So sensuous, taboo, steamy, raw and seductive is "The Secretary" that itgoes beyond the red light of "no," but when watching it you can see itmakes sense to the two main characters. They let their emotional needsawake each other. They open up their vulnerabilities so well that it's notwrong to say that they are having a relationship and what they are doingwith each other is acceptable, because both want what the other is givingthem.

Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a young woman whose turbulent home lifehas gotten the best of her emotional state. This resulted in her admittanceinto a psychiatric facility. Once her time is completed, Lee is scheduledto be released on the day of her sister's wedding. Peter (Jeremy Davies),an old high school acquaintance, becomes an attraction for her, but Lee isjust not sure if he's the right guy for her and she doesn't want to settlejust to have just a "somebody" in her life.

Living at home is still on the unsteady side with the abuse and alcoholicproblems presented by her parents, Joan Holloway (Lesley Ann Warren) andBurt Holloway (Stephen McHattie), as well as Lee's need to inflict pain onherself. The pain seems to release the built up hurt of the troubledexistence surrounding her.

As Lee tries to break out of her own rutted and crazed atmosphere, shelooks ahead to the prospects of finding a job. Her skill lies in herability to type at high speeds with hardly any errors. Her first interviewis with Mr. Grey (James Spader), a lawyer with an odd first impressionwhere he looks frazzled and asks personal questions about Lee's love life.The job interview is practically killed by Mr. Grey saying how terriblyuninteresting it would be to work for him; however, Lee is so taken andthrilled with the whole possibility of working that it happily shocks Mr.Grey in a mysteriously perplexing way.

As time passes both Lee and Mr. Grey form an unorthodox, highly erotic,sado-masochistic relationship. Their pleasures are rewarded by how theother responds to the excitment of this flirty and sexual interaction;although, they never have their encounters consummated in the traditionalway.

One of Mr. Grey's quirky obsessions is nit picking over tiny spellingerrors that seem to arouse the need to discipline Lee in ways that make hermore motivated and free to express herself thoroughly. He is able to giveLee, for the first time, an opportunity to gain control over her ownactions and decisionmaking without anybody else's help. Lee, in time, willalso reach a place in Mr. Grey's demon hideaway, deep inside his ownuntouchable psyche, and perhaps alleviate his pain that is unable tosurface.

I've never seen James Spader so powerfully creepy, erratic, sensuous, andbrilliant as he was in this movie where he took this character insidehimself and let the personality stew and simmer until his boiling point wasmagnified. Then, he gently brought it down to a gentleness that made yousee the true fun-loving person that he really was. Included, is his abilityto maintain a character with such a freakiness, smoothness, and a sexualtension, so heated with desire that it was excruciatingly good to watch!

Maggie Gyllenhaal was exceptional in a daring and tricky role. Shedemonstrated the great ability of controlling her character's moods andmaking it believable. Watching her progress and appearance changethroughout the movie gives you the chance to see who she really wants to beand what she's willing to do to keep it open and fresh. A special note isat the end scene where her face just speaks to you about all the swarms ofnaughtiness she has in store for Mr. Grey.

I loved the song "I'm Your Man" by Leonard Cohen. His husky and sensuoustones give a sexiness and fun to the plan of action that you can onlyassume is going to let loose soon after the scene has finished. The musicin general was quite pleasing. It set up many entertaining scenes that gavethis movie even more intelligent and provocative subject matter to soak in.

This is a completely original and highly unusual story of two people whofind love and gratification with one another in a kinky and twisted way.It's as sexy as it is healthy. This encounter is an outlet for both toexpress their inner desires and keeps them fulfilled in ways they neverthought possible.

Their existence is outside of the world of everyday people: living theirlives, making a career, and living among others. In a quiet, yet typical,environment they keep those home fires burning!