Review: Bound

Lesbian ex-con handywoman Corky (Gina Gershon) and gangster’s moll Violet (Jennifer Tilly) make eye contact one day in an elevator with the latter’s low-level mobster lover Caesar (Joe Pantoliano). It seems like lust at first sight, and soon Violet is asking Corky (renovating the apartment next door) over for simple tasks that are clearly just a way to see her again. They quickly become lovers, and before long Violet has ideas about leaving the violent Caesar for her new love. Or is she just using her as an excuse to flee? Anyhoo, Violet and Corky conspire to screw Caesar out of $2 million of mob money Caesar is currently holding for Mafioso Mickey (John P. Ryan, in his last big-screen role), an extremely violent man, who nonetheless has a soft spot for Violet. Unfortunately, when Caesar realises the money is missing, he doesn’t flee like Corky and Violet had anticipated. Thinking that the money has been switched by Johnnie (Christopher Meloni), son of Mickey’s boss Gino (Richard C. Sarafian), as part of some kind of plan by Johnnie (who hates Caesar) to leave him holding an empty bag (oh, so close!), Caesar decides to confront father and son. This doesn’t go well, being that both Caesar and Meloni are trigger-happy idiots and the latter can’t help but mouth off. Will our two Sapphic lovers manage to pull off their plan? Will Caesar realise he’s been left a patsy by his beloved who wants to leave him for another woman? Or will he lose his fingers and most of his brains down the sink like that poor chap Mickey beat the fuck out of in the bathroom?

 

One of the best modern noirs, this 1996 Sapphic crime flick marked the entry point of the Wachowskis, Andy and Lana, who was formerly Larry. Yep. The brothers are now brother and sister. Ain’t Hollywood a helluva town? They who would go on to the popular sci-fi flick “The Matrix”…and sadly nothing else worth mentioning since. But they hit it out of the park with this bold, violent, sexy, and darkly funny directorial debut. Two really good films is two really good films more than some filmmakers achieve in their careers, at least. It’s also probably the best film from Summit Entertainment, now best known for the “Twilight” rot. I’m not a fan of its flashback structure, but otherwise the film is spot-on and perfectly cast.

 

Gina Gershon gets sexy lesbian handywoman and ex-con on a cellular level, but even more enjoyable here are Jennifer Tilly and especially Joe Pantoliano. Tilly, like Gershon has never been better in my opinion, nor hotter. The brilliant thing about her is that she’s an actress known for playing ditzes and bimbos, but here she’s playing a character smarter than she acts. And Tilly herself is smarter than she might appear. Her poker career didn’t seem to last a helluva long time, but dummies don’t play as well as her, believe me. Poor Joey Pants’ character is an unlikeable, violent bastard, but also a total moron and the biggest patsy ever. He just can’t see it coming. The writer-directors and Mr. Pantoliano are to be commended for actually making you worried for his character at certain points. He’s basically a scumbag villain, albeit an idiot on his way to being duped. The supporting cast is excellent too, with the underrated John P. Ryan in particular playing an interestingly shaded character. Seemingly even more violent than Pantoliano, he nonetheless shows the fondness and kindness towards Tilly that Pantoliano neglects to (But unlike Gershon, he gets no love in return from her). Christopher Meloni has probably never been better, playing an even dumber guy than Pantoliano, his final moment and line are especially hilarious. If this were done in the 40s (minus the Sapphic angle, of course), the Meloni character would undoubtedly be played by a young Lee Marvin or Dan Duryea, to Gloria Grahame in the Tilly part, and Richard Widmark in for Pantoliano. The characters are updates of classic noir staples, really.

 

Another standout in the film is the dialogue, the film is full of great lines. Tilly gets what I consider one of the greatest lines in the history of cinema during one wonderfully steamy scene with Gershon where she remarks ‘I’m feeling a little curious myself’. Gershon’s post-coital ‘I can see again!’ is another hopefully tongue-in-cheek (or perhaps tongue…no, nevermind) line that tickled my fancy. The film actually gets much of its tension (sexual and otherwise) from the dialogue. Yes, things become tense once the plot  mechanics are turning and things can blow up in their faces at any moment. However, this is one of those films where mere dialogue scenes have you on edge due to the mere threat of possible violence.

 

The film is also a great showcase for the Wachowski’s on visual and aural levels as well. Do they show off a tad too much? Sure (the blood and white paint shot is just a touch precious), but it’s their first film and calling card, you’ve gotta show ‘em what you’ve got. The sound design in particular is brilliant in ratcheting up the tension. And given the film has a modest amount of locations to work with, I think a visually dynamic approach is quite welcome. You can tell the Wachowski’s (who wrote 1995’s dreary “Assassins”, but let’s pardon them for that) are not only born stylists, but big fans of The Coen Brothers’ debut “Blood Simple”. Both are obvious with every frame. There’s a particularly brilliant shot of leaky pipes during a scene between Tilly and Gershon that isn’t the slightest bit suggestive <cough>. It’s an exceptionally well-shot film, with dynamic (yet mostly subtly so) camerawork by Bill Pope (Sam Raimi’s “Darkman”, “The Matrix”) throughout. The sex of course, is splendiferous, with the Wachowski’s apparently consulting Susie Bright on getting the ‘action’ just right. However, the film is much more than masturbatory material. In fact, if that’s all you want, you’ll be dry after 20 minutes or so, as the plot truly takes over. Still, what a glorious, wondrous 20 minutes they are. But more so than the sex that the film is notorious for, it’s a brutal and occasionally nastily violent film. Even in 2014 there’s a scene or two where you’ll find yourself wincing a bit.

 

This is B-noir done by A-grade level filmmakers showing us what they’ve got right out of the blocks, and armed with a wicked, coal-black sense of humour. Funny, sexy, violent, stylish, and terrifically acted, here’s a pervy movie you can watch and love, and defend the artistic merits of. A really fun, if somewhat nasty film that still isn’t as well-known as it should be.

 

Rating: B