Secretary (2002)

Genre: Romance

Directed by: Steven Shainberg

Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Spader, Jeremy Davies

Running time: 111 minutes

In the wake of the whole Fifty Shades of Grey craze, I thought I would go back and look at Secretary, a 2002 film that dealt with the issue of S & M. Unlike the new sensation, though, Steven Shainberg’s movie is a work of art that doesn’t cash in on the desire of some people to be titillated. It tells a beautiful, yet difficult, story with complex characters. Funny enough, the last name of the male character is Grey. Got a chuckle out of that.

Lee Holloway (Gyllenhal) is just coming out of a mental hospital, where she ended up after a self-mutilation incident that went awry. She is socially awkward and extremely sensitive, and the tense relationship between her parents is not helping. Once back in real life, she looks for a job and ends up getting hired by E. Edward Grey, a lawyer, as a secretary. At first, Grey seems to be irritated by Lee’s mistakes and manic habits, but he soon finds himself sexually aroused by her submissiveness. They then embark on a complicated relationship that is far from conventional but that, in the end, will help them find a missing piece within them.

Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader both offer solid performances here, playing these characters with such authenticity. They feel like real people, not caricatures, and that is great, because it can go terribly wrong when you’re dealing with such a tricky subject as S & M. The filmmakers give us characters with depth and a story told in the perfect tone. They are not trying to be funny or overly dramatic, they just take on a ride through the lives of two people we end up caring about by the end of it.

I have seen this film a few times already, and each time I come out of it with something new. It offers food for thought while entertaining you. Love it.

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