A lady has a few strikes against her when she applies for a secretarial position at a law office. Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 03/09/2004 Starring: James Spader Jeremy Davies Run time: 111 minutes Rating: R Director: Steven Shainberg
This kinky love story features a standout performance by Maggie Gyllenhaal, an offbeat young actress in her first starring role. Gyllenhaal plays Lee, a nervous girl who compulsively cuts herself, who gets a job as a secretary for Edward, an imperious lawyer (James Spader, an old hand at tales of perverse affection). Edward's reprimands for typos and spelling errors begin with mild humiliation, but as Lee responds to his orders--which are driven as much by his own anxieties and fears as any sense of order--the punishments escalate to spankings, shackles, and more. Secretary walks a fine line. It finds sly humor in these sadomasochistic doings without turning them into a gag, and it takes Lee and Edward's mutual desires seriously without getting self-righteous or pompous. Certainly not a movie for everyone, but some people may be unexpectedly stirred up by this smart and steamy tale of repressed passion. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Rating:
Summary: good stuff
Comment: If you enjoy love storys with a bit of a twist then this movie is for you.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: awesome
Comment: this is one of the best films ive ever seen I love it.
i could watch it everyday.

JP

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Not a Comedy to my Way of Thinking.
Comment: This is a very interesting portrayal of some aspects of the D/s BDSM lifestyle. Although in fact that almost appears to be on the periphery of the story. The reality is more about these two conflicted characters neither of whom fit well into the real world.
I did not find this to be a comedy even though it has some good comic elements.
Also I suspect many people who have reveiwed this here did not understand some parts of it.
Lee, the main character does cut herself, but it seems to be the way she has learned to escape the pain of her life. The release of endorphans from the cutting pain, helps her feel better.
Mr. Grey, the lawyer is truly a lost soul. I would have to even conclude that he suffers from Aspergers syndrome based on his behavior: He is bright, shy and has a difficult time relating to other people in a normal way. He is really a gentle person, even releasing mice caught in his office back outside. Growing orchids. He has trouble reconciling his quiet nature with his need for dominance in his relationships.
Therein lies the crux of the story.
Well done, sensual and fun. However without being familiar with or having read up on the BDSM lifestyle mny viewers may not really understand the story. There are many books on this on Amazon, including Consensual Spanking and others.
Many folks may find this film disturbing however, so choose carefully who you show it to.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: 3 stars out of 4
Comment: The Bottom Line:

An interesting take on the boy-meets-girl tale (with a bit of spanking involved), Secretary is well-acted and heartily recommended to anyone who wants a movie that's a little different than the norm.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Good, However...
Comment: The movie itself was very good. There are some very sexy and emotive scenes. Great acting on the part of James Spader--he makes the film, in my opinion. Maggie Gyllenhall is also very well cast in this role. My only qualm is that this film associates BDSM with mental illness and emotional issues, implying that kink is the result of these problems.

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