BOUND

"BOUND"
(1996) (Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	Extreme	Extreme	Heavy	Extreme

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	Minor	Heavy	None	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Extreme	Minor	None	Mild	Extreme

QUICK TAKE:: Suspense: An ex-con and a mafia money launderer's girlfriend plot to steal two million dollars from him.

PLOT:: Corky (GINA GERSHON) is an ex-con who's been hired to remodel a condo that is next door to one owned by Ceasar (JOE PANTOLIANO), a man who launders money for the mafia. His "girlfriend," Violet (JENNIFER TILLY), is instantly attracted to Corky and they begin a torrid love affair. After Ceasar and several other mafia men torture and then kill another man who was stealing money from them, Violet tells Corky she wants out. Corky discovers that Ceasar has retrieved the two million dollars that is now in his condo, and that Gino, the head of the mafia family, will pick up the money himself along with his son, Johnny, who doesn't get along with Ceasar. She then devises a plan where she and Violet will steal the money and set up Ceasar for the fall. It turns out as the women set the plan into motion, the tension and violence rise to unpredictable heights, especially when Mickey (JOHN RYAN), another mafia man, comes looking for his missing boss.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Older teens might, but there are no big stars to draw the kids in.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For strong sexuality, violence and language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: Neither JENNIFER TILLY nor GINA GERSHON nor JOE PANTOLIANO are good role models.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

OUR TAKE: 7 out of 10: For those who aren't offended by graphic violence (with lots of blood letting), extreme profanity or lesbian sex scenes, this might just be an enjoyable, but very adult oriented, thriller. Harking back to the days of Hitchcock and being shot in a very similar style, this film is a fresh change from the normal cookie cutter movies Hollywood puts out. The movie is taught with crowd pleasing suspense scenes that had much of our preview audience sitting on the edge of their seats. The performances are good all around and the fun of it all is that you don't know what's going to happen next or how the movie's going to end. For those reasons, we give it a 7 out of 10.

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:: This movie is full of material that may offend you and definitely is too strong for most children. There is extreme profanity and brutal violence (including a man having a finger snipped off with hedge clippers). There are several erotic lesbian sex scenes that are very steamy with some nudity seen. And everyone in the movie has a disrespectful or bad attitude and a big part of the movie deals with organized crime. If you're still thinking about letting your kids see this one, read through the category listings first. Other than perhaps for very mature, older teens, we doubt this movie is suitable for any kids.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Corky drinks a beer at a bar as do others.
Ceasar has a mixed drink.
Violet and Corky drink beer after having sex.
At a bar, Corky has a beer while Violet has a mixed drink.
Violet hands Ceasar a mixed drink.
Ceasar has another drink as do Gino and Johnny.

BLOOD/ GORE: Drops of blood fall into a toilet and then a large splatter of blood sprays across the bathroom as the sound of a man being hit is heard. Ceasar watches as Johnny and other mafia men beat up a man for stealing money from them. He's very bloody and they continue to beat his head against the toilet. Finally, they display garden clippers and one of his fingers falls to the floor after it's cut off.
Ceasar shoots three mafia guys and their deaths are very bloody as is the floor onto which their blood spills. Ceasar lifts up the dead and very bloody Johnny and taunts him. He then carries the bodies and puts all of them into the bathtub.
Later, when the police arrive, Ceasar has to clean up the mess, which includes pulling a large rug over an equally large pool of blood.
Corky's had a bloody gash on her head from Ceasar hitting her.
Large amounts of blood spurts out and then flows from Ceasar's body after he's been shot.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Most of the characters are involved in the mafia and have no qualms about torturing or killing others.
Ceasar is a money launder for the mafia.
Corky was in prison for five years for theft.
Shelley, the man whose finger was cut off, was skimming money from the mob.
Corky devises a plan where she and Violet will steal the two million dollars and make Ceasar the "fall guy."

FRIGHTENING/TENSE SCENES: Many of the scenes listed under "Violence" are also very tense.
The sequence where Corky and Violet set their theft plan into action is tense as Ceasar may catch on to what they're doing at any moment.
After Ceasar's discovered that he's been "robbed" he goes crazy trying to figure out what to do next and when Violet starts to pack her things, he holds his gun on her saying "If you're not with me, then you're against me."
The sequence where Gino, Johnny and a bodyguard come to Ceasar's to pick up the money is very tense. At any moment they'll open the suitcase and find that the money is gone, and this scene goes on for a long time.
The police arrive at Ceasar's and may discover the bodies at any moment. Again, this is a very tense scene.
In several scenes, Violet is on the phone with Corky, and Ceasar may walk in at any moment and catch her.
Micky and another man show up at Ceasar's for the money and again this is a tense scene since at any moment they may discover that the money is gone.
Ceasar chases Violet down the stairwell after she's made a run for it.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns: Used to threaten and/or inflict wounds or death to many people. See "Violence" for details.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Idiot," "Shut up," "Dyke," "Queer," "Lick me," and "Bitch."
Ceasar punches several holes in the wall with his fist.

JUMP SCENES: Ceasar suddenly comes up behind Corky as she's sneaking through his place.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): There is a heavy amount of suspenseful music used throughout the movie.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: 94 "f" words (4 with the prefix "mother" and 1 used sexually), 27 "s" words, 5 "ass" words, 3 SOB's, 3 hells, 2 slang terms for male genitals (the "d" and "p" words), 2 slang terms for female genitals (the "c" word), 1 crap, and 6 uses each of "Jesus" and "God damn," 4 each of "Oh God" and "Christ," 3 uses each of "Oh my God" and "For Christ's sake," 2 uses each of "Jesus Christ" and "God" and 1 use of "For God's sake" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: Twice Violet is heard saying "I picture you inside of me...as part of me."
Corky hears Violet and Ceasar having sex through the paper thin walls and the headboard is heard banging against the wall.
Corky tells a bartender that she's there "just to get laid," and then finds a woman dressed in leather who she sits down with (but nothing happens).
There is sexual tension between Violet and Corky and it escalates when Violet shows Corky a tattoo on the top of her breast. She says that she likes how it feels and rubs her hand across her breast. Violet then takes Corky's hand and places it on her breast and Corky begins to caress it. Telling Corky that she is trying to seduce her, Violet sucks on Corky's finger and then pulls Corky's hand up between her legs. Violet begins to moan and the two then kiss, but are interrupted as Ceasar returns home.
Violet and Corky make out in Corky's truck and more breast groping is seen. Moments later the two are seen together in bed nude. They're having sex and their bare breasts are seen, as is a hand feeling Corky's crotch that brings her to an orgasm.
One of the mafia men goes to Violet's and they have sex (heard but not seen).
Violet and Corky have sex again (we see them afterwards).
Violet tells Corky that she's not "having sex" but instead is "working," and thus it's implied that she uses sex to get her way or is a part-time prostitute.
Corky tells Violet, "Stealing's a lot like sex. Two people want the same thing. They get to a room and talk about it. They start to plan. It's like flirting. It's like foreplay. Because the more they talk about it, the wetter they get. The only difference is I can f*ck someone I just met."
Ceasar walks out from taking a shower and is nude. A towel he's carrying covers most of him, but his bare butt can be seen (from the side).

SMOKING: Both Corky and Violet are seen smoking in two scenes and others seen in the background also smoke.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: The mafia and money laundering.
Lesbianism.

VIOLENCE: Ceasar, Johnny and Mickey escort another mafia member (who's been stealing money from the mob) back to Ceasar's condo. Corky can hear them beating him and drops of blood falling into the toilet are seen and then a large splatter of blood is seen as a loud cracking sound is heard. The men are then seen beating the guy up. He's bound and gagged and they're slamming his head against the toilet and then dunking it into the toilet. He's very bloody and Johnny then kicks him several times. They then take a pair of garden clippers and tell him they're going to ask him ten times (one for each finger) where their money is. He doesn't answer and a bloody finger drops to the floor.
Ceasar returns and is very bloody as is the money he's carrying. He says that Johnny "capped" (shot) killed the man (who was stealing from them) and that he then slugged Johnny for doing that.
Ceasar holds his gun on Violet after he gets suspicious of her. She then smacks him after he says that maybe she's running off with Johnny.
Once Johnny opens the suitcase and finds that the money is gone, Ceasar holds his gun on him, accusing him of stealing the money. He then holds the gun on Gino and ends up shooting the three mafia men. Mad at what has happened, he repeatedly kicks Johnny's body.
Ceasar goes to Johnny's place and literally tears it apart looking for the money and punches several holes through the wall.
Ceasar catches Violet on the phone and grabs her by the throat, now sure that she's in on the theft. He tries to leave and she grabs his foot, tripping him. He then smashes her on the head with his gun.
Ceasar holds his gun to Corky's head. She then slugs him and he kicks her and then knocks her unconscious.
When she wakes up, Corky finds herself bound and gagged and Violet also bound. Ceasar then threatens to kill both of them if they won't tell him where the money is. They don't and he pulls out the garden shears and prepares to cut off Violet's finger, but Corky stops him. She tells him where it is, but then says she may be lying. He punches her in the face.
Ceasar sneaks into Corky's place with his gun drawn. She shows up and hits him with a pipe wrench, knocking the gun from his hand. He then punches her twice and she falls to the floor. He goes for his gun, but Violet stops him with her gun. After several moments, she shoots him many times, killing him.

Reviewed October 3, 1996

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