Secretary

Every time I see Maggie Gyllenhaal on screen, I like her more and more. From her early scenes fresh from a mental facility and almost still a child to her determined face as she decides what she wants late in the movie, all I can think is man can this woman act. It doesn't hurt that she is joined by James Spader in most scenes. Secretary isn't a perfect movie, it sort of collapses in the last act but I never once doubted Gyllenhaal's conviction.

Maggie plays Lee Holloway a young woman who was recently released from a mental facility and has returned to her dysfunctional home. Hoping not to fall into the same patterns she goes to get a job and applies as a secretary at the law firm of E. Edward Grey (Spader). Grey is an odd duck, seemingly not comfortable in his own skin, hiding from a woman who comes to see him. He finds something intriguing in Lee as Lee does in him.

An odd relationship develops. I say odd because it isn't conventional, which is of course the point. Both Lee and Grey struggle with their secrets and are not sure what to do with the feelings they arouse in each other. Slowly they come to a non-traditional relationship of sado-masochism from which Grey retreats feeling shame in his own feelings. During this time, Grey helps Lee get over her problem (I suppose?).

Lee grows stronger and decides exactly what she wants and begins to try to get more from the relationship that exists. Now I followed this narrative for about two thirds of the film enjoying its desire to explore new ground of romance and it is admirable to that extent. However, the final act comes a bit out of left field with its surrealist qualities and I sort of wish the writers or director had come up with a slightly more credible and interesting way to resolve the issues.

Still Spader and Gyllenhaal hold the slowly sinking ship above water for the remainder of the film and I'm eager to see Ms. Gyllenhaal in another film.

Side Note: Being from Iowa, perhaps I'm over sensitive about this but I couldn't help but fixate on one almost throw away line late in the film. Lee asking a plethora of questions of Grey in an erotic moment is finally answered by her question of where he is from and Grey says "Des Moines, Iowa." It might be a throw-away line but I can't help but suspect that the writer thought to himself/herself cleverly I'll pick the most generically Americana mid-west place I can think of to show you that this kind of lifestyle by no means should be shunned and exists even in what one would think of a stalwart of American traditional values. And to be honest if that is the reason, I find it a little tiresome.