Secretary (2002)
I already owned a copy of Secretary long before I heard of 50 Shades of Grey but the public's fascination with the “erotic love story” catapulted this film to the front of my watch list. I knew this one had to be better and was not disappointed.
Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a socially awkward, depressed woman trying to adjust to normal life after being released from a psychiatric hospital. She gets hired as a secretary for attorney E. Edward Grey (James Spader). Harsh, short-tempered, and demanding, he's driven every other hire away screaming but Lee’s submissive demeanor means she will take any assignment or punishment, regardless of how awkward or humiliating it may be. Against all odds, they turn out to be exactly what the other was searching for.
If you're looking for a romantic film in which the topic of BDSM is explored. This is it. The topic is neither a punchline nor is it something used to make you gasp in disgust. It's made so very natural because it fits the characters so well. Secretary is better acted, more erotic, better written, and more insightful about both "normal" and submissive/dominant relationships than most romances we see on-screen.
Director Steven Shainberg and writer Erin Cressida Wilson deliver an insightful story. Before now, I never put much thought into what drives certain men and women towards fetishes. Some kind of positive experience hidden deep inside their memories or boredom I assumed (I’ve seen some guys rent weird XXX movies at my video store because they figured after dozens of DVDs with naked women in them, maybe something... different would rustle their jimmies). The bond that develops between Lee and Holloway is one only they could have and this is where much of the drama stems from. They've never seen someone have what they have so for Holloway, particularly, he's unsure how to proceed. For a long time, you're unsure too. Is what you're seeing... wrong? It doesn't feel wrong but you're waiting to see what'll happen. It could go in any direction.
I suppose it’s like that line from Jerry Maguire, “You complete me”. We all know that we’re not supposed to feel empty or unfulfilled when we’re by ourselves, that your happiness shouldn't depend on another person... but some people in your life make it ok to disregard the rule. Sometimes you meet that other person - not even necessarily a lover - that is exactly what you need to straighten things out.
Secretary portrays its subjects as real people, complete with strange quirks, dreams, ambitions, and faults. It also tells a story that's so much bigger than a woman discovering what buttons of hers she likes pressed. It makes you think about relationships in general. What is it about them that makes us feel better, that raises our self-esteem? You understand a little better after seeing this film. (On Blu-ray, February 18, 2015)
