Bound

One of my comfort movies. Bound is a gripping, stylish thriller that blends crime, suspense, and a passionate romance at its core. Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly deliver strong performances as two women who plot to steal money from a mobster, all while navigating their evolving relationship. The film’s sharp direction, slick visuals, and intense atmosphere keep the tension high, making it a compelling watch. Though it’s a bit predictable in parts, its bold characters and memorable chemistry between the leads elevate it into a cult classic.

Tilly and Gershon are great together. Great twist on film noir.

Though this film isn't lacking flaws, I still immensely enjoyed this tense bottle thriller. Bound starts out pretty rough but becomes incredibly engaging in the 2nd and 3rd act, and this film could've been ruined by its lackluster performances from the two female leads, but Joe Pantoliano largely saves this film with his always great performance which probably stands as my favorite role of his. Though I'm not quite sure who the "protagonist" is supposed to be in this film and how I should feel about the ending, this creative neo-noir from the Wachowskis is tense, surprising, and greatly enjoyable.

BOUND is the Wachowskis' feature film debut, and their skillful direction elevates the film into something more than the sum of its parts. Though a neo-noir erotic crime thriller that relies heavily on melodrama and violence, the film has a certain style and cinema artistry that hints at the greatness to come with The Matrix.

'Bound' is a fun one! I've always wanted to get this watched since growing up with (the great) Jennifer Tilly via the 'Chucky' franchise and having heard this mentioned on/off down the years, so I'm glad that I have belatedly done so. It's entertaining! I knew of the love stuff and it sure does deliver, though I am surprised it only really happens at the beginning... it makes sense, I just assumed it was gonna be recurring throughout. Tilly and Gina Gershon are excellent together, very strong onscreen chemistry! Like with what I previously mentioned, I was also slightly surprised that Gershon disappears for what felt like a decent chunk of the movie; despite being literally next door. Again, works for the story but would've expected her to be there all the way. Joe Pantoliano stars behind them, ahead of a solid supporting cast. One to watch, which is interestingly The Wachowskis' directorial debut.

pretty good, the dialogue at the beginning was a bit awkward but it smoothed out a little.

“What did she do to you?” “Everything you couldn’t”

Thrilling, daring, exciting, but most of all—refreshingly new.

When Quentin Tarantino and Gasper Noe have a baby together ! Wow, It has to be one of the most interesting films I've ever watched. Truly cinematic right from the first frame. It has that suaveness, right amount of seduction and modernized neo-noir theme. The Watchowski brothers (then) did such a fantastic job in their debut, Their use of palette on the screen is really interesting and distinctive. Bill Pope's cinematography is so rad and stylish that one easily notices the signature shots they later used in Matrix trilogy and Spiderman trilogy. It makes perfect sense of thrill and tension between the characters and screenplay. Performances are so good, Jennifer Tilly's distinctive and seductive dialogue delivery makes all the stress go away and Gina Gershon is also good but it's Joe Pantoliano who steals the show, Such a brilliant performance.

Many others have compared Bound to Blood Simple, but it's a comparison that bears repeating. Bound is the Wachowski's debut film while Blood Simple was the Coens', they're both confident and stylish neo-noirs in claustrophobic environments, there's iconic ending visuals (the light streaming through the bullet holes, the blood in white paint), and they both focus on violent repercussions stemming from misunderstandings or deceptions. Another detail that the two films share? They're both a bit of a misdirect when it comes to genre. Bound starts out as more of a romantic thriller, making the most of its then-radical promotion of a same-sex relationship between its protagonists without making it seem like a novelty (you could make the argument that Jeniffer Tilly's Violet practically throwing herself at Gina Gershon's Corky makes the romance seem less organic, but it's a big step no matter what disclaimers you add). But by the time the film really gets going, it's a modern-day noir with a penchant for violence, clever writing, and a real integration of its lesbian identity that goes well beyond the Pixar strategy of saying "X side character is actually gay"; the imagery of the locked rooms and the small sets are less a simple 'in the closet' allegory, but a commentary on the simple definitions of sexuality that the film fights against, per the Wachowskis, and the shifting tones that Tilly uses when she is speaking to a man or a woman are an interesting perspective, particularly in the context of the noir style (one of the few genres that had legitimately intimidating female characters in early mainstream film). The fact that Bound is also a really well-put-together thriller is just gravy. Corky could have probably just left a bit earlier and saved herself a lot of trouble, but then a bunch of the movie doesn't happen. (4/5)