Bound

Synopsis

Bound is a 1996 American neo-noir film written and directed by the Wachowskis in their feature film directorial debut. It stars Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, and Joe Pantoliano. The film centers on Violet (Tilly), a gun moll who longs to escape her relationship with her mobster boyfriend Caesar (Pantoliano), as she enters into a clandestine affair with alluring ex-convict Corky (Gershon). The two women hatch a scheme to steal $2 million of Mafia money. The film was John P. Ryan's final appearance before he died in 2007. Bound was the first film directed by the Wachowskis, and they took inspiration from Billy Wilder to tell a noir story filled with sex and violence. Financed by Dino De Laurentiis, the film was made on a tight budget with the help of frugal crew members including cinematographer Bill Pope. The directors initially struggled to cast the lesbian characters of Violet and Corky before securing Tilly and Gershon. To choreograph the sex scenes, the directors employed sex educator Susie Bright as an ad hoc intimacy coordinator, and she also made a cameo appearance in the film. Bound received several festival awards and positive reviews from film critics who praised the humor and style of the directors as well as the realistic portrayal of a lesbian relationship in a mainstream film. Detractors of the film found its plot superficial and criticized the violence as excessive. In the years since its release, the film has developed a cult following, particularly among LGBTQ audiences.

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Details

Type

Movie

Release date

January 1, 1996

Genres

crime thriller film, heist film, neo-noir, erotic thriller, film noir, drama film, LGBTQ-related film, thriller film, erotic film

Created by

Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski

Runtime

108 min

Countries

United States