A review of the DVD, Bound, starring Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon & Joe Pantoliano

Before the Wachowski Brothers made The Matrix, there was the erotic thriller, Bound, starring Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, John P. Ryan, and Christopher Meloni. This was a low budget movie (four-and-a-half million dollars) that was to be the calling card for Andy and Larry Wachowski so that they could eventually do The Matrix series. They both wrote and directed Bound, demonstrating their unbelievable talent in making a film that would quickly become a cult classic in just a few short years. The script was sharp and fresh with more twists in it than a hot pretzel. They were able to get two of the sexiest women in Hollywood at the time (Tilly and Gershon) to play the leads with Joe Pantoliano agreeing to take a pay cut for his role as Caesar. They got a great production designer, editor, and director of photography to make Bound's appearance to be more film noir in essence with its dark, brooding tones and deep shadows and sparse cutting. The rest as they say is history.

Bound deals with Corky (played by Gershon), who just got out of prison after having served five years for what she calls a distribution of funds, or stealing. She was betrayed by her female partner and therefore has a severe lack of trust for the people around her. She takes a job as a maintenance repair guy in a Chicago condo building and soon meets the vibrant and ultra-sexy Violet (played to the hilt by Tilly). Violet is the girlfriend of Caesar, a money launderer for the Mob, and the couple live in the condo right next to the one Corky is doing repairs on. When Corky and Violet first meet in an elevator, the physical attraction is immediate, and it isn't long before Violet sexually seduces her. Corky knows trouble when she sees it, but that doesn't stop her from giving in to Violet's manipulations. It isn't long, however, before Violet makes the suggestion to her new lover that they steal two million dollars of the Mob's money, allowing Caesar to take the fall. What a deal--two million dollars, plus Violet. How could any man, or woman, say no to that proposition. The problem is that Corky knows that if Violet can betray Caesar so easily, she can also betray her. Of course, nothing goes according to the plan as all hell breaks lose with Caesar doing just the opposite of what the two ladies had hoped and prayed for. Any and everything can happen before the ending is finally reached as betrayal, torture and murder become the norm for this outstanding noir film.

This movie is certainly everything a viewer could hope for. It's scary, funny and sexy to the ninth degree. Tilly and Gershon heat up the screen with their lovemaking and dubious intentions, both looking more beautiful than ever. They capture theirs roles with perfect aplomb, delighting in the subtle nuances that each one brings to their particular character and playing off of it. Joe Pantoliano does a great job as the man who's caught in the middle of these two wicked black widows, refusing to go down without a fight. One big surprise is how great John Ryan is as Mickey, a boss for the Mob. The guy is downright scary in his performance. He never raises his voice or over reacts--just a steady force to be reckoned with. Christopher Meloni as crazy Johnnie Marzzone brings in the laughs with his wicked sense of humor in the most dour of situations like when an accountant for the Mob is being tortured about the money he's stolen. When a finger is cut off and falls to the bathroom floor, Johnnie says, "Oops. You dropped something."

Bound is a slick, classy film with top performances by its actors that totally deserves all the recognition it's received over the years. It's a movie that you can watch over and over and not get tired of it. I will say there isn't much in the way of extras on the DVD, but the film commentary is great. Jennifer Tilly shows up during the last third of it and basically steals the show away from the Wachowski Brothers and Joe Pantoliano. She won't let anyone get in a word edgewise and acknowledges that she sometimes talks too much. Gershon shows up a few minutes later, and they both have fun razing Joe about his semi-nude scenes in the movie and his overall acting ability. Needless to say, the commentary is loads of fun.

Bound is definitely the type of movie that gives me hope for Hollywood. This is what filmmaking is all about, and it goes to show that well-made movies can be done on a shoestring budget. You don't need two-hundred million dollars to make a cult classic. Needless to say, this movie sizzles!