"9 1/2 Weeks" (1986)

Rating: R (adult situations/language, nudity)

Genre: Drama, Romance

Directed By: Adrian Lyne

Written By: Sarah Kernochan, Zalman King, Patricia Louisianna Knop, Elizabeth McNeill

Runtime: 113 minutes

Studio: MGM Home Entertainment

Summary: 

A woman (Kim Bassinger) gets involved in an impersonal affair with a man (Mickey Rourke). She barely knows about his life, only about the sex games they play, so the relationship begins to get complicated.

Review: 
I’d heard of this film a while back and most reviews I’ve found about it are mainly positive so out of boredom and curiosity I said I’d just give it a go. This film is basically the 50 Shades of Grey of the 80s. There was not much point in making 50 Shades when they already had this one because it’s streets ahead. Although, it doesn’t really have much in the way of a plot as such…or at the least, a very weak one. It is literally Kim Bassinger and Mickey Rourke meeting and then engaging in variations of sex for the rest of the film. But not as messed up as 50 Shades…that film is ridiculous. And not to spoil this one, but it doesn’t even have a definitive ending! I was so sure there’d be some kind of…something – I don’t know what exactly I expected to be honest! But it just ended and I was like “hello??”

The characters are not developed at all really. They both clap eyes on each other a few times from afar then finally meet and suddenly she’s in his boat. It’s quite clear his assertiveness makes her uncomfortable but she’s also curious. They end up going on a date which ends with him rolling ice along her body while she’s blindfolded. The following scene they meet up again and their “date” ends up with him feeding her various foods on the kitchen floor, again while she’s blindfolded. They begin a one dimensional love affair if you will. He has no interest in meeting any of her friends and we never really learn much about what it is that he actually does when he’s not with her. She roots around his things and our suspicions are raised by the contents of one of the drawers but then disappointingly nothing comes of the discovery. Even her character; we know she works in an art gallery and is preparing for some big open night or something, as well as dealing with the fact her friend starts going out with her ex-boyfriend and even that doesn’t seem to phase her much. That’s it. Yet…there’s obviously some likability about the characters because I don’t think I’d have stayed watching it otherwise. 

I suppose the only arc in the film’s “story” is, well ok, they are both enjoying each other’s company at the beginning of the film and it’s fun and exciting for both of them…But then as the film goes on there’s something more sinister gradually presenting itself with the manner John (Mickey Rourke) treats Elizabeth (Kim Bassinger). He’s got a mean streak throughout the film, but at first it’s just cheeky or perhaps mischievous. He pays somebody to have her go on a Ferris wheel and leaves her up there suspended for hours before letting her down. But as pissed off with him as she expectedly is, she still has the hots for him. But as the film goes on, we see him getting a bit more controlling. He basically rapes her at one point and he kind of exploits her, she’s quite innocent at the end of the day while he’s done all this countless times before, yet she still comes back for more. That is until all of a sudden one day after a particularly hurtful encounter she decides enough is enough and literally walks out and that’s it.

I wish the plot had been delved into so much more than it was. There was enough room to do so. That being said, some scenes were pretty intense. And both leads are very good looking. So you know…it delivers what it promises: Nine ½ weeks of…sex, some dialogue, sex, some dialogue....credits. Some could argue that the characters’ ambiguity adds to this perhaps??? I don’t know. It’s unreal how different Mickey Rourke looks then compared to now though. He’s like a completely different person.

So yeah. Here is the trailer: