Review of The Center of the World (2001) by Brian R — 26 May 2010

A fearless and realistic exploration of sexuality and relationships that is truly without limits or boundaries. This film is an intelligent and captivating erotic drama about the boundary seperating love and sex.

This film tells the story of a quirky and extremely wealthy computer genius who meets a beautiful stripper and decides to ask her if she is willing to go to Las Vegas with him. She decides to go since he is willing to pay but she sets some strict rules, one being there will be no penetration whatsoever.

While in Vegas they both enter an emotional spiral as they're relationship ultimately becomes what it was never meant to be, leading to inner pain and devestation. The Center of the World is a very brave film which is why I enjoyed it so much.

It does not hold back and it's extremely powerful. The film focuses on two characters, the computer genius and the stripper, who are perfectly played by Peter Sarsgaard and Molly Parker. Sarsgaard brings intense emotional depth to his character in a performance that is truly memserizing.

Parker is sexy and nothing short of spectacular as the stripper. I was completely enthralled by these two performers because they brought so much realism to their characters and they performed extremely well together.

I really felt the emotions they were delivering and that is a very rare thing. This film is directed by Wayne Wang who must be praised for his work on this film. This is a true masterpiece of both writing and directing.

The script is brilliant. I thought Parker's speech about what it is exactly that is the center of the world was genius and wonderfully played. This is one of the few perfect films I have seen in my lifetime and it is a film that deserves to be remembered as a classic.

The Center of the World is full of spectacular acting, clever writing, skillful direction, and it has an entirely meaningful story that will impact you in some way. This film almost seems too good to be true, it's a masterpiece.

A work of art through and through...