Secret Things

REVIEW
Every once in a while a film comes around that strikes a balance between eroticism and art, and avoiding the temptation to overcompensate with ponderous themes and a tragic denouement. This is sexy pulp done right. It begins with Nathalie (Revel), a jaded stripper, doing an elaborate and provocative nude dance that garners the attention of shy bartender Sandrine (Seyvecou). They bond when they refuse to sleep with the customers, soon sharing a flat and each other (despite proclaiming to not be lesbian). Taking Sandrine under her wing, Nathalie teaches her how to be "daring" by masturbating in public and teasing men. They enter the workforce and climb the corporate ladder, culminating in an attempt to manipulate the spoiled son of the company president (who's soon to be inheritor of the whole shebang). But he is playing them as well, in a decadent series of sexual games that resembles Dangerous Liaisons gone wild. There's a refreshing liberalism to the sexuality that could only come from France, and the two leads have a palpable chemistry even when they share the screen with the men. Most of all, despite the cynical veneer, the feverish situations are handled with arousing energy and style. (French with English subtitles)