reliant, Lee learns to type and gets a job as a typist in Grey's law office.
Her first clue that this isn't such a good decision should have been the previous typist leaving the building in tears with all her belongings. At first, Grey is encouraging; then, he is demanding and downright vicious in his criticism. But even that isn't as far as it goes. Pretty soon, Grey is spanking Lee, making her do office work in portable stocks and saddling her and putting a carrot in her mouth to satisfy his intense sexual urges.
At first Lee is surprised, but then likes what is happening so much she makes obvious mistakes on correspondence to bring on the next bout of humiliation. She has finally found her partner in self-mutilation, only this time she has the release without the trips to the hospital.
Told you it wasn't your ordinary film. It is shot in almost comic-book-type hues -- very crisp and clean for the most part. Gyllenhaal took a big chance with this movie. It's the type that could bury a career forever, or kickstart it on the fast track. Because of Gyllenhaal and Spader, and director Steven Shainberg's dark comic tone, "Secretary" is definitely a kick in the pants for all concerned. Copyright 2002 by Lifewhile.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
