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Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, Barry Kivel, Christopher Meloni ... see more see more... , John P. Ryan , Richard C. Sarafian , Peter Spellos , Mary Mara , Gene Borkan , Ivan Kane , Susie Bright , Kevin Michael Richardson , Margaret Smith

Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly nearly set the screen on fire in this clever, female-powered twist on the standard Mob caper film. Gershon is Corky, an ex-con renovating the apartment next door to whe... read more read more...re Tilly's Violet lives. Violet is the moll of psychotic gangster Caesar (Joe Pantoliano), who uses the apartment as an occasional location for meetings and beatings, and also uses Violet as an occasional plaything for his Mob cronies. Violet is attracted to the super-sexy Corky, and the two begin an intense affair. Corky hatches a plot to escape with $2 million that Caesar is planning to give to a Mob boss, and the mayhem escalates from there. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

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79% liked it

31,421 ratings

Critics

91% liked it

35 critics

R, 1 hr. 47 min.

Directed by: Larry Wachowski, Andy Wachowski, Larry and Andy Wachowski, Wachowski Brothers

Release Date: October 4, 1996

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DVD Release Date: June 19, 2001

Stats: 1,645 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,645)

  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    March 15, 2011
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "I can fuck someone I just met. But to steal I have to know someone like I know myself."

    Corky, a tough female ex con and her lover Violet concoct a scheme to steal millions of stashed mob money and pin the blame on Violet's crooked boyfriend Caesar.

    ... read more2 face="Century Schoolbook">REVIEW
    Intriguing twist on a solid genre, the film noir, with gangster moll Tilly seducing lesbian ex-con Gershon and sparking a plot to rob the mob and get away with it all. Great camera work, production design (recalling a graphic novel look) and a better than expected plot line. Sexy, hot and all attitude best sums up the baby-voiced Tilly and sensuous Gershon. When Jennifer Tilly was playing Gina Gershon like a musical instrument and her toes curled up, it was cinema magic. This movie is hot from start to finish. You just know something is up in this brilliant film noir, but it's hard to focus with all that sexual energy floating in the air. Joe Pantoliano was absolutely fantastic, and it was interesting seeing Christopher Meloni as a bad guy. The cinematography was just marvelous. Directed by newcomers The Wachowski Brothers, Larry and Andy, this was an excellent movie all around.
  • gokhale1
    November 16, 2010
    gokhale1
    The Wachowski Brothers, the duo known mostly for the Matrix Trilogy, began their directorial career with a bang with their 1996 debut, "Bound". This sexy thriller is an impressive effort in creating a first-rate neo-noir with some great acting from most of the cast and some maste... read morerful direction of a clever script.

    Gina Gershon stars as Corky, a lesbian ex-con, just out of prison after serving 5 years and who now works as a plumber and painter and is busy doing a job in an empty apartment in a building. The apartment right next door is occupied by a mafioso money-launderer, Caesar (Joe Pantoliano) and his voluptuous moll, Violet (Jennifer Tilly) who incidentally also happens to be a lesbian. There is instant attraction between the two right from the first instance of their meeting in the elevator. A torrid affair soon begins and during one of their secret meetings, Violet reveals to Corky that she wants out of this whole mafia affair.

    She tells her of a man named Shelly who worked for the family and had been skimming off some money from the business. He had about $ 2 million kept aside which he planned to run away with. But the gang had discovered his motives and got the money off of him. Caesar was supposed to hold on to the money until the mob boss, Gino Marzonne (Richard C. Sarafian) collects it from him the following day.

    Together, Violet and Corky hatch an ingenious plan to steal these $ 2 million from Caesar so that Violet can fulfill her wish of getting away from Caesar and the mafia and she and Corky can continue their relationship comfortably.

    The plan seems picture perfect, knowing Caesar's nature and the mutual hatred between Caesar and Gino's headstrong, psychotic son, Johnnie (Christopher Meloni). But, of course, certain things don't work out exactly as planned and things go horribly wrong, as is usually the case with such thrillers involving con jobs and few characters. That, in no way, means that the film is predictable though.

    The directors duo succeed in telling a taut, suspenseful tale with clever situational twists to the proceedings. Almost the entire film takes place indoors, in a single apartment, giving it a classic claustrophobic atmosphere. There is some excessive Tarantino-esque mob violence which also comes off as darkly comic. Acting is superb from most of the cast.

    Joe Pantoliano is splendid as the mob money-launderer who always does his best to please his bosses.

    Jennifer Tilly is simply amazing as the sexy, manipulating moll who is in with the mafia for her own selfish interests and doesn't fail to charm with her buxom appearance and her seductive voice and mannerisms.

    Gina Gershon is fantastic as the butch lesbian plumbing woman, but one wishes she had some more screen time in this film.

    Another notably good performance is that of Christopher Meloni as Johnnie who is terrific in the couple of scenes he has in the film.


    Do watch "Bound". It is a neat, enjoyable thriller, riveting from start to finish, rife with edge-of-the-seat moments and is clearly my best pick of the Wachowski Brothers' filmography. Hitchcock would've been proud!
  • imrealgod
    July 27, 2010
    imrealgod
    I found it to be just a bit above above average crime thriller.
  • deano
    November 25, 2009
    deano
    This is one of the most intelligent and erotic thriller films ever made. The story is very engaging and the direction is absolutely incredible, but the whole lesbian thing really overshadows all of that, which severely limits the impact that this movie could have had. Two female ... read moreleads, Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon, did well in their experience on lesbian action scenes that made these look bloody hot.
  • SirPant
    September 14, 2009
    SirPant
    The Wachowski brother's debut is a fantastic sexy thriller and is easily their best film to date. It's beautifully filmed with some great performances, particularly Pantoliano's!
  • superclerk25
    February 26, 2009
    superclerk25
    There is an interesting movie in here somewhere. joey Pants is cool as the baddie and the ladies aren't bad...
  • DrZeek
    February 21, 2008
    DrZeek
    Corky: If there's one thing I can't stand about sleeping with women, it's all the fucking mind-reading.

    The first movie from the Wachowski brothers. Even before the Matrix series, these guys knew how they wanted to show off their style. As they have claimed, heavily drawing off... read more of noir films from Billy Wilder and the kind of neo-noir style seen in Frank Miller's Sin City comic series, this is a neo-noir centered around two women who plan a scheme to steal money from the mob.

    The story isn't necessarily original, but it's well done. The Wachowski's bring it to life through the creativity of their visual style to go with the low budget of the movie. Every set is used to it's fullest, making use of the various objects throughout the room, the noises things make, the different angles in which to emphasize various aspects, it's all well done.

    Back to the story, these aren't just two women. Gina Gershon is Corky, an ex-con and lesbian who immediately attracts the attention of Violet, played by Jennifer Tilly. Violet is the mistress of a mob launderer, Ceaser played by Joe Pantoliano, living next door to an apartment Corky is working on.

    Corky: What are you doing?
    Violet: Isn't it obvious? I'm trying to seduce you.

    These two hit it off, and while I can't exactly relate to a lesbian relationship, from what I have read, a feminist sex educator and writer was involved, and at the time, the film was well received in terms of the realistic relationship.

    Once the crime plot gets becomes the main portion of the film, which follows some very erotic scenes involving the women, the movie becomes much more tense and is very well paced in terms of delivering the story, while keeping things interesting.

    The three leads do a good job, of course Joe Pants in particular. The way in which the story turns on itself is very effective, and keeps the whole thing fresh.

    Along with Wilder, the Wachowski's thriller aspects echo other directors such as Hitchcock, DePalma, and the Coen Brother's Blood Simple.

    The whole movie is very entertaining, mixing thrills, eroticism, some dark humor, and great style.

    Corky: For me, stealing's always been a lot like sex. Two people who want the same thing: they get in a room, they talk about it. They start to plan. It's kind of like flirting. It's kind of like... foreplay, 'cause the more they talk about it, the wetter they get. The only difference is, I can fuck someone I've just met. But to steal? I need to know someone like I know myself.
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    January 14, 2008
    DragonEyeMorrison
    Wow, the Wachowskis can actually write fun stuff, as long as they don't try to get into philosophical/political stuff, an area in which they couldn't be more clueless. Gershon and Tilly are really great, lesbo hotness aside. And Joe Pantoliano is the scumy rotten guy by default.
  • newvogueravyn
    April 2, 2007
    newvogueravyn
    I don't usually like Mob movies, but superb performances from all (especially Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon) really drew me in. I caught this by chance, and I'm very glad I did.
  • mjgildea
    November 20, 2006
    mjgildea
    Hitchcock with lesbians, for lesbians.

View All Bound Reviews

Critic Reviews

Mike Clark
January 1, 2000
Mike Clark, USA Today

Some caper movies build suspense, while others tweak the genre with tongue lancing cheek. But this lesbian caper pic often pulls off both feats in the same scene, even simultaneously.

Rob Gonsalves
July 23, 2007
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

It's been praised for its spin on film noir standards, but all it actually does is reproduce them and arrange them back-to-back. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
May 8, 2006
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

This lesbian crime flick is enjoyable, though it's a pale imitation of the Cohens and Tratantino, and the overall impression is that of exploitation fare. Full Review

Chuck O'Leary
January 23, 2006
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

Stylish, nicely written and filled with tension. An exceptional piece of filmmaking.

Nick Davis
August 29, 2004
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks

A masterful neo-noir, with bright and shiny colors and contrasts, deliciously camp acting, and a killer plot.

Alex Sandell
December 25, 2003
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum

Excellent movie, proving the Wachowski Brothers did have talent, once.

Brian Mckay
August 10, 2003
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com

Gangsters and Lesbos and pre-Matrix Wachowskis . . . oh my!

Shannon J. Harvey
February 4, 2003
Shannon J. Harvey, Sunday Times (Australia)

Tense, gripping, sexy. And girls kiss in it too.

Rob Vaux
December 30, 2002
Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium

A taut, intense, and oh-so-very naughty offfering from the Wachowski Brothers.

Michael Dequina
January 1, 2000
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com

A clever and funny script, strong performances, and very accomplished and intelligent direction. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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