| “Bound” (1996)
Film Review by Julia Dudnik-Stern
OK,
maybe I’m a little biased. If I were
a lesbian or a man, I’d probably stalk
Gina Gershon. Be that as it may, “Bound”
is an absolute gem, provided you’ve
moved with the times and are not perturbed
by homosexuality. This one has it all: Love,
money, trademark Mafia violence, suspense,
steamy sex, great looking babes, menacing
villains.
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| The
Wachowski brothers definitively
prove that college education is
not a prerequisite for success,
with "Bound" making them a must-have
team for every major Hollywood
studio. The mastery of these two
young and exciting writers/directors/producers
has already been compared to that
of Scorsese and Woo, and they've
only just begun. For example,
their hit production "The Matrix"
(1999) is expected to have two
sequels, and who knows what else
Andy and Larry might have up their
sleeves. |
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Ceasar (Pantoliano) is in The Family. He launders
Mob money and does whatever else comes with
the job, from cutting off people's fingers
to murder. Violet (Tilly) is his quasi-girlfriend;
in reality, she just works there, exchanging
the one service she performs best - sex -
for a comfortable living arrangement. Enter
Corky (Gershon), a thief out on parole hired
to do maintenance in Ceasar's apartment building.
To give you a perspective, “Bound”
comes courtesy of Andy and Larry Wachowski,
the authors of the screenplay for "Assassins"
(1995). The dynamic duo has also directed
and executive produced the 1999 smash hit
“The Matrix.” After their official
entry into Hollywood in 1995, the brothers,
both of whom dropped out of college to pursue
filmmaking, embarked on “Bound,”
a film noir project with a twist, which they
co-directed, co-wrote, and co-executive produced.
Undoubtedly, the biggest challenge here was
overcoming the stigma of movies such as “Basic
Instinct,” which sent the gay community
in an uproar. In "Bound," openly gay Corky
is surprised when Violet shows an interest
beyond friendship. The women get close —
real close, real fast. And Violet hatches
a brilliant idea, one that would rid them
(or just her?) of Ceasar and the Mafia for
good. It involves stealing two million bucks
of the Mob’s money from Ceasar's office.
The defining statement of the movie is delivered
by Gershon: “For me, stealing has always
been a lot like sex. The only difference is,
I can fuck someone I just met. But to steal?
I need to know someone like I know myself.”
Naturally, fucking Violet doesn’t present
a problem; however, since Corky was screwed
by her last partner in crime, she is not overly
eager to trust anyone again, especially with
the Mafia involved. But love conquers all,
and the two women proceed with their plan
- and, of course, everything that can go wrong
does. Ceasar’s finely tuned instincts
don’t let him down, and the two women
are soon fighting for their lives. The suspense
is never-ending; throughout the entire movie,
you are not sure what Violet’s intentions
are. While Corky is entirely out on the limb,
Violet is the wild card. And Ceasar proves
to be a lot more inventive than one would
have suspected.
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(Clockwise
from left) Gershon and Tilly
star in "Bound" as two lovers
on the run from the Mob. Violet
and Corky contemplate the big
plan. Ceasar figures out something
is fishy and attempts to control
the situation.
Photos © Gramercy Pictures |
|
Gershon, Tilly, and Pantoliano all deliver
absolutely stunning performances. The character
definition achieved by these three actors
is amazing. Gershon crafts a woman jaded
by her past experiences yet willing to take
a chance, however great the risk. Tilly
makes a drastic departure from the expected
dizzy mob moll to the crafty, intelligent
woman that is Violet. Pantoliano is so ruthlessly
driven, he is both terrifying and hilarious
at the same time. Actually, this movie has
a lot of humor in unexpected places. As
you sit there petrified at a gory scene
that depicts a person being beaten to death,
someone delivers a line that inspires uproarious
laughter.
The script is brilliant in
that after the initial novelty of two women
having tantric sex wears off, you forget
about the “lesbian factor,”
because the emotions involved are so basic
that they cross gender lines. You simply
can't wait to see where all the chips fall.
All in all, this is one wild ride.
Read more about the
actors
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Gina
Gershon has entered the film
scene in 1986 with a small role
in "Pretty in Pink" and continued
playing small parts for several
years. After the release of "Showgirls"
(1995), in which she had a starring
role, many thought her career
was over. I personally didn't
think the movie was as bad as
everyone said, and Gershon's performance
was, perhaps, the best thing about
it. But "over?" Given Gershon's
combination of talent, looks,
and oozing sex appeal? Pahleeeaze.
Immediately after this flop, Gershon
filmed "Bound," delivering a highly
acclaimed performance. Since then,
she's had a lead role as a private
detective in a short-lived television
series "Snoops," and continues
to appear on TV and in major motion
pictures such as "Face/Off" (1997)
and "The Insider" (1999).
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Jennifer
Tilly is often remembered
for her unusual high-pitched yet
breathlessly sexy voice - a voice
which made the horror that was
"Bride of Chucky" (1998; the fourth
installment of the adventures
of Chucky the evil doll) somewhat
bearable. However, there is a
lot more to Tilly; she is an accomplished
actress of the stage who made
her film debut in "No Small Affair"
(1994). She has appeared in countless
other films, including "The Fabulous
Baker Boys" (1989), "The Getaway"
(1994), and "Bullets Over Broadway"(1994),
where her performance as a mobster's
girlfriend earned her an Oscar
nomination. She returns to this
familiar setting in "Bound," but
the Wachowski brothers surprise
you by casting Tilly in an "appearances
can be deceiving" fashion. While
Gershon and Pantoliano both deliver
stellar performances, it is Tilly's
portrayal of Violet that adds
something very special to "Bound."
Today, her career continues uninterrupted,
with appearances in "Music from
Another Room" (1998) and "Goosed"
(1999). And if "Seed of Chucky,"
the fifth movie in the "Child's
Play" series, is ever made, Tilly
is surely returning as the voice
of Chucky's beloved Tiffany.
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Joe
Pantoliano is a familiar face;
his acting career started in the
late seventies. He is most often
seen in supporting roles, and
his acting skill, combined with
a natural propensity for comedy,
usually leads to blatant scene-stealing.
His film and television credits
are quite extensive, from repeated
appearances on hit TV shows like
"Hill Street Blues" and "NYPD
Blue" to supporting roles in blockbuster
movies including "U.S. Marshals"
(1998) and "The Matrix" (1999).
"Bound" puts Pantoliano center
stage, and he doesn't disappoint,
proving that he can carry the
lead male role once and for all.
Presently, Pantoliano is a permanent
cast member of the HBO hit series
"The Sopranos," playing Ralph
"Ralphie" Cifaretto. |
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Note: All
film images are © and property of their
respective studios.
Photo of “Gina Gershon” by Jeff
Vespa - © WireImage.com
Photo of “Jennifer Tilly” by
Jeff Vespa - © WireImage.com
Photo of “Joe Pantoliano” by
Bruce McBroom - © 2002 - Warner Brothers
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(5.0/5) By Julia Dudnik-Stern
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