What an incredibly excellent movie! James Spader has never been this good... He had to pull everything out of his acting bag of tricks, stuff that he only partially developed in such movies as "Pretty in Pink" and "Sex, Lies, & Videotape." He brings the full range to this role. Maggie Gyllenhaal is going to be a huge star, and she tore it up in this movie. Probably one of the 2 or 3 best movies I've seen this year. Perhaps not for the easily offended, but hysterically funny and visually daring for the rest of us.… Expand

Absolutely wonderful. The film is just plain weird and confronts us with things we'd sometimes rather not think about - - but the film is great by joining these bizarre human emotions with REAL people. Maggie Gyllenhaal deserves the Best Actress Oscar. Let's see if she's even nominated.

The applause has already been given to Maggie G. and she well deserves it. Spader was terrific as well. Its good to see these two misfits find each other and come out some what normal in the end. This was Surprisingly funny and sweet but a little tragic as well. Also, Spader's opulent office was really just a camouflaged dungeon that suited his wacky quirks. Very similar to Wild Bill's house of horrors in Silence of the Lambs. Great movie!… Expand

The worlds of S&M and Domination/Submission ... as told by people who know nothing about the worlds of S&M and Domination/Submission. The opening scene of the movie shows the lead character (the secretary) being released from a mental asylum, inferring that her later discovery of the world of kink is nothing more than part of her unstable mental psyche. That's offensive to anyone who really knows the worlds of S&M and Domination/Submission. Add to that the lethargic pacing of the movie and the trite spanking scenes, and the movie adds up to a boring, insulting mess. … Expand

One of the best movies I've ever saw. You can't take your eyes off Maggie Dyllenhaal and James Spader is at the top of his game in this one. I really love them as real people in this movie. It was about them not the kink they like to do. A must have in any movie collection.

James Spader was exceptional and it took a subject that isn't all that uncommon and made it mainstream. This isn't hardcore BDSM, it's just an alternative way to enjoy love.

Brilliant! Spader is great, as always. Gyllenhaal is genius. I enjoyed the journey and transformation of her character. Not everything is explained but that adds to the mystery of their lifestyle. A great subtle comedy-love story. Those of you who are open minded, it's a must see.

What makes SECRETARY memorable are the performances. Maggie Gyllenhaal breaks out (literally) with a slam-bang job that, like the script, deserved far more recognition than it received. James Spader plays James Spader ... not a great stretch ... but coming to terms with as close to a conventional relationship that his character can accept is a well-done bout. Definitely worth the view.

Great movie. It's really a love story, with a few twists. I would recommend it to anyone with an open mind.

Brilliantly witty and kinky. Wonderful.

The Secretary takes all of the standard 'love story' cliches and explores them with more honesty and meaning than any genre standard. Spader is perfect in his role; memories of his dysfunctional sexual nature from 'Sex, Lies and videotape' and 'Crash' had me convinced of his 'perversion' from the start. Maggie Gyllenhaal owns the screen with every sultry moment, and her pairing with Spader works perfectly throughout. Whilst the closing minutes of the film seem to go against the unfolding plot of a tragic love story, it works perfectly in achieving its' aim of showing us that there really is someone out there for everybody. Truly memorable performances and a truly touching film.… Expand

The sexiest movie of the year if not ever. Shainberg has managed to turn a touchy subject into an erotic love story that leaves you gasping for more.

Symbolism is back! Our little miss blue hood meets the big bad wolf to share a real treat. This film is for those who realized "Wild at Heart" was a love story.

It is strong in depicting a different need but the fact that gets so surreal and away from reality hurts the real trend of the movie badly.

This movie, while not perfect, shows that the possibilities for original romantic comedies have not been exhausted. Plus, Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a very Oscar worthy performance. Remember the name. She's going to be a star.

"Secretary" privileges that which is normally kept under wraps in Hollywood films: sadomasochism and self-mutilation. This is a defiant love story, not afraid to push the bounds of sexual and emotional normalcy. Ms. Gyllenhaal gives a wonderfully nuanced performance as a young woman who is finally doing what she wants, no longer afraid of the constraints of society. This is the perfect role for Mr. Spader: the slippery Yuppie lawyer whose beautifully expressive face conveys more pain and desire than words could ever accomplish. Visually, the film is like a surrealist painting, full of rich colors and strange images, most notably Lee's bedroom room and Mr. Gray's indoor orchid garden. Overall, this is a thought-provoking film that resists the urge to veer into the clinical, and instead heads boldly into realm of dark humor tinged with sadness, without once looking back.… Expand

More proof that Maggie Gyllenhaal is one of the most talented, alluring, and underrated actesses working today.

Despite it's unusual skew, Secretary is actually one of the most romantic movies I've seen. Sure, the characters are complete S&M nutjobs, but hey, they need happiness too. It's also a fun ride from start to finish because you're never sure where Gyllenhaal's and Spader's relationship is going. I honestly thought he might kill her! Kudos to both the main actors for top-notch performances, too.

In Secretary, Maggie Gyllenhaal gives the performance of her career as Lee Holloway, a meek and introverted young woman who gets a job as a secretary for an oddball small-time lawyer (James Spader), which leads to a less-than-conventional sexual relationship. It's a sweet and engaging tale of two cripplingly shy people, who are unable to communicate with each other at all other than though BDSM. The film insightfully discusses intimacy, desire, sexual fetishism and depression, and manages to strike just the right balance between darkness and light-heartedness in writer/director Steven Shainberg's brilliant screenplay and complex characterisation. Both Lee and E. Edward Grey are interesting, layered and fully-rounded characters with real (if unusual) chemistry, and it's genuinely involving to see how their relationship progresses and how they conquer their fears and evolve as people throughout the film. It is only the last few minutes of the film that the narrative begins to wobble, delivering an ending that is a little too slushy and formulaic for this otherwise pleasantly original film. Even with this jarring change in tone in the final act, Secretary is a quirky, well-written and entertaining comedy-drama that bravely tackles a taboo subject in a way that only independent cinema can.… Expand