“A small groundbreaking comedy, a contemporary Cinderella story with a kink and a wink” – The New York Times

Maggie Gyllenhaal, in her first leading role, faces off against James Spader in a deliciously kinky rom-com for all you little freaks out there. Lee Holloway (Gyllenhaal) is a young woman addicted to pain who finds her perfect foil when she takes a secretarial job with E. Edward Grey (Spader), where she learns that taking orders really turns her on, a predilection that will be put to extensive use by her control-freak boss. Gllyenhaal brings a winking faux-naivete to her role, while Spader, as the original Mr. Grey, embodies the sexy weirdo archetype par excellence. What might have seemed obnoxiously retrograde in the wrong hands is, in writer-director Steven Shainberg’s hands, wickedly funny, supremely steamy, and surprisingly sweet.

This film is screening as part of Arkadin’s February 2026 series, OFFBEAT ROMANCE, featuring quirky tales of oddballs in love.

Arkadin does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. However, we encourage researching titles to determine if a screening may contain content that could be upsetting to you. Please feel free to contact us for guidance on specific films. Information about content can also be found on Common Sense Media, IMDB and DoesTheDogDie.com, as well as through general internet searches.