ComedyDramaRomance

Secretary

- Assume the position.

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.

Release Date : 2002-09-20

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Slough Ponddouble A FilmsTwoPoundBag Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Mr. Grey

Original Name : James Spader

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lee Holloway

Original Name : Maggie Gyllenhaal

Gender : Female

Character Name : Peter

Original Name : Jeremy Davies

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joan Holloway

Original Name : Lesley Ann Warren

Gender : Female

Character Name : Burt Holloway

Original Name : Stephen McHattie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Twardon

Original Name : Patrick Bauchau

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tricia O'Connor

Original Name : Jessica Tuck

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jonathan

Original Name : Osgood Perkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lee's Sister

Original Name : Amy Locane

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sylvia

Original Name : Mary Joy

Gender : Female

Character Name : Stewart

Original Name : Michael Mantell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Paralegal

Original Name : Lily Knight

Gender : Female

Character Name : Allison

Original Name : Sabrina Grdevich

Gender : Female

Character Name : Louisa

Original Name : Lacey Kohl

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jessica

Original Name : Julene Renee

Gender : Female

Character Name : First Secretary

Original Name : Lauren Cohn

Gender : Female

Character Name : Typing Teacher

Original Name : Ezra Buzzington

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Garvey

Original Name : Kyle Colerider-Krugh

Gender : Male

Character Name : First Date

Original Name : Steven Fierberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Second Date

Original Name : Herbert Russell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tomato Date

Original Name : David Wiater

Gender : Male

Character Name : New Secretary

Original Name : Shannon Convery

Gender : Male

Character Name : TV Reporter

Original Name : Alison Tatlock

Gender : Female

Character Name : Photographer (uncredited)

Original Name : Christina Gray

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dancing Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Cali T. Rossen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman in the Purple Boots (uncredited)

Original Name : Diane McGee

Gender : Male

Character Name : Richard Arevalos (Sex Therapist on Tape) (voice) (uncredited)

Original Name : Steven Shainberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sitting In Mr. Grey's Waiting Room (uncredited)

Original Name : Erin Cressida Wilson

Gender : Female

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

Dominance and submission at the office (um... no) RELEASED IN 2002 and directed by Steven Shainberg, "Secretary" is a romantic dramedy about a young woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who spent some time at a mental hospital for self-harm (e.g. cutting). She apprehends a job as a secretary to a quirky, arduous lawyer (James Spader) wherein their employer-employee bond turns increasingly sexual in a dominant/submissive way. This is the first mainline film in America to breach the difficult topic of BDSM, walking the balance beam between being either too amusing or too offensive. For those not in the know, BDSM is an overlap of acronyms: BD stands for Bondage and Discipline; DS for Dominance and Submission; and SM for Sadism and Masochism. I didn’t really know the movie tackled BDSM before viewing it; I thought it was simply a romance-in-the-office type flick with maybe some kinky elements. The movie is polarizing, unsurprisingly. I read a few reviews by respectable critics and one was fascinated by it, giving it an incredible 10/10 Stars (Why Sure!), while another wrote it off as a film for sick people, granting it 1/10 Stars. Whilst I find the romance-at-the-office element interesting, I could care less about the BDSM angle. Regardless, the first half is amusing enough and Maggie is a winsome treat, but the second half gets a little too deviant and borders on porn. Yet the movie ends well with a well-intentioned message: This is a story about two people who have an affinity for DS that find each other and their relationship may or may not work (no spoilers). I suppose the movie is trying to get across that pain can be therapeutic as long as it's applied by the right hand with the right intention. Thus two people with an affinity for BDSM can develop a relationship that works, for them. But not me; no thanks. THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour 47 minutes and was shot in Los Angeles. WRITERS: Mary Gaitskill (short story) and Erin Cressida Wilson & Shainberg (screenplay). GRADE: C-