Customer Reviews

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (Widescreen)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ricky (Antonio Banderas), a newly released mental patient, enters society with hope of building a family after have convinced the woman in his life that she loves him. This woman is Marina (Victoria Abril), a former heroin addict and porn star, that is filming a horror film with a director who has recently suffered a severe stroke. Ricky enters the film studio and retrieves Marina's keys, which he uses when he breaks into Marina's apartment and kidnaps her. In doing so Ricky wants Marina to get to know him and fall in love with him as they have had a brief affair once before, which changed Ricky's life.

Pedro Almodóvar knows how to make the absurd feel authentic and in this story he does it well as Marina and Ricky get to know each other. The story is planned down to every last detail as both characters have some heavy luggage from their pasts, which serves as a solid foundation for them to relate and understand one another. Almodóvar uses vibrant colors that improves visual representation of the likes and dislikes between Ricky and Marina as it expands on the audience's understanding of what is going on. There are also several interesting shots that are out of the ordinary as they draw attention to the characters and develop the persona around the characters. Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! fades away from the silver screen with a good cinematic experience, which can be pondered over a glass of sangria.

When originally writing this film, Pedro Almodovar asked himself the question "Can love be calculated or sketched the same way one could study for an exam?" This is certainly the conviction of the Antonio Banderas character who seeks to capture his former lover and eventually convince her of her love for him. Although one could initially interpret the theme of the film as overtly misogynist - man tries to physically force woman to love him - gender stereotypes are typically subverted in true Almodovarian fashion.

It would seem that the women are the figures of power in this film and both Ricky and wheelchair-bound film director Maximo are at a loss in trying to seduce the object of their desire in any conventional sense. They are both addicted to Marina, but the only thing she's ever been addicted to is heroin. By the end of the film the Antonio Banderas character is almost totally domesticated, making food, cleaning the appartment, making sure Marina has enough drugs etc.

There's also the reference to the Sacred Heart at the beginning of the film and masochism has often been perceived in some of the more archaic rituals of our Roman church.

None of these subtleties were apparantly noticed by the American classification board who initially wanted to give this film an 'X' rating because of playing with toys in the bath! (?)

Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down is my favorite of the unusual but compelling Pedro Almodovar library. It's probably a terrible movie for stalkers to watch because it works out better than their best dreams. Then again most kidnappers lack the verve of Antonio Banderas. The object of his captivity is quite a girl and the consummation scene was well overdue. If you are anxious to see a kidnapping movie with a romantic ending, this is your picture.

After seeing this film it dawned on me why Almodovar's films have their own feel. I don't think I have seen a gum wrapper or faded paint in any of his films. Everyone seems to live in renovated apartments and work in offices with modern furniture. Both his cinematography and art direction are so crisp and clear that you can smell the wet paint and imagine the crew behind the camera wiping their hands in mineral spirits. I wince at the thought of his characters eating something, because it will get crumbs on the floor. Luckily the characters seem to think of this before me.

One of the best Almodovar's and Bandera's films.

I bought this movie (went looking for it actually) because Antonio Banderas is in it. Most if not all of the reviews claimed it was the best one he was ever in. Well I don't know about that, but it was pretty interesting. First of all, unless you are fluent and can read spanish, know that this movie is sub-titled.

I thought the story line was pretty weak but you know, as an Antonio fan, he really held the viewer's interest. Other reviewers said they thought the movie was kinky or slight S&M. I didn't think so. He tied her to the bed so that she wouldn't escape, not for erotic reasons. She, in the end, wanted to be tied because she was torn between wanting to leave him and loving him. I will not ruin the ending but know that this movie is not (to me anyway) of the erotic sort so don't buy it with that in mind.

DO buy it for Antonio Banderas. He's not as polished in his charm and expressions as he is, say, in Never Talk to Strangers or Original Sin but he is still handsome and captivating as ever.

Unless you like spanish movies or follow one of the actors careers, I don't see any real reason to see this movie. Nothing great, except again, for this one actor. You know this guy named Antonio.

Pedro Almodovar likes to shake and shock his audience. So, in TIE ME UP ! TIE ME DOWN !, we have a Victoria Abril giving up underclothes in her everyday life, the same Victoria playing in her bath with a little suggestive toy. We are also dealing with a doctor offering drugs to her patients and with an obsessed director in a wheelchair. But, curiously enough, we are not shocked at all.

We are not shocked because TIE ME UP! TIE ME DOWN is a movie about innocence. Antonio Banderas can steal cars, buy drugs and even kidnap Victoria, we forgive him because he does it not for his own sake but only to please Victoria Abril he's madly in love with. And the drug addicted and ... star Victoria does finally have a golden heart and will cry when Antonio will come back with blood all over his face after a fight with Rossy de Palma's gang.

Victoria's sister, the assistant producer of Francisco Rabal, has the difficult task to impersonate reason and reality in this fairy tale for adults I've liked a lot. Too bad there is only a trailer as bonus feature with this Anchor Bay DVD.

A DVD zone movida.

I bought this movie sight unseen from the reviews of it here on amazon.com, and wasn't disappointed. I not only became a bigger fan of Antonio Banderas, but was delighted with Pedro Almodovar's quirky humor too. It's a speedy film that manages to focus on each character's development, so that you get a funny, tender view of each person.

What suprised me the most in this movie was to see Antonio Banderas playing a villan. He plays a character who is mentally ill who kidnaps an actress and hold her hostage. The movie is pretty twisted but definetely a good one

As an editorial columnist in my college newspaper, I constantly addressed feminist issues, particularly the depiction of women in music, television, and film. But Almodovar is my all-time favorite director and this film(one of the first to be rated NC-17) is a gem, controversy notwithstanding. It's hilarious fun with recovering mental-patient Antonio Banderas, recovering junkie porn star Victoria Abril, and a bit part by the inimitable Rossy De Palma as a drug dealer with an attitude. A twisted love story with a politically incorrect ending, this ranks as one of my Almodovar faves.

If you are easily turned off my dark humor, this movie is not for you. This movie can evoke strong feelings, so either you will love it or hate it. I am one on the I loved it side. This movie is by Aldomovar, a director that often pushes the normal limits of society. Where else can a drug addicted movie star, become kidnapped and fall in love with her captor (played by Antonio Bandaras). A very enjoyable movie for the right person.