paid in full While this movie is light and at times funny...it nevertheless is weird. It is a quite simple film. Anyone can pretty much understand it...if there is something to understand. It is somewhat silly. For every good thing there is a bad thing. Not recommended unless you are bored.

rdoyle29 Maggie Gyllenhaal stars as a young woman who suffers from a compulsion to injure herself. She is released from a mental hospital and movies back in with her alcoholic dad (Stephen McHattie) and neurotic mom (Lesley Ann Warren), and fights to not resume her destructive habits. Newly trained as a secretary, she applies for a position with James Spader, an obsessive lawyer whose tendency towards neurotic perfectionism makes it difficult to keep any employees. An unspoken bond forms between this two, and soon he is punishing her for mistakes made on the job and she is falling in love with him. The main reason this movie works as well as it does is it's two leads who completely sell this relationship. Gyllenhaal in particular sells the fact that this type of submission in fact empowers her by letting her direct her self-destruction into new and more productive ways.

oOoBarracuda The most wonderful part of being stuck inside due to inclement weather is finally getting to items on your watchlist that have been there for years. Being a big fan of James Spader and an even bigger fan of Angelo Badalamenti, Secretary, the 2002 film by Steven Shainberg is one I have wanted to see for ages. Starring alongside Spader is the brilliant Maggie Gyllenhaal as a woman recently released from a mental institution who rebounds with a job as a secretary which soon turns sexual. The film handles its sadomasochistic theme in an equally represented way avoiding victimization that would usually accompany such a theme.Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a troubled young woman with an unstable family life, recently discharged from a mental institution for cutting herself when she attempts to re-enter the world by finding gainful employment. When she answers a help wanted ad for a secretary to a lawyer, Mr. Grey (James Spader). Mr. Grey is a complicated individual with clear obsessive compulsive tendencies. At first, Lee is praised as she performs her job quite well, pleasing Mr. Grey. As their relationship continues, he begins to display some sadistic sexual proclivities, enticing Lee. As their relationship continues, it is as if they are on a constant roller coaster with Lee trying to learn how to profess her love forMr. Grey, and Mr. Grey attempting to reign in the sexual tendencies he is so ashamed of. The two grow and feelings develop until it becomes clear that they may be just what the other needs to accept their lives.Secretary is one of the best films to study for performances. Both Spader and Gyllenhaal give masterful performances, each brilliant in their respective roles. Admittedly, I watched Secretary for Spader but was blown away by the subtle depth Gyllenhaal gave to her wounded, yet, determined recovering fragile character. There is always a victim when overtly BDSM sexual natures are explored in film, Secretary avoids this pitfall creating a solid film and a wonderful character study often neglected in mainstream cinema. Badalamenti also lends his musical talent in a brilliant way, as well.

capone666 SecretaryThe ironic thing about safe words is they're useless when you have a ball-gag in your mouth.The submissive in this drama, however, doesn't contemplate mercy.After her release from hospital, ex-cutter Lee (Maggie Gyllenhaal) lands a job as a legal secretary to E. Edward Grey (James Spader).Grey's exacting nature causes her to relapse. However, her obedience and pain threshold strikes a cord in Grey, who proposes they partake in BDSM.Over time, he withdraws from the relationship out of embarrassment and she pursues a more orthodox dating life.But one final act of submission on Lee's part thrusts Grey back into her life.Exploring the emotionally foreplay between the characters more than exploiting the erotic elements of their union, Secretary comes off as a smart, sophisticated take on BDSM, and relationships in general.Incidentally, women's fetish for bondage goes back to being tied to train-tracks by mustachioed villains.Green Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca