“How did you know I’d respond to you the way I have?”
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Synopsis:
Elizabeth (Kim Basinger) gets involved in a steamy affair with a mysterious broker named John (Mickey Rourke), who teaches her sexual games she could never have dreamed of.
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Genres:
Response to Peary’s Review:
In his review of this infamous softcore sexual drama — based on an autobiographical novel by “Elizabeth McNeil” — Peary expresses little but puzzled bewilderment, wondering why Elizabeth — who “seems too smart, too independent, and too under control to have anything to do with Rourke” — would be attracted to someone like him in the first place. But I think he misses the point of sadomasochistic impulses: from what I’ve gathered about S&M, seemingly “strong” people like Elizabeth may find themselves caught up in fantasies which even they don’t understand; thus, Elizabeth’s reluctance to leave the increasingly controlling affair makes sense on some level. For a superior work on S&M, however, see the more recent Secretary (2002) starring Maggie Gyllenhal and James Spader.
Redeeming Qualities:
- Basinger’s vulnerable, sexy performance
Must See?
No. While it holds some historical interest for the controversy surrounding its “almost X-rated” status, it’s no longer must-see viewing. Film fanatics may still be curious to check it out, however.
Links:
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Posted on March 31st, 2006 by admin
Filed under: Response Reviews
Crap.
Slick crap, but crap.
And I’m certainly no prude but there are perhaps few things worse than boring movies about sex.
How did Adrian Lyne ever greenlight a film career?
Thankfully, he seems to have stopped.