Movie · 2002 · Romance, Drama, Comedy · 1h 51m · R · English
Curator score: 5.0/10 (431.6K ratings)
Assume the position.
Overview
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.
Ratings
Curator score: 5.0/10
IMDb: 6.9/10
Letterboxd: 3.55/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 78%
Metacritic: 63
TMDB: 6.8/10
Director
Steven Shainberg
Production
Slough Pond, double A Films, TwoPoundBag Productions
Cast
James Spader, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeremy Davies, Lesley Ann Warren, Stephen McHattie, Patrick Bauchau, Jessica Tuck, Osgood Perkins, Amy Locane, Mary Joy, Michael Mantell, Lily Knight, Sabrina Grdevich, Lacey Kohl, Julene Renee, Lauren Cohn, Ezra Buzzington, Kyle Colerider-Krugh, Steven Fierberg, Herbert Russell
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A darkly funny, offbeat workplace romance that turns kink, shame, and self-discovery into a surprisingly tender character study. It’s provocative and divisive, but the performances and tonal control make it a standout for viewers open to taboo material.
Best for
Viewers who like erotic dramas with a satirical edge
Fans of awkward, character-driven romances
People interested in power dynamics and unconventional intimacy
Audiences who appreciate deadpan humor mixed with discomfort
Skip if
You want a straightforward romance
You’re uncomfortable with BDSM themes and sexual power exchange
You prefer emotionally warm, conventional relationship stories
You dislike tonal mixes of comedy, melancholy, and explicit content
Overview
Secretary is a sharp, strange little movie about desire, control, and the relief of being seen exactly as you are. What could have been a gimmick becomes something more delicate: a portrait of two damaged people discovering a language for intimacy that feels both absurd and sincere.
Worth noting
The film’s humor is dry and uneasy, which helps it avoid the usual glossy erotic-drama clichés. It’s interested in embarrassment, ritual, and the weird dignity of submission and dominance, while never pretending those dynamics are simple or universally healthy.
Bottom line
Maggie Gyllenhaal gives the film its emotional center, and the movie works best when it lets her mix vulnerability with stubbornness. It’s not for everyone, but for the right viewer it’s funny, unsettling, and oddly moving.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Nicole (5★) · 23770 likes
Look at my lawyer Dawgggggg I'm goin to jail 😫🤯🤣
courtney b (4★) · 21597 likes
i have a weakness for romances where both parties are disgusting awkward weirdos who enjoy absurd sex
cinéfila... 🕯️ (4★) · 16072 likes
homegirl went on hunger strike for days just to get james spader to spank her again
Emma Garner (4★) · 9864 likes
i wanna know who in hollywood fucked james spader and spread around to every film exec that he was the best lay of their life because there are wayyyyyy too many movies about james spader being good at sex for it to be a coincidence