Assume the Position

My favorite movie (well, it’s in the top 5 at least) has got to be the 2002 electrifyingly sexy and oddly enough sweet Secretary. Together with the previously mentioned Fight Club and the dazzling Jeux d’Enfants, it is one of the few movies that I saw twice in the cinema. Bare in mind, they only played it for two weeks. The reason I was dying to see this still relatively unknown movie was none other than a, in my opinion, yummy guy (who gets naked in almost three quarters of his movies and still is one of the few actors who does, bless him) namely James Spader. The second time I saw it, James Spader (who had me hooked with Steven Soderbergh’s equally daring Sex, Lies and Videotape) had to share the top spot with an uncanny tale that just happens to be one of the most romantic films I have ever seen. Before you start thinking I have a hidden kinky side filled with BDSM, I’ll immediately say that being far from sentimental, cliched or corny, Secretary redefined the genre (romantic whatever) and also added some contemporary elements to the plot while ultimately displaying the universal yet simple enigma of two people just “getting each other” no matter who flawed they seem.

Anyway, Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a young woman whose turbulent home life has gotten the best of her emotional state. This resulted in her admittance into a psychiatric facility. When she gets out, she is immediately pursued by Peter (Jeremy Davies) although she isn’t attracted to him, he provides a certain stability in her otherwise rocky life due to the abuse and alcoholic problems presented by her parents. Lee develops a need to inflict pain on herself. The pain seems to release the built up hurt of the troubled existence surrounding her.
In order to gain independence, she decides to look for a job and seeing as her only skill is typing, her options are limited. Her first interview is with Mr. Grey (James Spader), an eerie and odd lawyer. The job interview is practically killed by Mr. Grey saying how boring it would be to work for him. However, Lee is so taken and thrilled with the whole possibility of working that it shocks Mr. Grey into hiring her. An unorthodox, highly erotic, sado-masochistic relationship develops where Mr. Grey is able to give Lee, for the first time, an opportunity to gain control over her own actions and decision making without anybody else's help. Lee, in time, will also reach a place in Mr. Grey's demon hideaway, deep inside his own untouchable psyche, and perhaps alleviate his pain that is unable to surface.

Secretary is filled with desire and dark, unusual fetishes which make for great fiction, but few filmmakers have enough courage to tackle ideas that private. However, Steven Shainberg has more than enough audacity and he doesn’t hesitate to push the envelope way beyond the norm and this landed him a Special Jury Prize for originality at Sundance.

Against all odds, director Steven Shainberg has managed to craft an oddly compassionate and often very funny tale of an emotionally symbiotic affair with his directorial debut. This is a completely original and highly unusual story of two people who find love and gratification with one another in a kinky and twisted way. They let their emotional needs awake each other, both wanting what the other is giving them.

Maggie Gyllenhaal was exceptional in a daring and tricky role. She demonstrated the great ability of controlling her character's moods and making it believable. Spader’s ability to maintain a character with such a freakiness, smoothness, and a sexual tension, so heated with desire that it was excruciatingly good to watch.

The movie enters a realm where few non-porn films venture and comes across as surprisingly gentle while telling a different kind of love story namely one that is dark, disturbing, sensuous and yet very compelling.

It does what good films do best: it provoke us, pushes our buttons, makes us think and even entertains us in the process.