review: Secretary

I feel a bit silly that I am just realizing that Maggie Gyllenhaal owns such an ample array of acting capabilities. In many ways, she reminds me of another of my favorite actresses, Catherine Keener. This comparison is not only due to the fact that both artists have a wide range, but also the fact that both seem to be drawn towards roles which illustrate, with great integrity, the struggle for self-realization and self empowerment. In The Secretary, however, it may be hard for most to see and/or understand the integrity of Gyllenhaal’s character, Lee Holloway. She is, after all, not exactly the typical image of might, but her potency is realized through a uniquely sincere script. There is a vulnerability explored in The Secretary that few films have discovered. (Probably the most widely known attempt is 9 ½ Weeks, but it only scratches the surface compared to this film). There are cases of “taboo” desires which are insatiable and cause great distress to those who inherit said desires. The distress is caused primarily by society’s decision to outcast rather than accept people honestly for who they are. The Secretary explores fetish in an honest and accepting way. Furthermore, it recognizes that the universe is chaotic and it is only natural to crave, no NEED, the illusion of control. Some may call this film chauvinistic, but they obviously fail to distinguish the susceptibility of James Spader. We all must hurt at times in order to feel at all and sometimes we must fall in love with the soil in order to realize that it is only after we are buried that we begin to grow.