The Wachowski Brothers, the duo known mostly for the Matrix Trilogy, began their directorial career with a bang with their 1996 debut, "Bound". This sexy thriller is an impressive effort in creating a first-rate neo-noir with some great acting from most of the cast and some masterful direction of a clever script.
Gina
Gershon stars as Corky, a lesbian ex-con, just out of prison after serving 5 years and who now works as a plumber and painter and is busy doing a job in an empty apartment in a building. The apartment right next door is occupied by a mafioso money-launderer, Caesar (Joe Pantoliano) and his voluptuous moll, Violet (Jennifer Tilly) who incidentally also happens to be a lesbian. There is instant attraction between the two right from the first instance of their meeting in the elevator. A torrid affair soon begins and during one of their secret meetings, Violet reveals to Corky that she wants out of this whole mafia affair.
She tells her of a man named Shelly who worked for the family and had been skimming off some money from the business. He had about $ 2 million kept aside which he planned to run away with. But the gang had discovered his motives and got the money off of him. Caesar was supposed to hold on to the money until the mob boss, Gino Marzonne (Richard C. Sarafian) collects it from him the following day.
Together, Violet and Corky hatch an ingenious plan to steal these $ 2 million from Caesar so that Violet can fulfill her wish of getting away from Caesar and the mafia and she and Corky can continue their relationship comfortably.
The plan seems picture perfect, knowing Caesar's nature and the mutual hatred between Caesar and Gino's headstrong, psychotic son, Johnnie (Christopher Meloni). But, of course, certain things don't work out exactly as planned and things go horribly wrong, as is usually the case with such thrillers involving con jobs and few characters. That, in no way, means that the film is predictable though.
The directors duo succeed in telling a taut, suspenseful tale with clever situational twists to the proceedings. Almost the entire film takes place indoors, in a single apartment, giving it a classic claustrophobic atmosphere. There is some excessive Tarantino-esque mob violence which also comes off as darkly comic. Acting is superb from most of the cast.
Joe Pantoliano is splendid as the mob money-launderer who always does his best to please his bosses.
Jennifer Tilly is simply amazing as the sexy, manipulating moll who is in with the mafia for her own selfish interests and doesn't fail to charm with her buxom appearance and her seductive voice and mannerisms.
Gina Gershon is fantastic as the butch lesbian plumbing woman, but one wishes she had some more screen time in this film.
Another notably good performance is that of Christopher Meloni as Johnnie who is terrific in the couple of scenes he has in the film.
Do watch "Bound". It is a neat, enjoyable thriller, riveting from start to finish, rife with edge-of-the-seat moments and is clearly my best pick of the Wachowski Brothers' filmography. Hitchcock would've been proud!
November 14, 2010
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