BOUND

US, 1996, 109 minutes, Colour.
Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilly, Joe Pantoliano, John Ryan, Richard C. Sarafian.
Directed by Larry and Andy Warchowski.

An arresting film, a variation on the gangster and crime thriller, filmed with intensity and style that puts it a cut above the usual. We are familiar with the ex-con who pals up with an unlikely partner to steal the money from the Mob. But this time the ex-con is Gina Gershon and she pals up with gangster's moll, Jennifer Tilly, a passionate relationship that leads to a very complex plan to steal the money from smug small-time operator, Joe Pantoliano. The film is an exploration of character and relationships but the crime sequences are also suspenseful. Strong character crime thriller

The Wachowskis went on to fame with The Matrix and its sequels.

1.A variation on the gangster film? The confidence tricks? Robberies? The traditional conventions of the genre? The differences with having women as the central characters?

2.The title and its focus, its references to Corky, her being unbound from prison, her being bound in relationship with Vi and the situation of the robbery? Vi and her being bound to Caesar, to Corky? Caesar and his being bound by the Mafia, by the two women?

3.The visual style of the film: colour photography, the darker tones? The interiors? Dreams and reality? The musical score?

4.The opening with Corky literally being bound? This being reprised later in the film? The tone of the film?

5.Corky, her background, criminal, prison? The apartment, the elevator? The initial encounter with Vi and Caesar? Going to work, rehabilitation? The club? Meetings? The earring? The encounters with Vi, the seduction? Her trust in Vi? The sexual relationship? Telling their stories?

6.Corky and the passing of five years, little explanation, getting out of jail, the superintendent and the jobs, going into the apartments, the encounters with Caesar and his reaction? The plausibility of the setting for the relationships and the robbery?

7.The contrast with Vi, her appearance, style? The club, her life with Caesar, the relationship? The five years? Shelley and the sounds? Corky and jealousy? The truth?

8.The plan for getting the money? The attention to detail and timetable? The audience visualising the plan? Vi's role? The Scotch? The story about Johnny? Corky and the money? Caesar believing them? The build-up of suspicions? To run or not?

9.Mickey and the thugs? Shelley and the money? The Mafia characters? Their background, audience expectations, judgments? The characters described personally, professionally?

10.Gino and Johnny, the arrival, the rituals? Caesar handling the situation? Suspicion? Johnny and the set-up, his jealousy? The violence with Shelley's death? The shooting? The furniture and the blood? The police, the investigation, the toilet? The television and the deaf person?

11.Caesar's desperation, his trying to cover, his not understanding what Vi was doing? His being tricked, going to Johnny's place, the search? Mickey and his reaction? The shower and Caesar believing? The hospital phone call?

12.Corky waiting, the timing, things going wrong? The phone call? Vi and her shrewdness? The stories, the performance? Mickey?

13.The finale with Caesar, confronting Corky, the fight? Being bound? The escape, the confrontation and death?

14.Vi and Mickey and the success of the plan?

15.The irony of the women getting off scot-free, the episode as a caper? Deceiving Caesar? Getting money from the Mob? The moral perspective, the violence, audience sympathies?

16.The relationship, the motivations, the portrayal of lesbianism on screen, the perspective on relationships and the caper? The performances of the women? The writing and directing of the film by the two men, the brothers?