Review of Secretary (2002) by Alexander Z — 14 Dec 2009

The movie uses S&M to try to blot out the fact that it's a very typical romantic comedy. It benefits from creating some good comedic and tender moments, but it follows a very conventional story structure that has been done to death. Girl and boy meet, fall in love, split up somehow, get back together. Better than most films of its genre, but don't be fooled into thinking it's something more than that just because of the subject material.

I do like that it didn't treat this behavior as deviant or associate any stigmas with it, and the resolution, while hokey, is not overdone and feels very real, even if a shitty plot device is the medium through which the film eventually reaches it.