Secretary

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Tanya W Powerful! Especially in 2015 when everything started to change… Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/21/25 Full Review Audience Member I had high expectations for this movie and it was a letdown. Hard watch and boring nothing exciting if I could give it less than half a star I would. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 07/30/25 Full Review Mike V Assume the position. Secretary is a 2002 American erotic romantic comedy-drama film directed by Steven Shainberg ⛓️‍💥 Although there are some interesting and different aspects here, the pace is a bit too slow in the ending goes too far… Not bad, but not my favourite either 😐 Meh, it passed the time. Just. 😐 👍🏼👎🏼 A young woman, recently released from a mental hospital, gets a job as a secretary to a demanding lawyer, where their employer-employee relationship turns into a sexual, sadomasochistic one. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/25/25 Full Review K K So I am partial here and a big fan of Maggie Gyllenhaal, who plays Lee Holloway in this movie. Yet when I am a "fan" I often let a lot slide. Well, I am aware, but again let it slide. Fair not really, but when you make our biases known, then there is not so much of a problem: I've got favorites. Let you know, so they probably score higher. OK, what a great erotic psychological thriller. The cast delivered. James Spader as E. Edward Gray, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Lee Holloway, Jeremy Davies as Peter, and Patrick Bauchau as Dr. Twardon, Stephen McHattie as Burt Holloway, Oz Perkins as Jonathan, Jessica Tuck as Tricia O'Connor, Amy Locane as Lee's sister, Lesley Ann Warren as Joan Holloway, Michael Mantell as Stewart, Sabrina Grdevich as Allison, Ezra Buzzington as typing teacher. Wow, fantastic cast, some went in other directions, like Oz. Perkis is now directing some great movies. Maggie Gyllenhaal, who plays Lee Holloway, took us on a story of a hurt person trying to figure things out with a background that contributes to so many harms. Watch it. Gyllenhaal is one of those actors under the radar for awards and definitely warranted more recognition, but hey, she is a big movie star, received nominations and won awards, acting in many movies and now directing The Bride's interpretation of The Bride of Frankenstein, a movie which I cannot wait to go see. James Spader as E. Edward Gray nails down this sort of type, attorney type. I've met some of these in real life. A lot going in the movie, and ultimately, what two consenting adults with capacity decide upon is good for them. Lee almost seems to have the emotional and mental capacity of a teenager or younger perhaps, which some might think doesn't make the ending that great as there is no actual consent. But this is a loaded question. Adults of age and capacity must have freedom in their personal space (its fundamental right in some ways)of sex and the bedroom. I don't have issue with BDSM, role-playing, dressing up and all that, regardless of the roles they take on: cheerleader, coach, baby doll and custodian, going to kidnap you and put you in my van for fun, role-playing stuff, etc. Often times passionate, intelligent people have sexual fantasies that they would never want to do for real but explore these concepts with another consenting adult. To limit these freedoms would concern me. This movie explores the freedom and interest in BDSM in a more candid and less romantic version that Twenty Shades of Gray brought, both enjoyable, but the frank nature of this movie in acting and directing appealled to me. Check this movie out if you're into erotic-romantic-comedy drama! Note: we need more of these movies in the theatres. Back in 2002 they made 4 million, so about 7 million today budget -in the theaters rather. Good actors, even great actors, will make lower-budget movies if the quality rings authentic. Yet cheap, manufactured, drival won't elicit quality actors. AND YES, WE NEED MOVIE STARS like Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader and many in this cast as they get people interested in watching movies and often go because of them! Those who discount the star power are jealous perhaps of wanting to be one or wanting to get one to work for their studios and cannot. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/05/25 Full Review Khadidja G I know that paralegal was sick of them. This was actually romantic as hell! Lee and Edwards are both very odd people who belong together, I support it. Also, James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal both have such interesting faces, I could stare at them for hours. AND THE CHEMISTRY! A great pairing. 50 shades you are NOTHING. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/07/25 Full Review Rami A Maggie Gyllenhaal gives it all in what is considered by many as her best performance. She allows the audience to become invested in her character and yearn for more. She works well with her co-stars, especially, James Spader, who does a good job in making us wanting to smack his character, but I kinda don't blame James Spader's actions towards Maggie Gyllenhaal after getting pissed on by Jack Nicholson in "Wolf" (1994). Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/04/25 Full Review Read all reviews

Secretary

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