Episode 98: Secretary (2002)

Today I’m revisiting Secretary, a film I first saw around the time of its release and remembered as something completely different from anything else around.

What surprised me this time is how much it’s really a story about two people finding acceptance in a relationship that doesn’t fit conventional expectations. Maggie Gyllenhaal gives an incredible breakthrough performance, with James Spader perfectly suited to another of his controlled, emotionally damaged characters.

It’s funny, uncomfortable, occasionally strange, and probably a little too long, but it’s also a remarkably brave film that treats an unconventional relationship with far more warmth and honesty than you might expect.