Secretary (3.5/10)

Secretary is a 2002 comedy-drama, and the best word I have for it is ridiculous. The whole plot is weird, and so is the acting, but the acting is weird in a way that actually works. Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader fully commit to their strange, awkward characters, and their performances are good even when I couldn't tell what the movie wanted me to feel about them. Everything about the film felt a little off to me, from the tone to the story to the way it asks you to take it all seriously. I honestly don't know who would enjoy this one."Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a young woman with a history of severe emotional problems, is released into the care of her overbearing parents following a stay at a mental institution. She finds work as a secretary for a rigid and demanding attorney, E. Edward Grey (James Spader), and starts dating the kind but dull Peter (Jeremy Davies). However, Lee soon realizes she's turned on by Grey's stern demeanor, and begins a sadomasochistic relationship with him."