Cinematography:
Bill PopeComposer:
Don DavisCast:
Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, John P. Ryan, Christopher Meloni, Richard C. Sarafian, Mary Mara, Peter Spellos, Kevin Michael Richardson (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
Before they blew the world’s mind with The Matrix, Lana and Lilly Wachowski delivered a jolt of pure pulp pleasure with their hyperstylish debut, which puts a deliciously sapphic spin on a crackerjack caper premise. When butch plumber Corky (Gina Gershon) catches the eye of alluring femme (fatale) Violet (Jennifer Tilly), little does she know she’s about to be drawn into both a torrid affair and a high-stakes heist that will pit the pair against the mob. With crackling dialogue, luscious neonoir cinematography, and live-wire performances by Gershon, Tilly, and Joe Pantoliano, Bound is a genre-reimagining joyride that keeps both the tension and the erotic heat rising through each crazily careening twist. (Criterion)
(more)Reviews (5)
A very nice thriller about a package of stolen money. I liked that there aren’t many characters (something that usually bothers me in gangster flicks, because I can’t remember or tell apart all those gangsters and their double-crossings). What I liked the most was the lesbian erotic vibes, that was really good :) In short, a very good début by the, still back then, Wachowski brothers.
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Maybe the Wachowskis could go back to basics in some things, because at the beginning, they didn't need 150 million dollars and a fantastic visual sense to attract a wide audience. All they needed were two hot leading actresses, 2 million dollars in blood money, a great conspiracy plan, and a few camera tricks for a few bucks to make atmospheric gangster film reminiscent of Ransom with Mel Gibson.
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The sharp zooms on actors and objects, the camera passing through walls, the macro shots on objects, and the flying lenses around static characters – sure, the trademarks are there. After all, by the time Bound was made, the script for The Matrix had already been turned over to Jon Silver, so this film was meant to serve as a testament to the Wachowskis' abilities. Beyond that, I was particularly taken with the claustrophobic framing of the shots and the Lynchian feel of the mafia's inner world of strange men in suits, moving from black cars to mysterious apartments, with the promise of extreme violence in tow. When people have sex here, they have a lot of it; when they cut, they cut terribly. And the camera zooms in and out around them. If the central duo hadn't overacted so crazily, I'd go all in. (Or rather, with Jennifer Tilly, I know that's just her acting method, but Gershon, with her constant theatrics, reminds me of someone from a 90s music video where she can't express herself with words, only with theatrical positions)
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A film by two sisters from back when they used to be brothers. Gina Gershon was excellent in the role of the badass renovator Corky and balanced the performance of Jennifer Tilly, who at least managed to look seductive despite her stiffness. Another great experience for me was Joe Pantoliano’s absolutely convincing performance in the role of Caesar. Although it was a small cast drama, the plot was so interesting that I couldn't possibly be bored.
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Andy and Larry - or Lana and Lilly, as you prefer - the Wachowskis knew how to make movies, and at the beginning of their career, it's quite evident. Bound doesn't have a script that is full of twists and turns and unexpected events, but it flows at a great pace and easily pulls you in with its interesting actors.
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