Note: This review was originally posted on a message board forum. I am reposting it here for archival purposes. It has been backdated to the date of its original posting.
9 1/2 Weeks, starring Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke, is an emotionally intense story of a short-term romantic relationship between two complete strangers. Comparisons to Last Tango In Paris are not out of place, but one would be wise not to draw too many parallels. This film is characterized by Adrian Lyne's dreamy urban style (Lyne also directed a little film called Jacob's Ladder, which just happens to be one of my personal all-time cinema favorites), and is also, unfortunately, very dated as an eighties film, particularly in terms of fashion. But that's something you can either get over, or not.
I have to admit I was very confused for a large portion of the film. There is a lot of unspoken subtext between the two lovers, and it's easy to miss out on their motivations, especially if you're not thinking of their relationship in a D/s context. And when you think of a D/s relationship, I'm sure all sorts of visual depictions of fetishism pass through your mind, but in the movie, it's heavily concentrated on the emotional aspect. And it's a gentle sort of domination. Such that, it's actually quite easy to forget that their relationship is anything but perfectly normal, except that doing so leaves you a bit confused at some points, as I was.
But man, Adrian Lyne's style really has an effect on you, and the emotions are pretty intense - in like a slow and gentle, but heavy, kind of way. I think the movie would benefit from repeat viewing, to catch some of the nuances of the emotional dynamic. Were I so inclined. The love scenes were kind of hit and miss for me. Foodplay? Not so much. Sex in a sewer alley? Hell yes!
And yeah, I know, that last one sounds kind of disgusting, but it was pretty hot, actually.
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