Film Club gets kinky

Sunday night saw the film club foursome settling down to Steven Shainberg's 2002 piece of naughtiness Secretary. Starring the ever wonderful James Spader (who, interestingly, is thought to have never appeared in a role in which his character doesn't get laid) and Maggie Gyllenhaal as the damaged self-harmer turned submissive secretary.

It's largely a two hander, with the lead roles dominating the drama, although there is an amusing support act from Jeremy Davis as Peter, the inadequate boyfriend and would-be husband to Gyllenhaal's Lee Holloway character.

Not one to watch with children, probably not even with your own grown up ones - that would be a recipe for discomfort all around as sexual themes of spanking and sado-masochistic behaviour are explored frankly and with both humour and pathos.

It's a film that is a bit schizophrenic in that on occasion it's really quite funny: Spader's stained trouser incident raised more than a smile. Then suddenly it's more like watching a car crash: two very damaged people finding a desperate kind of love that could so easily end in yet more emotional wreckage. At times, frankly, it's also a turn on.

The film does try to cover a great deal of ground: comedy, mental health issues, sexual freedoms, human communication...and mostly it succeeds. Well worth investing a couple of hours - with adult company. Don't be drawn into thinking it's pornography, it's not. A sideways glimpse of buttock is about all that's on offer for the dirty mac brigade until the very final scene when the protagonists' relationship is finally consummated in a dreamlike sequence involving an astro-turf bed and some brief and quite dull nudity.

Dong was the only Secretary "virgin"; Shazzerooneypoos, Mrs The Millbrooker and yours truly having all seen it before (although not very recently) and the overall verdict was of having enjoyed the entertainment.

My advice? Watch it with company that you're comfortable with. Watch it with a open mind and with a sense of humour and understanding. You'll be rewarded well by the brave performances. It's a fine piece of drama.