i know everyone else saw this a long time ago, but no one saw it with me so i only just got it on netflix and watched it. holy crap. i can't believe you all weren't raving more about it when it was out. this is honestly one of my new favorite movies of all time (joining the mummy, the mummy returns, and the matrix. seriously, this does not make me look like much of a good movie buff, i know.)

for like 3 days afterward my brain constantly flashed back on scenes in this movie. the pool with the floaties, the first spanking, the work, her face in the chair at the end when she says, 'thank you, daddy.", when mr. gray carries her up the stairs and she's clinging to him and he washes her hair and lays her down on the grass....it's so freaking unbelievable gorgeous it makes my brain sob.

james spader is the fucking MAN. and i love maggie almost as much as i love her brother now. (i can't help it, i still love him more. bubble boy, fer fuck's sake.)

i want to own this movie and watch it all the time. that is how much i love it.

does anyone have any thoughts on the very last shot of the movie of her watching him drive away and than looking directly at the camera? obviously this meant something because it went on too long to not. but i can't decide really what that meaning was. my one thought is kind of a challenge to the audience who maybe was expecting something more or something else in conclusion. and instead the message of the film-maker is that this is it. she was incredibly brave and 'came out' as who she is and was unapologetically going to stare down any accusations on morality or against atypical relationship bullshit. my idea for this mainly comes from something the director says in the featurette on the dvd about how this is a landmark movie on sadomasochism and submissive/dominants because of how it shows them in a "this IS normal/OUR reality" light and that a lot of people won't be expecting that they can end happy as they are but will have to get over this "problem" of theirs and then go on to be fully-functional ordinary members of society with more acceptable sex drives.

i recommend this movie to anyone with an open mind who has yet to see it. because it is GREAT.