I just watched this. What did others think of it? Is there a much more deeper meaning to the film and characters than I am getting out of it?

I found the first 2/3 to be interesting, but the last 20-30 mins--from about the point when he fired her--took a strange turn. But maybe I'm not "getting it" beyond what I simply see.

Thoughts on the film?

Other than really being turned-on by Maggie G., I thought it was an average film.

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http://www.funnyheck.com/spanksecretary.html

Nice

I rather liked it.

Plot discussed, so spoiler used.
I don't know if it is 'one of the year's best films', but it was definitely different without being titillating, and showed each character as more than the sum of their 'interests.'

The movie gets a little weird during the test. Everything else is realistic, including the ending. So I prefer to think that a lot of that is Lee's fantasy. Even Albuquerque TV wouldn't send a reporter on the scene for that story (no child was endangered).

That kind of bothered me too, plotwise. It lasted a total of three days, which in the grand scheme of things isn't that long a time; but it sure seemed like a lot of people found out quick. Lee obviously didn't tell anyone, so who did? I can see it being fantasy--a somewhat romantic, martyring effort, that doesn't actually *harm* her. And after all, I've read that when people do things like Lee [and Gray, to an extent], one of the main things they're seeking is attention.

i was mesmerized by Maggie Gyllenhaal..........no idea why but i couldn't turn away from this movie

I thought it was awful. I think James Spader is one of the creepiest looking people I've ever seen on the screen.



Everything seemed so cartoonish for me, I couldn't take it seriously.

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No disagreement here : )

Quote:

Originally posted by Ayo

Spoiler:

For me, the plot was very drawn out and required many suspensions of disbelief. I mean, its one thing to have a mutual attraction at the workplace, but from the way he went about his perversions, you'd think that one of his secretaries would have screamed "rape" a long time ago.

True, but

I didn't like it, I didn't find any of the s&m stuff sexy, so I didn't have that going, I didn't really buy into any of the romance, and to top it off, it wasn't really all that funny to me, overall I was left feeling sort of depressed about the whole movie

I thought a lot of the ending was her imagination. I liked it a lot, but I've always liked Mary Gaitskill stories and James Spader, so I thought it was a perfect mix.

I liked it. The suicide/abuse/S&M/control stuff was appealing to me from the beginning anyway, so I think that's why I was into it. And I think with the right people, I could actually see a situation like the one in the film unfolding. And I thought the ending was a great touch.

I saw it used at Blockbuster for 9.99 and bought it, but I definitely wouldn't consider it one of the top DVD's in my collection.

I thought it was horrible

Great offbeat and twisted love story, IMHO. The anti-Julia Roberts kind of movie.

Not sure exactly what is considered a spoiler around here so I am going to spoiler text everything.

I liked the film...

Nothing happens.

If you get the picture, start typing.

Possibly..

It's a story about power dynamics in a relationship - but it goes beyond the spanking and physical control.

I am torn on this movie. There are parts of it I like, and no not just the Maggie parts . I just really don't agree with what it says about S&M really. I find it quite interesting that a fair amount of the BDSM community has somewhat embraced this movie. I guess I can see how it is a good thing for them that there is a mainstream presence of their "kink", but I just don't get how they can agree with what this movie says about it.

***this might get a little spoilerish, but not enough that I am going to spoiler tag the whole section***

Watching the movie you are supposed to think that Maggie has overcome her cutting, but in reality all she did was replace it with something else...granted physically this is better for her. A crutch is a crutch is a crutch. She becomes overly obsessed with James Spader too IMO.

I also think he is too much of a nutbag in this. He is way too overly controlling. And I am not talking about his spanking her and what not, that is normal for a lot of people (not in the workplace but the bedroom), I am mainly referring to the red sharpies and such.

I also have a big problem with the last 1/3-1/4 of the movie. His whole "test" of her was ridiculous. All those people would not come to see her nor would it be made into this media thing either. When I was watching it the first time I thought it was all in her head, which would make it better IMO, but I really don't think it is supposed to be. They took something that was somewhat realistic and definitely feasible and took it too out there.

This has made me interested in the short story it was based on though, I am curious if it is that similar to the movie. One day I will search it out.

Yeah, I thought they 'Hollywoodized' too much in the last act.

For a better version of the story watch The Piano Teacher.

It went no where. It was pretty slow and boring as well. Had some interesting ideas, but just went no where IMO