Kat

Secretary follows Lee, (played by Maggie Gyllenhall) and her relationship with her family, and boss (played by James Spader), who she meets after leaving a mental facility and starting to work in a law firm as a secretary. There she discovers the world of sadomasochism. Can I write that on Tumblr?

First of all I loved it. I love films that are unique and aren't afraid to show personality. The set design was wonderful and so was the costume design. I love a color coded character and seeing Lee in purple for the first like 20 minutes of the film was lovely. I love that purple rain coat.

Many have spoken about the sign at the front of Edward's office, but I particulalry noticed the differences between Lee parent's house and Edward Grey's office. Lee's house is so stimulating, and not in the way you think. There's so many colors, purples and pinks and blues, and so much clutter. I don't know if it's just me but it felt so much to look at. (To clarify, I love this design though, I don't mean all this as a critique, I recognize that it's on purpose), but when we get to Grey's office it's all earth tones, muted greens, and browns and wood tones, and it's so simplistic.

Speaking of Grey, let's just get right to the point. I love Edward and Lee's dynamic, and also their personal dynamics: starting with Lee, I really like the take on her mental health, and portrayal of self-harm. It's respectful, and real without it being over-dramatic and heavy. It's just what she does, and she has a complicated relationship with it, but also it lets you understand her, and root for her when she finds fullfillment with this relationship with Grey and their and mechanic. I really like that Grey is shy, and very awkward, there's something so comical about James Spader's face in those moments where Grey panics. He fumbles so many times in the movie, and that is so special to me. I really like that he isn't comfortable with this side of himself, that even though he enjoys it, he feels guilty, and wrong. Lee is just the right person to love him without making him feel wrong. It works just right for the both of them.

I saw a little clip of Maggie saying in an interview that the little detail of the pinky when they both had their hands on the desk was her way of adding consent, and I noticed it while watching, and I really think that is very beautiful. Situations and depictions like this in media can be tricky, kinks can be very stigmatized and/or untruthfully represented. Now, I don't know if this movie is a faithfull representation, but I think that moments like that, and the scenes with Lee confirming that attraction, are very smart ways of showing consent.

(Also that little scene with Grey treating? the orchid, I honestly have no idea what he was doing, but when Lee walks in his office and he's very carefully taking care of an orchid flower. That is a very important scene. That shows to us that he's careful and soft, or that he can be if necessary. Orchids are very complicated and delicate flowers, if he can take care of them, that says a lot about the care that he can put into things)

And as a small little tought, i think that this is a film that depicts very well the grand spectrum of female erotica, and it does it very beautifully and honestly, completely true to who Lee is as a character.

I think that is very well written film, it shows situations that, to me at least, are uncommon, and can be very weird to suddenly see from such an intimate perspective, but I found myself enjoying it very much, and rooting for these characters to find fulfillment in each other and within themselves. It completely sets up both Grey and Lee for total success, obviously, and lets them be together without guilt and happy.