Secretary

Comedy, Drama, Romance

James Spader	E. Edward Grey
Maggie Gyllenhaal	Lee Holloway
Jeremy Davies	Peter
Lesley Ann Warren	Joan Holloway
Stephen McHattie	Burt Holloway
Patrick Bauchau	Dr. Twardon
Jessica Tuck	Tricia O'Connor
Oz Perkins	Jonathan
Amy Locane	Lee's Sister
Mary Joy	Sylvia

Director	Steven Shainberg
Producer	Andrew Fierberg; Amy Hobby
Writer	Erin Cressida Wilson; Mary Gaitskill

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