Steven Shainberg directed "Secretary," a romantic dramedy released in 2002, centering on a young woman—played by Maggie Gyllenhaal—who previously received treatment at a mental hospital for self-harm. She finds employment as a secretary to an eccentric and demanding lawyer, portrayed by James Spader, and their professional relationship evolves into something increasingly sexual with dominant/submissive dynamics. This film appears to be the first American mainstream movie to address the subject of BDSM, attempting to navigate a precarious line between humor and offense. BDSM is an acronym combining Bondage and Discipline (BD), Dominance and Submission (DS), and Sadism and Masochism (SM). I wasn’t aware that the film dealt with BDSM until after seeing it; my assumption was that it would be a workplace romance, perhaps with some unusual aspects. Predictably, opinions on the movie are sharply divided. I came across several reviews from established critics—one was captivated by it and awarded it a remarkable 10/10 Stars (seriously!), while another dismissed it as something for disturbed individuals, assigning it a rating of just 1/10 Stars. While I’m intrigued by the romantic aspects of the office setting, the BDSM element doesn't really appeal to me. Nevertheless, the initial portion is entertaining enough, and Maggie is charming, but the latter half becomes excessively explicit and feels close to pornography. Ultimately, the movie concludes with a positive message: it depicts two individuals who share an interest in DS finding each other, and their relationship’s potential for success remains uncertain (no plot details revealed). It seems the film aims to suggest that pain can be healing if administered by someone with good intentions. Therefore, people drawn to BDSM might establish a functional relationship—but not one I'd want to experience. The movie has a running time of 1 hour and 47 minutes and was filmed in Los Angeles. The original short story is by Mary Gaitskill, and the screenplay was written by Erin Cressida Wilson & Shainberg. GRADE: C-

Source on TMDB