User reviews

Bound is a film for which I have mixed feelings: it looks and feels amazing, the cinematography, acting, directing, costumes, wardrobe, props, colors, moods, etc. feel like a graphic novel brought to life. Yet on the other hand there is something that smacks of "aren't we cool for doing x?" - I guess the lesbian scenes and camera work were what did this so as to give it a punk/hip feel (then again, this is not long after Pulp Fiction came out so everyone was doing it).

Having seen the Matrix 1-3 I can understand and appreciate the camera work on second viewing, but it feels like the Wachowski brothers were pushing the lesbian eroticism for the sake of shock and males in the audience. It definitely seems to be directed by males insofar as the sex scenes go (the female body is both fetishist and problematized as a threat to men throughout the film too, but that's a different subject altogether), but these are more artsy than "Skinemax" night flicks in that there is very little nudity, it was tastefully shown for the most part and a lot was told with sounds and shadows. (Personally, I think the lesbians were there for shock since a male lover would have worked just as well, but in general I think some more subtlety could have been used in the sex scenes myself since imagining it is sexier IMHO).

That said, the first half, which establishes character, does seem to drag quite a bit, but once the caper gets going it never stops. You also feel for all of the characters - surprisingly, I felt the most for Cesar, the "villain" of the piece (perhaps because of an amazing shot when he opens the briefcase and then the world seems out of whack as we look up at him).

I can't really find anything "wrong" with this film per se and it is a good film although I could have easily fast forwarded the first half and got roughly the same effect. Still I could watch this film over and over again for the way it was shot since it is amazing and there are a lot of techniques and style one can learn from it, plus the story is great too. So for this I give the film

8 out of 10 stars. Definitely worth a watch, although some of you more conservative folks might be a little put off by the lesbian scenes.

It is hard to accept the fact that I haven't ever heard of this great Neo-Noir, written and directed by the acclaimed Wachowski Brothers (Lana&Lilly) in the early stages of their career which reached its peak with ''The Matrix'' (1999). ''Bound'' is an absorbing crime/mystery with dashes of Hitchcockian suspense, having a solid plotline and great cast such as Joe Pantoliano and Jennifer Tilly who both deliver tremendous performances in their roles of a husband and wife, the former being a made mafioso and the latter a typical 'Damsel in Distress' who searches for a safe exit from the Mob's violent characters and proceedings, while becoming infatuated with her new neighbor (Gina Gershon's character). Tilly's character, acted with a mischievous- almost manipulative- sexiness and cynical determination, hatches a plan to rob her husband of mob money, with the guidance and support from her new lover. But, as always, reality doesn't follow the plan and things spiral out of control with a high body count and Caesar (J. Pantoliano's character) on the verge of a complete breakdown as he finds himself owing to his own mob family a sum of 2.000.000 dollars. The main theme of ''Bound'' is trust between humans and the risks that people are taking, based on the trust to a closely related person. The movie, apart from its references to classic Film-Noir, brought to my mind the early Joel&Ethan Coen pictures and plotwise it will somehow remind you of the superb ''Shallow Grave'' by Danny Boyle. This is a little-known gem that is certainly worth spending the approximately 100 minutes of your precious time and it will leave you wondering why it is so hard to find similar productions in the contemporary era.

I watched this because I'm a big fan of the Wachowskies, and after watching their first movie(Assassins, which they only wrote) I hoped to see another masterpiece from the makers of The Matrix that had nothing to do with it. It's no wonder the producers let them direct aforementioned sci-fi/action masterpiece after they did this. For such a little amount of money, they really made the most of it. Few characters, sets and occasionally limited camera-work is easy to look past(hard to notice, in fact). The movie is breathtaking. For the entirety of the last half I was literally at the edge of my seat, extremely excited and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. The first half is mostly a setup for the last half, but it isn't boring, and is well worth watching, as it makes the second half near-perfect in suspense. The lesbian subplot might throw some people off, and will definitely offend some people, but if you're aren't one of them, then you most likely will enjoy it, if you're into thrillers. The plot is very well-written, and with twists and turns thrown in every so often, it keeps you watching closely. The acting is mostly good, especially from the three leads. The characters are great... diverse, interesting and credible. The cinematography contains several of the same things later made famous in The Matrix... anyone who's seen both movies can tell that it's the same people behind the cameras. The action is really well-done. The story-telling is just slightly experimental... reminiscent of various heist flicks. This also contains some quite stylish visuals, though not as many as the brothers' later works. All in all, just works really well and keeps you entertained throughout. I recommend this to any fan of the Wachowski brothers, thrillers and/or the actors in it. 8/10

Let's get one thing straight at the start - the Brits aren't very good at sex. Obviously we're good enough to procreate and what have you, but when it comes to movies, we don't have a clue. What's more, we still have a strong streak of the Victorian puritan ethic running through us. This accounts for the fact that, in the period running up to Bound's cinema release, certain British newspapers hyped up the explicit lesbian content with a kind of outraged glee.

And, of course, when someone says "Disgusting - it ought to be banned!" then you want to see it all the more, don't you? So there I am, looking forward to a little girl on girl action (and it's there alright, filmed in tasteful arty stark contrast), and what do I get? A bloody good crime thriller, that's what.

There are many comments here, so I'll just say two things.

One, this is not the outrageous lesbian free-for-all which it was made out to be by certain elements of the British press. The relationship between the two women is absolutely essential to the credibility of what follows.

And, two, this is a film which you watch for the first time in a state of almost unbearable stress. I do not recall ever seeing another film in which extreme tension is maintained so well for such a sustained period.

Late last night I caught 'BOUND'on the Independent Film Channel, and am still thinking about this film, shot in Red, White, and Black which further underlined the noir nature. Gina Gerson and Joe Pantoliano were memorable, as was everyone else- even the two policemen who come to check things out, having received a call about gunshots having been overheard. Clever, funny, occasionally sexy, but it hold your attention as the story unfolds and introduces many story lines. Unfortunately I am NOT a fan of Jennifer Tilly- her voice is like fingernails on a blackboard to me- but she was perfect for this role.

The final scene was perfect, and I didn't see it coming, which always pleases me. Check it out- you'll be glad you did.

Violet is a gangster's moll, living with Caesar, who launders money for the mob. Corky is a ex-con who has been hired to decorate the flat next door to Caesar's flat. When the two meet they slowly begin a love affair behind Caesar's back. After a while Violet comes up with a plan to steal mob money and frame Caesar for it while she and Corky make off with the cash. However, there is no such thing as a simple plan.

I saw this when it was released in the cinema where the overall view seemed to be of an enjoyable noir thriller with a lesbian twist. A few years later, the Matrix has made the Wachowski brothers hotter than hot and everyone is clambering all over Bound and building up it's status and pointing to it as a hint of greatness. Now, after two poor Matrix sequels, many will come back to this film as a sign of their ability before the dollars became more important. That's the impression I get anyway, from the message boards, reviews and comments from proper critics. However, I rewatched this and tried to meet it on it's own terms rather than be coloured.

Of itself, it does the business quite effectively as a noir crime thriller. The plot is tough and, although not all that twisty, does easily engage and keep the audience pretty gripped. The lesbian stuff is done a little cynically I think - where do you draw the line between stuff that is required for us to know that the two are lovers, and the stuff that is titillation? I don't know, the film does it all very tastefully and it is not the film's fault that some sections of the audience will come to this film because it has a lesbian love scene in it. I acknowledge that it was done quite sexily and was part of the film, but the crime is the focus.

The brothers direct with great style - set mainly in a couple of flats, the film moves slickly around the place. Some shoot outs do reveal a style that was later used in the Matrix films (albeit on a sci-fi level). The slow-mo stuff is pretty good here and not overly used - little tricks like the shooting over the white paint added to the style of the film no end. Despite being bogged down in a story I believe they took too seriously, I don't think they need to prove themselves as directors - their films speak for themselves in that regard, and I do hope they get back in the saddle.

The cast is deep in talent but mostly they play it in the stereotypical characters of the genre. Tilly is a great moll, at first she appears to be the delicate flower of the film, but she is as much a femme fatale as Corky. Gershon is very sexy, despite being very glamorous for a supposedly butch ex-con; she plays her role well although I would have liked to see her become more of a fall guy towards the end, in true noir fashion - fooled by love! Pantoliano is enjoyable; his character may not have a lot of meat on it but Joe does very well with a powerful performance. Support from Meloni and Ryan is good even if they all fit the gangster clichés required by the script.

Overall this is an enjoyable genre film - no more and no less. The lesbian stuff is a nice twist on the usual formula but it isn't pushed enough to be classed as exploitative (although there's no doubt that the film gained audience as a result of the love scenes). The cast are good and the direction is stylish, making for a slickly enjoyable noir.

Debut film from the sibling writing-directing team of Andy and Larry Wachowski is flashy nonsense. Lesbian mechanic becomes partners (and lovers )with a gangster's girl in ripping off $2M from the mob. The central relationship is interesting and believable despite the uneven performances by the leading actresses. Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon each needs a few more early scenes to let their characters take shape (this is particularly true of Tilly as the modern-day moll, who struggles a bit). Gershon, who really does look like a tough auto buff, tends to plow forward, either unrestrained or encouraged by the filmmakers, making her the standout here. The arty direction gets carried away with flash-forwards that make no sense, while the screenplay allows too many potentially strong scenes to happen off-camera. Still, there are great moments of suspense, amusing B-movie atmospherics and dialogue, all leading to a terrific finale. **1/2 from ****

I cannot think of a film that creates a more elaborate and intelligent sequence of events than Bound. This leads to that and that leads to something else and that leads to this and so on. What is special about this film, is that everything is connected. This is not Tarantino nonsense, that has no point and simply tries to rely on gimmicks and witty dialog. This is a clever thriller. The story centers around Corky, Violet and Caesar, who in one way or another, are involved in a plan to scam the mob. Of course, scamming the mob is never a good idea. Issues of trust, loyalty, love, violence and everything else are covered. There are very arousing sex scenes and scenes of disturbing violence, utilizing pruning shears. All of it choreographed beautifully by two very talented brothers. However,it is Joe Pantoliano who steals the show. He plays a wiseguy that gets caught in a downward spiral that can only finish one way, but he does his best to delay it. How he was omitted by the Academy is beyond me. To the pompous nitwits that peck away at this film, I have one question. What Hollywood films in the last ten years can you reel off that were nearly as clever as this film? Yeah, I thought so. **** out of ****, a simply brilliant motion picture.

Bound is a sexy, stylish and suspenseful modern visitation to the film noir genre that emerged in the 1940s and 1950s. Right from the outset - where the letters of the film's name cast deep dark shadows like high-rise buildings - the viewer is inducted into a world where duplicity is the norm and where choices made

result in prices being paid. And with over $2 million of Mob money at stake, the risk to life and limb is very high indeed. Violet is a latter-day gangster's moll looking for a way out of 'the business'. Her chance comes when her boyfriend, Ceasar, brings home a fortune in cash to be

sorted and collated before being passed on to the Chicago Mafia. She seduces

the tough-talking ex-con who is renovating the next-door apartment (an

impressively butch Gina Gershon) and together they scheme to relieve the Mob

of the money. But when Ceasar doesn't react according to plan, suddenly there are dead bodies to deal with and events begin to spiral out of control. The

women's trust in each other is stretched to breaking point as they are drawn into a deadly battle of wits. Directors Larry and Andy Wachowski make judicious use of the conventions of

film noir, such as extensive chiaroscuro, and some imaginative and

uncomfortable extreme close-up shots. The clever cinematography is backed up

by a tension-laden script and an excellent cast (particularly Joe Pantoliano as the increasingly frenzied Ceasar). Although Bound may take some viewers out

of their comfort zone with its graphic lesbian sex scene (which I LOVE!) and

depiction of Mob torture tactics, it is a film that will reward its audience with a stylish and intelligent foray into the eternally murky confluence of good and evil.

I have mixed feelings about this film....in the first half an hour it sets up the cat and mouse game with Tilly, a gangster's moll and secret dyke falling for her lesbian neighbor ex-con Gina Gershon. When her boyfriend (an excellent Joe Pantaliano) steals $2.137 Mn for the mafia, the two ladies decide to steal it from him. The cat and mouse games that ensue are the bulk of the film.

I liked the twists and turns in the movie. The direction, photography and especially the lighting were superb. In the cast Joe Pantaliano stands out but Gina Gershon is quite good. This is a superb debut for the Wachowski Brothers who went on to make the Matrix Trilogy (Part 1 of which was quite good).

What I didn't like was that the whole love thing between Tilly and Gershon seems quite contrived. They have two brief "fingering sessions" and they're in love! Also, Tilly may be a good actress but I didn't like her. None of the characters is sympathetic but Caesar is so nasty and vicious he becomes a sort of anti-hero.

The film is quite violent but there is very little in the way of sex so I'm surprised at the R rating.

this movie is not for everyone, but judging from the reviews submitted here at IMDb it has obviously attracted a cult following. by collecting more than 14,000 votes and thus garnering a 7.+ rating, i thought Bound might be a hidden gem.

the combination of slick visuals and the dynamics of the lesbian relationship are obviously responsible for a lions share of the votes. and i agree the Wachowski bros did reasonably well on their first major big screen project. but i don't feel the plot was anything extraordinary. the love triangle/renege combo has been done many times by any number of writers so there was nothing new there.

there was sufficient on-screen chemistry between Gershon and Tilly but it didn't carry beyond the sexual attraction of the two characters. and after a while the soft, low, growl of Tillys voice got on my nerves.

as the male lead Joe Pantoliano really pulled his weight in this film. his frequent small screen roles tend to pigeon hole him as a TV character type. but, alas, he wont be remembered for for his role here because this film is...Bound for Obscurity

Gripping, violent mobster tale and a very sexy love story. What a stunning debut for the Wachowskis this film was (and I can't for the life of me understand why this film hasn't been seen by a huge audience). Amazing camera, fantastic acting and so tight there's not a single dull moment in it. Edge-of-your-seat stuff. 9 stars out of 10

In case you're interested in more underrated masterpieces, here's some of my favorites:

imdb.com/list/ls070242495

In my personal opinion, Bound is one of the most intelligent and erotic films ever made. It's not often that you see both of those words describing the same work of art.

I don't feel that the relationship between Corky and Violet is something that you should have to "get past" being that the tone of the film is that of escape (hence the title "Bound") and the very nature of their relationship upholds that idea. However if you are less open-minded regarding your own sexuality or completely homophobic, the scattered and brief exchanges between the two leading characters may not settle well with you. One of the best things about the film is the cinematic detail, all the little disturbing and intriguing things that the Wachowskis chose to hone in on...If you are a fan of The Matrix films, you'll really get to see where it all started with Bound.

I could rattle on forever about the pure genius of the film and that of the Wachowski Brothers but I won't. Just see the film for yourself, you'll either hate it or love it.

Omg this film is awesome, The main three people in this movie are Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilly and Joe Pantoliano, I love the storyline including the violence, suspense and this film includes millions of dollars, dodgy money.

I don't know why i didn't watch it earlier. This is a very good crime/drama/thriller, it kept me on the edge of my seat after the first "introductory" 20-30 minutes. A good 90's movie with the positives and the negatives of a typical 90's movie (Entertaining, intense, naive, unrealistic, charismatic actors, plot holes, no lecturing etc). Gershon and Pantoliano were great, Tilly, well, plays always the same character but in this movie, this character fits well.

So, a good movie which doesn't take itself too seriously but still, it's intense and made me invested.

Not the most realistic ending in history but satisfying.

I can only hope the Wachowski brothers next foray into writing and directing, THE MATRIX, fulfills the promise they show here. This is a well-done example of film noir, one of my favorite genres, with a twist; it's got a lesbian romance at the center. Yet the film is smart enough not to depend on the novelty of it being a "lesbian" film, but takes time to develop both the story and the romance, so we're caught up. I also liked how Violet (the Jennifer Tilly) character turned out; she at first seemed like a pushover but turned out to be the strongest character in the movie.

If I had a quibble, it's that Corky (Gina Gershon, who is very good), is inactive for a crucial, and lengthy, part of the film, which slows things down a little. Also, the way we first see Corky in the film sort of promises a twist that the story doesn't deliver. Still, this is a gripping film, to be sought out by fans of this genre. Oh yeah, and Joe Pantoliano was quite good too.

Cool, exciting, erotic story with many unexpected twists. Unfortunately somewhat unbelievably exaggerated in some places. E.g. That Cesar was able to kill the three mafiosi in his apartment all by himself without even getting a scratch - apart from the fact that the mafia boss himself and his son would certainly be on the road with more than one bodyguard. Then all the hiding of the traces of a fight and murder... So there's a policeman already in the blood who soaks the carpet and nobody sees anything, aha... Nevertheless, it's well staged, photographed and acted.

The Wachowski brothers (now sisters) began to work on their famous Matrix back in the 80s. And when they managed to sell their first script for the Assassins movie starring Stallone and Banderas, they decided to show the Matrix script to the producers as well. Those loved the script but the then-brothers demanded something outstanding. They wanted to direct the movie themselves. And it's worth mentioning that they hadn't directed anything before that at all. So, the producers offered them a compromise solution. The Wachowskis would get a chance to direct a different movie, much simpler and for the budget, let's say, $4,5 million. And if the movie worked out well, then they would get a budget for the much more expensive Matrix.

The Wachowskis took the challenge and created a brand new movie script where the main characters were two lesbians and a gangster, and the entire story was literally taking place within one apartment. Eventually the movie was very well perceived by the audience and the critics, and the Wachowskis got the green light to start their iconic Matrix.

So, if you're curious to see how the career of these great movie directors started, or just want to enjoy a skillfully made movie about beautiful women, I highly recommend it.

It's a shame that when most people talk about the Wachowski's masterful debut these days, it's in reference to the impressively graphic lesbian sex scene, which only lasts about 2 minutes of the actual screen time.

That is too bad because Bound is not only a sincerely effective lesbian romance tale, but it's also a great Hitchcockian thrill-ride that benefits from great performances (Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon and Joe Pantoliano).

Even though their next film (The Matrix) would help the siblings explode onto the pop culture landscape and started them on the path towards making large budget special effects spectacles; this small but meticulously-crafted neo-noir exploration of characters who each feel trapped within their own lives exceeds them all in terms of story-telling and emotional resonance.

Check it out!

Jennifer Tilly & Gina Gershon star in this twisty film directed by the Wachowski Brothers that has two women named Corky & Violet who team up to steal the laundered mob money of Violet's boyfriend Caesar(Joe Pantoliano) and pin the blame on him. Things don't go according to plan when Caesar reacts unexpectedly, and his boss(played by John P. Ryan) gets involved, forcing the women to come up with another plan if they hope to get away with the money and their lives...

Good cast and stylish direction cannot redeem this sordid story that gives the viewer nobody to root for. Everyone here is without conscience and out for themselves, so I can't really cheer at the "happy" ending, and Caesar is in some ways more sympathetic than the two women!

A cult film nonetheless.