User Reviews

It's safe to say that even in a film by Pedro Almodovar that is only marginally successful within the margins there are some good, steamy, questionable times to be had. I can just imagine Pedro sitting in front of his notebook just figuring out ways to mix sex, film-making, kidnapping, and other lewd exercises into some kind of cohesive single film. What makes a very good chunk of Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down exciting satirically is that Almodovar never gives in to making anything TOO serious. Which is perhaps what ends up transitioning the situation Ricky (Antonio Banderas) and Marina (Victoria Abril) are in from the absurd and flirtingly masochistic to the (ironically) conventional and quasi-sweetness that is obviously deep in Almodovar. Perhaps the tying up and re-tying becomes part of a metaphor on the filmmaker's part, that despite it being something very dangerous and totally provocative it's also inviting in ways that would be elusive otherwise. Then again, that the material does (mostly) work, by being so disturbing in the bluntness and perpetually deranged mind-set of Ricky, but then in the human connections that are enhanced all the more. If only the motivations- even in such loose and wacky-Almodovar circumstances- were a little more convincing.

Nevertheless, I liked a lot about Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down up until it goes off the rails with its logic turning into knots (simply, I just don't buy that Marina falls for Ricky just like that, even if she was an ex-junkie porn star, and Ricky's advances are like that of a uppity, headstrong but shy 13 year old, a slight reminder of A Life Less Ordinary's bizarrely innocuous kidnapping turned romance). Chiefly, the performances and the usually arty-yet-trashy style from Almodovar and his crew. Banderas is, by the way, in one of his best and funniest performances here, a near emblem of the male ideal for a life with a woman, and a with an innocent yet fervent attraction to bondage, with that perfect look in his eyes detailing all even in brief moments. Yet there was something about his stay in the mental home all those years that did something to his ideas towards sex and what it is to live, and Banderas captures this mix of intense sadism crossed with the heart of an old Hollywood-studio leading man who will do anything to brush the leading lady off of her feet. Abril is always believable too, even when Almodovar gives her character a turn around into something more akin to an exploitation film, however sweet it tries to be. While she decides to underplay her immediate fear of her kidnapper, it works to add a level of comic timing to Ricky's own odd-ball ways. They make a great pair, really, especially when it comes to that 'turning point', where Almodovar uses his unique style to get five ceiling-mirrored shot of a pivotal scene.

There's also a fantastic role of the director of the film Marina is starring in at the start of the film, the aged Maximo Espejo (Francisco Rabal, who's been in countless films including the Eclipse and Belle de Jour), who has the ideas burning and changing around at a beat as to what his ending will be for his actress- death, being saved, something else? His moments on screen display a richness that lies often in Almodovar's script, where the surreal pressures of shooting the movie for Maximo somewhat carry over- and sort of dissipate as the characters become vulnerable- into that realm where reality and un-reality cross paths. This is heightened, and made a little additionally conventional, by the musical score, which like many of Almodovar's work is a tip of the hat to Herrmann compositions and old Hollywood romantic classics. There's even an emotional upheaval when Ricky and Marina meet again on that balcony overlooking the vista. The wildest thing about the picture is that one does become absorbed in the push and pull relationship between 'kidnapper' and 'kidnapee' (I quote that for its a little redundant to use those terms as the film goes on), and that these f***ed up people are practically the most average couple you'd ever meet. There's sensational comedy stacked in there too, in Ricky's behavior (moustache), the film within the film being shot (that strongman character is amazing), the random TV commercial about Spanish retirees, and just the consistent absurdity in the repetitive, ritual-side of the tying up and down. But there's something missing in Almodovar's third act to live up to the better parts early on, and he chickens out on really making this a much better, more challenging effort. I'll probably watch it someday again though, if only for Banderas and Rabals' performances.

Ricky is a charismatic 23-year-old who has just been released from a mental asylum. He has no goal in life but to settle down with Marina Osorio, a famed porn actress whom he once had a one-night stand with. The first step in his seduction technique is to force his way into Marina's flat and tie her to the bed. From there, as time marches on, Ricky is sure she will have no choice but to fall in love with him. In his mind, it's a fool-proof plan, though the realities of the situation prove to be a lot more complicated, as we see in Pedro Almodóvar's brilliant 'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!'

A darkly comic love story, 'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!' is funny, unpredictable and thoroughly enjoyable. Written by Almodóvar, Ricky and Marina's story is off-beat and surprisingly heartfelt. His dialogue is quick and sharp, and while his characters are all humorous creations to be sure, they are also multifaceted ones of depth and intelligence. They leave an impression on the viewer, and watching the narrative unfold around them is a delight. The film's examination of relationship structures is one most percipient, and Almodóvar's subversion of the traditional courting routines is wickedly clever. The themes involved therein are explored maturely, and- all in all- it's a great, dark little tale that'll keep you entertained throughout.

'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!' is a visually stunning watch, boasting stylish cinematography from José Luis Alcaine. Under Almodóvar's direction, he makes terrific use of space, texture and especially colour. His second collaboration with the director, Alcaine's utilisation of primary colours in the film is arresting, particularly of the reds and oranges; which linger in the mind long after the credits have rolled. It's a highly stylized film, with some extremely artistic shots that captivate the eye. Credit for the overall look of the film must also go to art director Ferran Sánchez and production designer Esther García, whose efforts have helped form the multicoloured spectacle that the finished flick is.

The film features a score from the late, great Ennio Morricone, arguably the king of the motion picture soundtrack. His work for 'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!' is delicate and beautiful, adding no small amount of majesty to the proceedings; with the track 'If You Knew How Many Nights' being particularly haunting. Also of note is José Salcedo's editing, which is swift and flawless; with scenes cut together seamlessly. Additionally, José María de Cossío's costume design is intricate and detailed, and his costumes for Marina are especially rich.

'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!' finds Victoria Abril and Antonio Banderas starring as Marina and Ricky, respectively. Abril is terrific, and gives a spirited performance of tenacity and wit. An incredibly likable and talented performer, she gives the role her all and holds nothing back. She is matched by Banderas, who brings boundless charm and intensity to Ricky, making him a most lovable madman. Together, they work wonderfully, sharing an electric chemistry that seems genuine. From the supporting cast, Loles León and Francisco Rabal stand out, giving hilarious performances that are highlights in both of their filmographies.

Original, funny and heartfelt, Pedro Almodóvar's 'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!' is a marvellous black comedy that impresses on every level. Featuring an assured visual style and terrific cinematography from José Luis Alcaine, as well as an emotive Ennio Morricone score, the movie has a lot to offer viewers. Strongly acted and cleverly written, the film is a colourful and crazy love story that is sure to entertain and amuse any who watch it.

Pedro Almodovar's "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" from 1989 is an earlier film from this quirky director. Almodovar's characters are inevitably off the wall and in bizarre situations. This film and its characters are no exception.

"Tie Me Up!" was given an X rating (later NC-17) for a couple of scenes and in the United States at least, it was quite controversial.

The story concerns a recently-released mental hospital patient, Ricky (Antonio Banderas) who kidnaps an ex-porn star, Marina (Victoria Abril) currently making a low-budget horror film. Though the title suggests S&M, there isn't any. Ricky ties her up when he needs to leave the apartment.

An expert in carpentry, locksmithing, and other usable occupations, Ricky had actually been leaving the mental hospital when he felt like it and then returning. During one of those times, he had a one-night stand with Marina.

Deeply in love with her, he stalks her on the film set and, when she doesn't speak to him, confronts her in her apartment, declaring his love and his intention of marrying her and fathering her children. Marina, of course, would like to escape him, but Ricky makes that difficult. A former heroin addict, Marina has a toothache and explains that nothing will help except strong medicine from her doctor up the street. So Ricky handcuffs her to him and they walk to the doctor's apartment, where Marina receives an injection and a prescription.

Later, when she needs more drugs, Ricky goes to the town square to score some and ends up beaten to a pulp. When he returns, Marina is horrified and begins to have real feelings for him.

Meanwhile, her sister Lola (Loles Leon) is worried, believing Marina to have disappeared.

There is a very long sex scene in this film that took 9 hours to film, with Almodovar using the last take.

"Tie Me Up!" launched Banderas in the United States, and this is his last film with Almodovar. He plays Ricky beautifully - as an innocent from a troubled background who will do anything to convince this woman to love him. Abril is a sexy and feisty Marina, and, like Ricky, she is a lost soul trying to find her way. Ricky is an orphan; Abril has a mother, sister, and nephew, but both of them are alone in their worlds.

Despite the title and the sex, this is actually a sweet tale with likable characters. Almodovar often has a bizarre way of telling a story and making a point, but the results, with few exceptions, are well worth it.

After all I heard and read about this movie, I think this one of the most commonly misunderstood movies ever. It is not a comedy (although sometimes bizarre). It is NOT a glorification of violence. It is not about S/M or Bondage (which occurs between consenting parties). It's message is NOT that if you tie up and beat a woman, she will love you in return.

This is a movie about two people who are unable to master life on their own. This has led Ricky to the mental ward and Marina to being a drug-addicted porn star, who just happens to have a streak of luck because a movie director is completely obsessed with her. In the end, the two have found each other and it looks as if together, they can find the happiness and home they always were looking for. Beautiful...

Yes, Ricky's method of convincing Marina to love him is horrible and unacceptable. His attitude toward women and life in general is seriously twisted, and he just cannot think of any other way to get what he needs to fulfill his desire of living what he considers an ordinary life. Why does Marina fall for it? Probably because he's the first person who ever seemed to care about her. He fights to get her, he fights to help her. Even if his interest in her is ruthless and possessive, it is a genuine, deep interest and that is what she has been missing all her life.

I found Atame to be a fascinating and remarkable movie. Watch it open-minded and try to look beneath the pure surface of the plot, and you will be moved and captivated by its beauty.

Marina Osorio (Victoria Abril) is a soft-porno star kidnapped in her own apartment by Ricky (Antonio Banderas), a guy who has just left a mental institution. He wants to get married with her. The storyline in this weird love story recalls `The Collector', i.e., a man kidnaps a woman because he is in love with her. But on the contrary of the William Wyler's drama in a cold and isolate farm in an English countryside, the situations in Almodóvar's colorful movie in the center of Madrid are very erotic and funny. For example, the scene when Marina is having a bath in her bathtub is hilarious. This cult movie is certainly not one of the best in Almodóvar´s filmography, but it is mandatory for those who are his fan. My vote is seven.

As this film opens Ricky learns that he is to be released from the mental institution that he has been confined to for the last few years. Upon release he immediately sets about finding Marina, a woman he spent the night with after escaping a year previously. Marina is now a 'proper' actress but at the time she met Ricky she was a porn star with a drug problem. Ricky goes to the film set then follows her home; once inside her apartment he knocks her out and ties her up. When she awakens he tells her that it is his intention that she will fall in love with him.

I found this film to be a lot of fun; it is frequently very funny, occasionally very sexy and more than a little bit morally twisted! Victoria Abril and Antonia Banderas are really solid as Marina and Ricky making it is easy to believe their characters' rather different relationship. Early on there is a sense of menace as Ricky kidnaps and threatens Marina, this however is tempered by various more humorous elements such as them needing to get medication for her toothache and Ricky's disguises in a couple of scenes. The way the story is filmed is more in the way of a romantic comedy then anything menacing; lots of bright colours and an airy apartment rather than subdued tones and some stark grey cellar. Some may find the ending rather offensive but if you don't take the film too seriously it is easy to accept and enjoy. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to anybody looking for a 'rom-com' with a twist; it won't be for everybody though thanks to the way our two leads get together.

These comments are based on watching the film in Spanish with English subtitles.

Another Pedro Almodóvar film starring Antonio Banderas as a man obsessed with a young woman in his captivity, this may be his closest early work to 'The Skin I Love In', and with moody music from Ennio Morricone and lots of mobile camera-work, it is almost as atmospheric. 'Átame!' is, however, chiefly a comedy, known by the jovial English title of 'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!' no less (the original title translates as just 'Tie Me Up!'). More accurately, 'Átame!' is a romantic comedy, or an acute subversion of one as Bandares becomes set on making a lady who he had a one night stand with years ago passionately love him. Absurd a goal as this is, Bandares is so down-to-earth with his true romantic intentions (not wanting to copulate until she is ready) that it is hard not to root for him even when he goes to extremes like tying up lead actress Victoria Abril, hitting her on the head and threatening her with a knife. By the end of the film, one gets the sense that he really adores her. The film sends some very mixed messages though, particularly in terms of how Abril responds to his advances. It is also hard not to wish that the movie set scenes featured more prominently. Generally speaking, however, this is a worthwhile film, full of memorable touches - none more so than an incident with a bath toy that brings to mind the short film in Almodóvar's 'Talk to Her'.

It's Almodovar's best film that I've seen. Complex, raw, provocative and very funny. Most of the initial press/comments on this film seemed to be fairly ignorant. It's not sexist at all; it's quite a vicious critique of the roles and expectations women are faced with and how they compromise themselves and their desires to face them.

I thought it was astounding, hilarious and thought-provoking.

Ricky (Antonio Banderas) is released from a mental hospital. He is obsessed with former porn actress Marina Osorio (Victoria Abril) who he slept with once before. She's trying to go straight and working for a lascivious director. Ricky breaks into her home and takes her prisoner. He wants to make her fall in love with him but she doesn't remember him.

Filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar delivers another sexually daring movie. The most memorable scene is probably Marina in the bathtub with a scuba diver toy. Both Banderas and Abril are compelling leads. If anything, I would like for them to spend the entire time in the apartment as a two person play. It would be intriguing to see Almodóvar push his writing skills and let his two stars play with the material.

Although Tie me up, tie me down doesn't reach the levels of greatness that Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown did, this is none the less a hilarious movie.

First thing that you should remember is that this is a FARCE. It isn't intended to reflect a real situation or inspire people to imitate it. As a matter of fact, I'd be hard pressed to believe that anyone watching this movie would come away thinking they should kidnap someone to make them fall in love. That would be the difference between a movie and reality.

That being said the movie does have a lot to say about what people will do for love and how love and lust tie us to other people. It also makes the great point that love doesn't change who we are, but it does change how we perceive those we are in love with.

And in case I forgot to mention it, the movie is funny. Antonio Banderas and Victoria Abril both are very good but Loles León steals the movie as the air-headed sister.

I'm amazed that people don't get the irony underlying this film. If you've seen other, earlier Almodovar films, you'll know that he explores sexual situations that come emanate from all sorts of crazy situations (think of Law of Desire (1987), for example, in which Banderas plays a man exploring his homosexuality). But what makes this film so great is that, unlike Almodovar's other films, it attempts to explore the nature of the "conventional," heterosexual matrix which, through Almodovar's eyes, becomes completely nonsensical. Indeed, the relationship between Marina and Ricky is meant, ultimately, to be a parody of how such relationships work, as if heterosexuality (and its consequence, marriage) are almost inevitably equivalent in character to the infamous Stockholm syndrome. The final twist of the film, mistakenly hated for its apparently patriarchal overtones, is in fact a humorous subversion of conventional sexual politics. `You're crazy! Love a man who kidnaps you and ties you up? Is that normal?' exclaims Marina's sister. Well, actually, yes, according to Almodovar, it's completely normal. When viewed with irony (most viewers seem to have a bad case of literal disease when it comes to this film), this movie is a devastating critique of modern heterosexuality. Note that the trio sing the Spanish version of "I will survive" at the very end, when everything has supposedly worked out, in Candide fashion, for the best...

I agree with the above. I also think that it has to be viewed in a social context, as most of Almodovar's movies should be. I believe that it makes a beautiful statement about the construction of gender, in that both Ricky and Marina show typically "male" and typically "female" attributes. That's a pretty serious undertaking in a country where women only got the right to vote 30 years ago and divorce is still a huge deal. In response to Ricky's and Marina's finding a "home" within each other, one they could not find elsewhere, I think that runs an interesting parallel to the entire Spanish society. I found this film a lot more intriguing once I learned about the history of Spain, especially the cultural history between men and women. Very, very cool.

I just loved every aspect of this movie... The acting by both Victoria Abril and Antonio Banderas is superb. Even the sister delivers a very convincing performance. The director, Pedro Almodóvar, is the same one who brought us masterpieces like "Talk to her" and "All about my mother". Although you wouldn't figure it out from the plot lines of the three movies, "Tie me up, Tie me down" is much lighter and less involved than the other two.

The pace (as with all Almodóvar's movies) is just the right one, not too fast or slow. I did not like the character of the director in the movie and did not like his acting that much... Probably the only weak couple of scenes are those depicting his infatuation with Marina.

The ending may seem predictable and lame, but I liked it…. It is one of those feel good endings.

Although there is a hot sexy scene in this movie, I question the NC-17 US rating for that scene. I saw so many R-rated movies that were much more explicit... My point is; if you get this movie thinking it was one of those European soft porn flicks, you will be disappointed.

My vote: 9/10.

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! , deals with a deranged former mental patient , Ricky (Antonio Banderas) takes a soft-porn star prisoner , Marina (Victoria Abril , Almodovar's regular) , in the hopes of convincing her to marry him. But Marina , addictive in all things , soon becomes willing accomplice in Ricky's fantasies . A love story...with strings attached!

Pedro Almodóvar brings us a very mixed bag of outlandish characters , rapid dialogs , and absurd situations on a luxury flat and at a shooting , including R-rated sex scenes . Almodovar goes back to the darkest terrain of ¨Law of Desire¨ , concentrating on the relationship between soft-porn actress Marina and two men who attempt to control her . The more benign is her director -nicely played by veteran Francisco Rabal- in the movie-within-the movie , a genial , wheelchair-bound obsessive who leaves romantic messages on her answering machine and beguiles his lonely hours watching her masturbate on video . Austerily enjoyable and brightly colored film that contains wisted comedy , drama , thrills , chills , and haunting resultings . It can be very funny and very dramatic at the same time , so it was the perfect combination for me . In this peculiar flick Almodóvar established again his uniquely poetic and visually striking style . Almodovar turns a standard hostage thriller into a grim examination of the power games implicit in a couple , including Stockholm Syndrome . The story is not massively strong , but it is not bad either , as Almodóvar strings a few o different threads together and that , along with tension and skin going on throughout tends to ensure the movie is always interesting and thrilling . There are several naughty sex scenes and others really masochist as sadistic , as he kidnaps her in her apartment , beats her up while he goes out to score drugs for her . Resulting to a very black comedy in the vein of Buñuel's ¨Belle de Jour¨ or subsequent ¨The Skin I Live In¨ (2011) by Almodovar himself and worthy the comparison. Almodovar withholds all comment , and many will hate his refusal to moralise , others will relish to opportunity to think for themselves . The performance is also standout element of the film . As main cast is pretty good , excels a young Antonio Banderas as the unbalanced but alluring ex-patient who has spent the better part of his life in a psychiatric facility , and Victoria Abril as the tarnished actress who's pursued with pathological obsession . Along with customary actors from Almodovar factory's : Loles León , María Barranco , Rossy de Palma , Julieta Serrano and various familiar Spanish faces , such as : Lola Cardona , Emiliano Redondo , Jose Maria Tasso , Manuel Bandera , among others.

Luxurious and colorful cinematography by the prestigious cameraman José Luis Alcaine . The music by Oscar winner Ennio Morricone , is very good in which it fits the style and feeling of the film . The motion picture was realized in his peculiar style by Pedro Almodovar ; he often uses symbolism and metaphorical techniques to portray circular story lines , though here he directs a special dramedy , including his ordinary touches . Oscar-winning Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar has made a name for himself with a series of unabashedly melodramatic titles , mixing comedy, drama, sex and violence , getting great successes . The openly homosexual director has shown an affinity for oddballs and outsiders, populating his films with transvestites and all of whom had previously been relegated to the closet. Almodovar directs throughout with splendid zip and he usually portrays strong female characters , gays and transexuals along his life , winning some important international prizes . He also showed a talent for working with women, and throughout his 40 year career has placed notorious actresses such as Penelope Cruz , Marisa Paredes or Victoria Abril . His first feature film, Pepi, Luci, Bom (1980), was made in 16 mm and blown-up to 35 mm for public release . In 1987, he and his brother Agustín Almodóvar established their own production company : El Deseo, S. A. Almodovar subsequently made other hits , such as : Labyrinth of passions , Law of desire , Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown , Bad education , All about my mother , Talk to her , Broken embraces , The Skin I Live In and many others . The "Almodóvar phenomenon" has reached all over the world , making his films very popular in many countries .

An unbalanced but alluring former mental patient (Antonio Banderas) takes a porn star (Victoria Abril) prisoner in the hopes of convincing her to marry him.

How can anyone deny the beautiful, almost dreamlike use of color in this film? Trying to find anything comparable is a challenge. The musicals of Jacques Demy? No, not even those.

"Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" comes from a strong pedigree, as it follows in the myth of Beauty and the Beast and the notion that the savagery of the Beast is, in the presence of Beauty, tamed by gentler feelings. This has been a recurrent theme in films like "King Kong", "Frankenstein" and "Tarzan the Ape Man". Some have even drawn parallels to "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" in that kidnapping can lead to romance.

The soundtrack was composed by Ennio Morricone in the style of a thriller and is reminiscent of Bernard Herrmann's score for Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho". This music changes the whole tone. Some consider the film a "dark romantic comedy" and others even say there is a hint of horror in there. Much of the mood relies on the music -- with a lighter tone, this could just be an "offbeat" romantic comedy and not a "dark" one -- there is very little about the film that is dark besides the music.

It's best not to know what happens. If you haven't seen the film you shouldn't read my remarks. Be wary of reading other peoples', too.

I could have lived with a woman falling in love with her kidnapper. No doubt it happens. Even if it doesn't happen, there's no reason why it shouldn't serves as the basis of a good story. It sounds like the basis of an excellent story.

One thing to make clear - although it's an obvious enough point - the film has no message, let alone the message: "If you really love a woman, and want her to love you, kidnap her." That's in the form of an imperative, and Almodóvar's film, whatever else it is, is not in imperatival; form. (This is not trivial; some films ARE imperatival.)

Even if there were a message of some kind, it would not be easy to work out what it is, since it's next to impossible to work out what relevant truths hold in the world of the fiction. Is the love that develops between Marina and Ricky ultimately a healthy love, or not? Do Ricky's extreme tactics work in general, or do they only work on people whose lives are like Marina's? Or do they only work in this particular case? Are Ricky's actions meant to be justified - in the world of the fiction - or are they unjustified even there? All of these are hard to tell. I'm not sure if this is a bad thing.

What I am sure is a bad thing is that the heroine, Marina, is too passive. (I mean "too passive" in its literal sense; I'm not using it as code for "not feminist enough".) She should have made a genuine effort to escape - just once. Or she should have been more cunning - at least on occasion. Or she should have spoken out more. Or, just once, she should have snapped. She comes close to doing all of these things, but she always draws back. It's frustrating.

I've realised - just as I was typing the previous paragraph - that she DOES make one concerted effort to escape; it's when Ricky is out getting beaten up by thugs. And to be fair, it IS dramatically apt that this attempt occur just before she finds she's fallen in love with him - otherwise the story would be the even more unsatisfying one of how Ricky gradually wore her down. Still, it would have been better if she had been a more active character, in SOME respect, earlier on.

-Okay, so maybe I'm wrong about the "too passive" thing, but my other two complaints still stand. Firstly, and less importantly, Ricky never pays any price either for his actions or for the prize he eventually wins. He never has to experience guilt; he never loses any battle, on any front, with Marina. (He gets beaten up, of course, but that doesn't count: it's for the unrelated crime of pinching drugs.) Secondly, the kidnapping story is all the more unsatisfying because it's basically all we get. The other two Almodóvar films I've seen both have a rich undergrowth of supporting character and sub-plot, which this one lacks. While not all films need such an undergrowth, this one does. -It's not that there are no other characters. Take the lecherous old director, for instance. He steps on stage to spark off part of the story, but thereafter Almodóvar does NOTHING with him. Yet we continue to see him every so often. Why? I suspect because Almodóvar wanted to cut away every so often, and needed something to cut away to.

"Tie me up, etc." has many typical Almodóvar strengths - glorious colours, fascinating characters, strong narrative grip - but it's all a bit flat. The director has done better at least twice. I suspect he usually does better.

As far as I am concerned this is Almodóvar's most erotic comedic film ever made. I don't know how much has to do with the chemistry between Victoria Abril and Antonio Bandaras or if they are just excellent actors. !Atame! or "Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down" in English has all of Almodovars' usual suspects and the story is told with the proper amount of impish humor and believable drama. Antonio Banadaras is 'comeble' as Ricky the orphaned, juvenal delinquent now grown and with a sexual talent to be admired. And Victoria Abril plays well the unknowing stalked film actress, who tries to use her wits to outsmart Ricky until he slowly wins her over. This is played for comedic satire and it works. One who doesn't appreciate this film obviously misses the subtleness of seduction. Oh yes, you must watch the subtitled version to pick up the intonations of the original voices and language. !Ay que calor!

I can't say too much about this film without giving it away. Antonio Banderas and Victoria Abril give good performances as their characters have such depth to them. Pedro Almodovar directs this film beautifully as he can't seem to make a bad film nowadays. For some strange reason I could identify with Ricky and his obsession with taking care of a woman who has many addictions. One thing I remember from the film is the music, I loved it. The final scene involves music and it was my favorite. This should not have been rated NC-17. A good film for mature adults. 6/10 Good

Although very beautifully filmed, the film's message that a woman can be made to love a man, by force if necessary, is painful to watch. This theme rivals the "hooker with the heart of gold" myth for the title of Worst Moviemaker's Delusion. Maybe the moviemaker is very self-aware (after all, there is the character of the old director wrestling with his female fantasies) but Almodovar seems to learn nothing from his characters. It's too bad--I like Almodovar--but this movie is inexcusable.