A young woman, recently released from a mental hospital, gets a job as a secretary to a demanding lawyer, where their employer-employee relationship turns into a sexual, sadomasochistic one.

Secretary poster

Secretary (2002)

Assume the position.

★ 6.8/10 September 20, 2002 111 min

ComedyDramaRomance

Director: Steven Shainberg  ·  Writer: Erin Cressida Wilson

A young woman, recently released from a mental hospital, gets a job as a secretary to a demanding lawyer, where their employer-employee relationship turns into a sexual, sadomasochistic one.

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Trailer

Director

Steven Shainberg Steven Shainberg

Cast

James Spader James Spader Mr. Grey Maggie Gyllenhaal Maggie Gyllenhaal Lee Holloway Jeremy Davies Jeremy Davies Peter Lesley Ann Warren Lesley Ann Warren Joan Holloway Stephen McHattie Stephen McHattie Burt Holloway Patrick Bauchau Patrick Bauchau Dr. Twardon Jessica Tuck Jessica Tuck Tricia O'Connor Osgood Perkins Osgood Perkins Jonathan Amy Locane Amy Locane Lee's Sister Mary Joy Mary Joy Sylvia Michael Mantell Michael Mantell Stewart Lily Knight Lily Knight Paralegal

User Reviews (1)

Wuchak
Wuchak March 25, 2018
★ 5/10

Dominance and submission at the office (um... no) RELEASED IN 2002 and directed by Steven Shainberg, "Secretary" is a romantic dramedy about a young woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who spent some time at a mental hospital for self-harm (e.g. cutting). She apprehends a job as a secretary to a quirky, arduous lawyer (James Spader) wherein their employer-employee bond turns increasingly sexual in a dominant/submissive way. This is the first mainline film in America to breach the difficult topic of BDSM, walking the balance beam between being either too amusing or too offensive. For those not in the know, BDSM is an overlap of acronyms: BD stands for Bondage and Discipline; DS for Dominance and Submission; and SM for Sadism and Masochism. I didn’t really know the movie tackled BDSM before viewing it; I thought it was simply a romance-in-the-office type flick with maybe some kinky elements.…