mailbob SPOILER ALERT: If you want to experience this film like I did, don't read this or any other review. My spoiler comes in the last paragraph. The plot is simple: a mentally deranged but nevertheless charming and good-looking young man with a criminal history decides, upon his release from an institution, to kidnap a porn queen with whom he is obsessed with the idea of forcing her love him, bear his children and spend the rest of her life together. To accomplish this, rather than trying more traditional means to reach his goal, he breaks into her apartment, beats her when she resists, ties her up with ropes, handcuffs her, puts a gag around her mouth, and keeps her captive for days. She resists and tries to escape several times without success. Up to this point, the film holds good suspenseful interest. That the man has some sympathetic qualities makes it less of a good vs. evil plot. After all, he's a human being, and, for that matter, so is she. And I want to emphasize that I watched the film and wrote this review before reading any reviews here or anywhere else. SPOILER: My objection comes with the ending. If the idea is to dramatize the Stockholm syndrome, where a hostage develops a psychological alliance with her captors as a survival strategy during captivity, the film fails miserably. The ending is not only absurdly improbable, it is offensive. Let me be clear: I am not a woman, but as a man I am loathe to believe that the way to a woman's heart – any woman – is through brute physical force, ropes, gags, handcuffs, being a great lay, and forcing her against her will to love him. Maybe it is sometimes, but not in my world. More realistic would be that he gets caught, sent back to the institution, and has a continuing and possibly sympathetic relationship with the girl. I'm probably missing the point. Possibly this is satire, an attempt at humor, or maybe I'm suffering from some sort of cultural myopia (I hope not). But I don't buy it. It's too bad, because the filmmaker made an otherwise decent film. It just seems like he couldn't think of an ending, so he just stuck this one on to make everyone happy. Everyone, I guess, except me.

Politically Incorrect A film where a mentally disturbed man kidnaps and imprisons a woman, threatens her life, in the hope that she will eventually fall in love with him would be morally offensive had it been made by an American of the Republican Party or a member of the NRA. However, this was made by one of the hippest, happening filmmakers in the world, Pedro Almodovar. It's my understanding that Donald Trump flirted with the idea of becoming a filmmaker. Just imagine if Donald Trump had produced or directed this film before going into politics! Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren would have bled from the eyes! Call me crazy, but I think this movie would be viewed far more negatively today.Because of this, we have a film that can be openly enjoyed not only by lovers of edgy cinema, but also by people who dig it because it excuses the treatment of a woman as the rightful property of whatever man acts on his obsession over her. Even a man who has a questionable reputation regarding women, (i.e. Bill Cosby, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Islamic true believers} could publicly declare this to be one of their favorite films without fear that women will get angry and judgmental. Well, maybe not Trump. Still, it's a film that can reasonably appeal to the entire political spectrum.This sort of movie may give hope to any man or culture believing that courtship involving kidnapping, tying up and gagging someone is not a disgusting, offensive crime. If you're a woman, try imagining being kidnapped and held prisoner not by the young & handsome Banderas, but by the smelliest, creepiest guy imaginable. A guy who probably lives in a rusty, leaky trailer on a dirt road surrounded by weeds, used tires, junk cars and broken furniture. If you're a man, imagine that woman is your daughter or your wife.SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! DON'T READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE AND DON'T WISH TO KNOW THE INCREDIBLE PLOT TWIST! Not only does the mentally disturbed kidnapper eventually have sex with the object of his obsession, it is she who initiates it! If you don't mind the context within the story of the film, it's a beautifully erotic scene. I like the look of pleased surprise that came over Banderas face when she started kissing him. Despite his wishful thinking when he kidnapped and bound the woman, even threatened her with bodily harm and death, he clearly did not expect her to become so sexually aggressive! But the happy ending doesn't stop there! She not only accepts him as her mate, her sister happily accepts him as a new member of the family! Maybe she wants sex with him too!

Danny Blankenship Finally saw one of the films of Pedro Almodovar it this work which was rightfully called "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" As it's a good little take and spin on getting happiness and returning to it after being lonely and put away like the movies central character Ricky. Anyway Antonio Banderas is Ricky a former prisoner and put away mental patient who once had a one night stand with Marina(Victoria Abril)a now sexy porn movie star. As being put away for many years Ricky has developed an unhealthy obsession for Marina as he wants as soon as he gets out to hook back up with her and marry her! So upon release Ricky takes Marina hostage almost like a kidnap victim a damsel in distress, the scenes are funny and dark with Marina being tied up and having her mouth taped with duct tape all while resting in bed! This all leads to a crazy romance and once again some very hot and passionate steam like sex! All of this now leads to escape for both. Overall not everyone's cup of tea still this picture is provocative and a hot twisted take on love and obsession, so if that kind of thing is your poison taste then give this work a watch.

a-tsitsos After watching Almodovar's Atame i stood a little bit and had some thoughts about what i saw(something that happens almost every Almodovar film).The way that Almodovar tells he story is brilliant.Banderas's role makes the viewer that the plot will be evolve into a triller rather than a romance comedy.Almodovar once again chooses a female for the lead and once more he succeeds serving the action around his characters.The plot is such a unique story about a psychological ill man who loves madly an ex-porn star and kidnaps her,tying her down in her own apartment.He wants her to love him,but his sometimes violent methods seem that he won't complete his goal,but then there's the plot twist.Almodovar,whose movies are a mean of shocking the after Franco Spain,does indeed shock again.People in the time that the movie was realized didn't have used to live in a free Spain so the ignored some of their personal rights.Almodovar helps them to know their rights and respect the different.In this movie you get to know about real feelings,love and how it can be grown in the most odd places,in the oddest situations.Ricky evolves from an violent former mental patient into a love subject.Marina evolves from a ex porn star now on her zenith of fame into an understanding lovely woman who after many pleasures gets to know true love.Another funny element is Almodovar's alter ego the director of the movie Marina stars in.It is said from the director himself that he is a director of women so does Almodovar.Although it might not be Almodovar's best it is certainly a have to watch.I personally had a great time watching the movie.I don't believe that only Almodovar's fans watch this film as it is not his most shocking of his career(not like La mala Educacion,The Skin I Live In).A beautiful movie whose happy ending leaves you a sweet taste for tomorrow.