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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Bound (1996)

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Sex and Money

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Bound on DVD.

Bound joins the list of excellent, violent and itelligent crime movies of the nineties that includes: The Grifters; After Dark, My Sweet; Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Miller's Crossing, Fargo, One False Move and Devil in a Blue Dress. It's also a terrific lesbian movie because it doesn't seem to care that it's a lesbian movie. Bound is more interested in its plot and characters than its sexual politics.

I don't want to give anything away, so, in one sentence, Bound is about Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon trying to steal $2 million from the mob. Some of the stuff I've seen before, a lot of it I haven't, and I was on the edge of my seat most of the time.

The movie was written and directed by the Wachowski brothers, and it's their first. I think they wanted to film in black and white (the money hungry producers wouldn't let them) because everything is composed in harsh blacks and whites. Even Jennifer Tilly's lipstick is black. The color red comes into the equation every once in a while, if you know what I mean. If you're disturbed by red, better watch something else.

There's a sex scene between Gershon and Tilly that's already been much-discussed. It's worth your attention. The best part is watching Gershon's toes curl.

Starring: Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano
Written by: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski (The Wachowski Brothers)
Directed by: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski (The Wachowski Brothers)
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 107 minutes
Date: May 16, 1997