9 1/2 Weeks Reviews

• Forget the Sex...Watch it for it's Magic

  
  By A3K9RQOXZHG2OB on 2000-03-16
  I keep seeing reviews; "a high budget porno" or "a dull, boring story with sadistic sex scenes". This movie is so different from these decriptions, it makes me wonder if these people talked, read or played chess through out the entire movie only glancing up occasionally. Mickey Rouke is so subtle with his expressions and dialogue that he creates that mystique that portrays John. Mixed with good looks, a high calibre job (Wall St. Money Market Dealer) & the most amazing apartments money can buy, Kim Basinger (Elizabeth) could not help but be curious. Kim Basingers use of nervous twitches and shy looks makes this her best performance by far. 2 great performances and the best use of a camera, I have seen, makes this 80's style New York flick a stylish, never to forget experience. The scenes in the equestian shop, Farnswoth house, the bed shop, the clock tower are just so well done. Every time you see this movie, it becomes more classy as images of New York's inner city life are portrayed beautifully. Forget the sex scenes, (yeah, they are neccessary) this movie really moves you & keeps images cemented in your mind for a long time. "Elizabeth, please come back before I count to 50...1, 2, 3.."
  
  

• A 1980's masterpiece and a must-see for any film fan

  
  By A2EBLL2OYEQJN9 on 2005-12-27
  This definitely doesn't belong in the Romance or Drama category. It is worthy of a Steamy, Deviant Sexual Attraction genre all of its own. Basinger and Rourke toy with a fine line between pleasure and pain, and I kept expecting the games to go too far, to turn deadly, and that keeps the viewer and Basinger (as the submissive) on edge throughout the sexually deviant games. The balance of power between the two lovers slowly shifts throughout the movie, making for edge-of-your-seat viewing and a surprising ending.
  
  This is a movie that breaks many taboos, not just fun naughty ones, but deep-seated cultural ones. There are some unforgettable scenes (don't miss the striptease scene, which is amazing two decades later!) and a great soundtrack. The apartments epitomize 1980's "modern" décor. 9 ½ weeks is a must-see for any film fan.
  
  

• Disconnected, Pointless, and Random

  
  By A9JA0MI0GFQ39 on 2002-08-19
  Why did she go visit Mr. Farnsworth? Why did we need to see that? Typical of most of the scenes in this movie, her visit to the country is out of place, poorly connected to the rest of the story, and not easily interpreted.

  The seduction and eventual submission of the heroine was interesting. But the execution was miserable and the plot thready, at best. I think the problem is that the movie tried to do _too_ much -- to tell that story _and_ try to incorporate another message.

  Sorry -- but if there's real art here, it completely eluded me.

  The photography is sometimes very interesting and creative, but just as often too dark or awkward. The audio production of the DVD edition is trrible; the dialogue is not cleanly recorded or balance, causing the sound effects to be overwhelming and annoying.
  
  

• A most true, and most misunderstood masterpiece

  
  By A2O9S8NH65S8UM on 2005-10-14
  SPOILERS. There are many ways to "see" "9 1/2 Weeks", from watching only the sex scenes to looking for "degrading to women" parts. The movie is a lot more than that. It shows Mickey Rourke as "John" in the only way available to him to feel and express love and desire. His lack of the full emotional range results in his needing highly controlled situations to get excited. He loves Elizabeth's beauty, but can't see-can't love HER, even though she is very lovable. He treats her like a pretty object. He's so disconnected from his own feelings, he talks very little, always in a controlled way. He has no interest in what Elizabeth feels-only in how she reacts to the situations he sets up.
  He observes her reactions closely with pleasure and amusement, like studying an insect under a microscope; he is a spectator rather than a participant. He cannot feel, and makes her feel instead, to see what it's like ("I saw myself in you" and "What does it feel like to be out of control!", he told her).
  
  Elizabeth liked him very much from the first moment she saw him. She thought this was a relationship like most others so she invites him to meet her friends. When he refuses, she submits-she likes him so much that she starts going along with HIS shaping of their relationship.
  The little "normal" voice inside her speaks again, when she asks, "Aren't you interested whether I like the dress?", after he buys her clothes of his own choice. His answer is telling: "No, I'm not", spoken with a tender, beguiling, confusing smile, and soft, caressing voice, which-to her- belie the truth of his words. She just can't put together in her mind his tenderness, soft voice, polite manners, good looks, expensive gifts, breakfast in bed, "I want to take care of you", "I love you Elizabeth" with his actual indifference to her feelings,and his progressively humiliating and hurtful demands.
  He even whispered "I love you" in her ear the moment before he went to open the door to the prostitute he had arranged to visit them-you'll hear it if the volume is up.
  She continues going along with his demands, trying to please him, until the moment comes when she realizes he will not give her any of the loving interest that his tender smile and soft voice promised her at the beginning. She obviously has fallen in love with him, and as she walks away for the last time from his place, she turns her head back hopefully, crying, in case he has ran after her-still hoping for a real sign of love from him, in spite of her best sense that this guy is incapable of love as we know it. Just like most women would. Meanwhile, he stands frozen, close to tears, willing her to come back "...until I count to 50...", but unable to just open that door and catch her.
  There were two things that the director used to tell us clearly that John was a control freak; shots of his closet with the evenly spaced hangers as if with a ruler and lots of identical shirts, pants, and coats and nothing else, and his desk drawer, with everything in its place, and a place for everything, chillingly neat. He was a man with a total need to control his environment (usually resulting from high anxiety).
  Also, how he avoided personal involvement is shown in their first conversation at the Italian restaurant: Here he was sitting with a lovely, sexy woman who obviously likes him, and his conversation was not flirtacious, not about him, not about her, but the history of murders in the restaurant. Maybe only someone who has met a man with these outward signs and symptoms can connect them to the huge emotional lack of his feelings.
  
  And the much talked-about sexual scenes are vital to the story because that was ALL their interaction, there was no usual closeness and talks about each other's life, family, etc.The director makes that clear, showing us Elizabeth's attempt at sharing a funny tidbit about her dead uncle: John ends that attempt with his comment about his own Stock Exchange screens.
  A very accurate psychological portrait of a highly attractive man unable to love, with a twisted attitude towards relationships, and a woman who is soft and hopeful for 9 1/2 weeks, before she leaves him when the pain becomes too much.
  It is so interesting to see that at no time does he question his behavior towards her-at no time does he apologize. He behaves as if it is the most natural thing to ask of her what he asks.
  Only those who have known people like that will realize how correct the portrayal in the movie is-and I have.
  Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger were superb in these highly nuanced roles, with award-meriting performances. "9 1/2 weeks" is a psychological drama of great depth and accuracy, told beautifuly on the screen.
  
  02/05/06:
  I read the book by Elizatheth McNeill,ISBN: 0060746394. I tried to find info. about her on the web, publishing house, etc. Nothing. There is another Elizabeth McNeill at Severn House Publishers, author of : The Lady Of Cawnpore. Press Relations. Hot News. Unforgettable. The Last Cocktail Party. A Bombay Affair. The Golden Days.
  So it is not the same Elizabeth McNeill who wrote "9 1/2 Weeks, the memoir of a love affair". That McNeill has vanished.
  All I can say is that they should have made two movies: the one they made, and another one, with the same actors, true to the book, to be released later. The book is short, written in an amazingly personal, simple,raw way, which-having seen the film-brought it to life. It does not have one extraneous word in it. I can understand why they could not make the movie as the book really was. The book was truly sadistic-she was tied to the leg of the table for example. The film, even though much milder than the book, succeeded very well in portraying John as the author lived him. The book does round out the experience, and the ending is very different than the film's. The book really cemented my opinion that this story did happen.
  
  

• Sexy and erotic film, highly recommend !!!!!!!!!!

  
  By A1115ST6F5CWYP on 2006-05-29
  I have loved this movie since I saw it in the theater. I have owned it on tape and now on DVD. This is one of my all time favorite movies. I decided to write a review of this movie because it seems that men write most of the reviews.
  
  The chemistry between Rourke and Basinger is electric. You can practically see the sparks fly off the screen. Is Rourke's character a nice guy? Not really. However, is he sexy, and would he make most women melt? Yes he would without a doubt.
  
  The scene in the kitchen is particularly appealing. It is interesting that in recent years a pizza commercial ripped off the kitchen scene when a blindfolded women stomps out of the house because she thinks that a pizza delivery man saw her blindfolded on the kitchen floor. I find it fascinating how this movie seems to have permeated our culture.
  
  I have female friends that agree that they love this movie but don't want to tell men that they love it. Not that I completely understand this behavior mind you. I can only guess that it has to do with wanting to be seen as a "good girl".
  
  I see this movie as one that tried to break taboos in its time. Bondage was just not seen as "normal" behavior in the middle class America in 1986 when the film was released. This film is all about the chemistry of lust. It depicts what can happen when a relationship becomes sexual before people really get to know each other. Their relationship burned brightly for a while, and then burned out.
  
  I highly recommend this movie. As a woman I find this movie erotic, and very sexy. I think it is a great movie for a married couple to watch that needs a little spark put back into their relationship.
  
  
  
• This film is worth seeing and having!
  By A3C6CZC2JP67VK on 2006-02-04
  Don't know why I didn't see this movie until recently. I found this to be a thoroughly entertaining film, with fascinating performances and all the 80's accoutrement's - music, fashion, set decoration, etc. I find it interesting that people can get so many different feelings and experiences from one movie. I don't know how anyone could call it boring, but we all see different things when we watch a movie.
  
  There are wondrous scenes of erotic intimacy here (unfortunately not as fully developed as they could be) - and glimpses into just what two people "in lust" will allow themselves to be led into... The sensuousness of the relationship is the key - not the believability of the surroundings or the rest of the 'plot'. Is it believable? It certainly is conceivable... Liz (Kim Basinger) studying slides at work, so distracted by her thoughts of intimacy with a man she hardly knows that she can't keep her hands off herself... John so taken with her that he will spend exorbitantly for a gift - to give a woman he doesn't know - but feels that he must meet. The passion and need for these two lonely people that lets them open doors to their inner selves and allow another in BEFORE thinking of the consequences (there are ALWAYS consequences, in film and life; for opening "those" doors). Is it believable that they would win the fight with the street thugs? No. Is it believable that the adrenaline rush, the release of the flight impulse and fear, the closeness found in 'defeating a common enemy'; could possibly lead to the intensity of sexual closeness and climax in a semi-secluded spot (under falling water at that)? Yes. It's entertainment, not a psychology class.
  
  This movie, dated as it is, is still fresh because it is enough like life to be real. Anyone who can remember working in an office in the 80s will relate to the telex machines, phones with bell-rings, and no desktop computer for the manger, and no mobile phones. The 80s apartment decor and fashions will also jog memories. A number of us may not be that rich or that attractive or that selfish or that spoiled. But we also may wish at times that we were...highly recommend.
  
  
  
• Seeing them both interact will leave an impression on you
  By A2ULQOGN59LDNK on 2006-05-01
  "9 1/2 Weeks" is an erotic thriller about the romance between Elizabeth (Kim Basinger) and John (Mickey Rourke). As the name implies, their time together is not long, but without a doubt steamy and memorable. John had his eye on Elizabeth from the beginning and swooped down like a hawk, while she could not resist his advances.
  
  Elizabeth falls in love with him very fast, and even as John becomes increasingly controlling and dominating, she still cannot break free from his charms. He showers her with gifts almost continuously, but I hardly think they had much affect on her, since it was him and his excitement she seemed to like most. The interactions and intimacy between two people are taken to a high level as she is blindfolded and he touches her body with ice cubes, as he feeds her with her eyes closed, and has sexual encounters with her in places such as a back alley and a clock tower. The film does have more than a few erotic/sexual scenes, but not as vulgar as it could be, leaving some things to the imagination.
  
  Because I really did not know what to expect with John and if and when he would snap from being calm to angry, I was on edge for most of the movie. Actually, he retained his exterior calmness even when he was dominating her, giving him a true covertly hostile personality. On the other hand, Elizabeth was often timid and just wanted to be loved. Moreover, although she may not have enjoyed all the games he wanted to play, it did look like she enjoyed much of them. Seeing them both interact will leave an impression on you and may rank among one of the most memorable films about lust you may ever watch.
  
  
  
• Hands down( sorry for pun) best erotic DVD video ever....
  By A2FBIF1FKBC193 on 2002-01-15
  As an avid reader of erotic literature, it's certainly understandable that most erotic books could hardly be put on film without the cast and producers being immediately and summarily jailed by the powers to be.

  However, this DVD of top notch entertainers, both in front and behind the cameras, have managed to develop those super elements of eroticism, of pursuit, capture, and ultimate submission of the mind and body that give spice to the sex and sin of it.

  Zalaman King, as one of the team that produced and wrote the screenplay, and soundtracks by Grace Jones, Eurythmics, and Joe Cocker, not to mention the wonderfull acting skills of Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke (don't let preconceived notions of Mickey cloud your judgement in this DVD)makes this DVD a star packed sensation cut by masters.

  It follws that the technical production of this DVD is blue blood quality and of course it's widescreen, dolby digital etc etc ... nuff said ...

  In the story our hero(Mickey,) meets and then seduces, Elizabeth(Kim B,) and then leads her on a wild and woderfull erotic journey of the heart, mind and the body. Elizabeth does not understand this and has trouble with this magical mystery tour since she has never met a wealthy, gentle, caring man who is a master of all flavours of erotic delights, and, he has the patience to court, woo and gently seduce our heroine .... (BTW it's true those men don't exist, so, if you want reality, stop reading here and forget this DVD ... LOL ) ......

  The erotic seductions scenes are skillfully done, and, the scene on the kitchen floor where Rourke feeds Bassinger a luscious assortment of foods is probably the best food erotic scene ever filmed. Trust me, there aren't many of todays actress stars that would allow the camera to get in that close to their faces as Bassinger did while literally gobbling up those dleights that she should get an academy award for that performance ....

  Finally, I would venture to guess that most men would not enjoy this movie, (they wouldn't have the patience and besides that's why they invented porn) but, I can assure you, that if you are a woman and reads romance novels you'll, love it, and, here's the best part, if you are a woman that enjoys erotic literature, well then RUN and I mean RUN and buy this DVD cause like I said, hands down, (or whatever) it's fabulous and you won't love this DVD you'll gobble it all up ......
  
  

• WOW
  By on 2000-10-25
  For those of you that didn't appreciate this movie... you must not have one ounce of sexuality. I feel for you all and your mates, because if you hadn't experienced any of those scenes for yourself before you saw the movie I would think that you would have afterward. The movie is about being unable to control yourself when you are with this other person... giving freely of yourself... everything else in the world goes away when you with this person. Degrading to women, you have to be kidding right? This successful female finds someone that is so different, unlike her so called peers, that she is fascinated by him rather than being sickened by him. Gee wouldn't be nice to find a few men like that to take us away from all of this madness even if it is just for a few hours at a time. I believe that this movie explores a side of sex that more people should look at, it might just make you happier people. I really dislike it when people judge things that they are unwilling to try. Most of the reviews I read were of the content not of the movie, so here's another to add to the list.

  As for the movie, it had some unbelievable camera work. The angles and lighting made the scenes even more powerful. The movie really pulled you into what was going on at the time.
  
  

• Yowtch!
  By A2ODBHT4URXVXQ on 2003-12-30
  Director Adrian Lyne's got a thing for weird relationships. 9 ½ Weeks with Mickey Rourke as a Wall Street exec with a thing for Elizabeth, an art gallery owner (Kim Bassinger). They enter into a quirky and sort of porno relationship which is predicated on a light dominant/submissive message. Apparently the European version of this film was much hotter and way more explicit. The relationship, at the outset, is limited to just over 2 months, but by the time it ends, viewers are caught up in the smutty drama and quite willing for it to go on longer. Rourke plays this kind of slightly dangerous but charming bad-boy role so well that one wonders if he's even really acting. Basinger is terrific, especially in the You Can Keep Your Hat On song and dance number.
  It's a good one.
  
  
• Ground breaking erotic sizzler
  By AF1VHA7BVWLO1 on 2004-08-27
  I first found out about 9 1/2 weeks when I saw a small clip of it on a movie website. It was the scene where John blindfolds and seduces Elizabeth with an ice cube. I was so aroused on by that scene I decided I would find out somemore about the movie. Some described it as a beautiful blue movie. While other described it as sadistic and degrading to women. I decided I would check it out for myself. So I did, and after I watched it I found I had similar feelings that I had after watching Secratary. I longed so badly be in a relationship like the one in the movie. I was sooo turned on by many of the scenes in the movie, esspecially the scene where John and Elizabeth are making passionate love in the ally in the rain. I found myself quite aroused by the idea of being the submissive one, and not knowing what was going to happen next. Some of you hear I kow might be disgusted that I would find the Slave/Master idea erotic, but maybe you should keep your mind open to new thing and not be so quick to pass judgement. Who knows, maybe you'll find you like the idea of not being in control. You'll never know until you try!! ;)
  
  
• If you are in the mood...
  By A3K5IMGDCDBCNF on 2001-04-23
  When I first saw this movie I was torn between the opinion that it was either very good or really not. Much like Last Tando in Paris, a film of similar pretense, 9 1/2 Weeks will either hit or miss with it's audience on an individual basis. One way or another this is a powerfully erotic movie and when it is over it will leave you thinking.

  Elizabeth(Kim Basinger) works in an art studio and apparently has not had much luck with men since her marriage broke up. One day while in a store with her friend she runs into John(Mickey Rourke). There connection is instant, although neither of them acts on the initial impulse. Later in a open market John sees Elizabeth and proceeds to sweep her off her feet. There relationship gains momentum quickly. John takes control of Elizabeth, particularly, in the physical part of the affair. He makes her do things she has never done before, and despite being timid at times, she seems powerless to his demands. As John and Elizabeth get more involved they eventually fall in love.

  The film ends rather unexpectedly. Despite some weak subplots this remains a strong film. What makes it so strong is the electric chemistry between Rourke and Basinger. They make the film quite watchable. The direction by Adrian Lyne is exactly what it should be. It's dark mood sets the stage perfectly for these two accomplished actors.

  I do not believe this film is for everyone, but it is a good movie. I would recommend viewing it if you are in the mood for a character study or a break from the mainstream. Some people will decide, as I have, that this movie was worth watching, but others will feel they just wasted their time.
  
  

• Kind of sickening, doomed from the very start!
  By A3UDYY6L2NH3JS on 2001-05-22
  Passion they say. Obsession they say too. Neither. Possession for the man who wants to possess. Possessed-ness for the woman who wants to be possessed, mesmerized. The man treats the woman first as a child, then as a territory, then as a playmate, then as toy, then as a pet. And she starts resisting. So he treats her as a circus wild animal that has to be tamed. She refuses the game. Then he treats her as a voyeur, or voyeuse. Ans she walks out. Then she probably becomes a plant. And that's when she can't stand it any more. And she finally leaves. She is never loved for what she is, but for what he wants her to be and she accepts to be. It is not a love story, and from the very start. It is a magic trick. You must believe and play your part. It is roleplaying and nothing else. He probably loves her but he loves her submission, her domination, her acceptation to be directed as if she were and actress without a soul. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Paris Universities II and IX.
  
  
• Steamy
  By A3A6MMFT1SM0L5 on 2002-12-10
  This movie was outstanding. The dom/sub thing was so subtle that it really pulls you into the story without even realizing it. There was such a fine line between sexual excitement and true fear. It was like one was bleeding over into the other. Extremely sexy.
  
  
• Kim Basinger makes this worth seeing
  By ABN5K7K1TM1QA on 2004-03-24
  What one realizes while watching this is how limited and ultimately unsatisfactory is a relationship based purely on sex.

  I imagine that the familiar dominance/submissive psychology at the heart of this visually stunning movie--and it really is beautifully shot--comes from the novel by Elizabeth MacNeil. I say that, not having read the novel, because the seduction of Manhattan art dealer Elizabeth (Kim Basinger) by the smooth and supremely confident financier John (Mickey Rourke) is so very well done with the expensive presents, the well-timed flower deliveries, little endearments, etc., that it amounts to a woman's fantasy. The partial debasement of Elizabeth and her eventual triumph over her darker instincts and her realization that there is a difference between love and submission is also something that one might expect to find in a woman's point-of-view novel.

  However when we get to the actual sexuality and how it is acted out, it is unclear who dreamed up the scenes, MacNeil or director Adrian Lyne or the scriptwriters. I say this because the scenes were so predictable and so ordinary, and when not ordinary and predictable, were bordering on the just plain dumb. Making love in the rain, at the top of a tall building (inside the clock tower), blindfolding the woman, making her crawl, feeding her strawberries, etc., bring nothing new to eroticism. And the scene requiring some imagination--[...]--was not realistically done. Why directors insist on allowing a man holding onto the hand of woman to outrun the men chasing them never ceases to amaze me. And then to have Elizabeth and John stop in the middle of the street to allow the bashers they have outrun to catch up was just plain stupid, not to mention the phony fight that followed.

  Not only were the sexual scenes predictable but clearly Lyne was in harness (and I am glad of that) since he stops well short of what might happen if this sort of theme were fully played out.

  Putting all that aside what makes this movie worth seeing is Kim Basinger. She is absolutely stunning, and it is clear that Lyne and his camera adored her. More than that Basinger does a fine job of acting in a demanding role. I was impressed. Before seeing this film I thought she was a rather ordinary actress, but her ability to combine grown-up New York chic with little-girl vulnerability and to make absolutely clear the psychological dilemma her character's heart faced really held the movie together.

  Lyne's insistence on whispered dialogue difficult to hear was consistent with the theme of the movie but not kind to these ears. But that was okay because much of the dialogue was secondary to the visual exploration of the woman's sexuality. The peek-a-boo and off center and shadowed shots of Basinger's face and her silhouette, and the studied smile from Rourke combined with the stark black and whites of their clothes and the furnishings served to highlight and emphasis the flesh tones of Basinger's skin while lending an appropriate artistic and fashionable atmosphere to the movie, which after all has an art dealer at its center. The many scenes that were began and suggested, and then cut away from, allowed a richer texture of experience for the viewer than would have been possible had the scenes been played out. And that was doubly good because again it is the visuals that make this movie worth seeing, not the originality of the story and its development.

  To those viewers who thought that this was some sort of high class pornography, I can only say you missed the point entirely, and indeed, you may be projecting your own sorry mentality.

  See this for Kim Basinger whose sensitive and robust beauty dominated the screen.
  
  

• An electrifying sexual journey
  By A35HHCWO3ACVBG on 1999-12-08
  This film is stimulating sexually, much more so than many films that directly attempt to be this way. A more subtle approach is sometimes better! Be certain, though, that Kim Basinger's strip is the best one ever seen on film (no teasing involved!) When Mickey Rourke discovers that Kim has gone through his belongings in his apartment, he tells her that he will have to spank her. "Your kidding, right?" she replies. No, he's not!
  
  
• Sick, big-budget porn movie
  By on 2004-01-07
  This movie is disturbing, offensive, indecent and just plain nauseating. Who is this sick, depressing little piece of trash targeted to? You guessed it, the ... Europeans who indulge in every form of ... imaginable, slobber over XXX-rated movies dealing with sick subjects, and voluntarily make their little children watch it with parents like a "family night". Fortunately, we Americans don't need to be forced to watch this garbage. Send it back where it belongs!
  
  
• Craftful Cinematography....a fine work.
  By A8Z3PGWZ901WA on 2004-01-15
  If you've gotten this far in the reviews, you'll notice that either people love this film or hate it. It's pretty much right down the middle, which in a way, is a reflection of American societal attitude towards it's own sexuality.

  If your own sexual world isn't aware there's something other than the missionary position, chances are you'll see this as a vulgar, disgusting film. The world that John draws Elizabeth into is a very psychologically complicated and sophisticated one. If you can't identify with lifestyles like that, you can't understand how or why they exist.

  Personally, I found this film a masterpiece, not so much from the story line, but the mechanics of it. The cinematography is nothing short of breathtaking. Subject matter debates aside, this is a beautifully photographed film. Camera angles, lens choices, it's obvious the director worked very closely with the cinematographer in capturing on film exactly the image he had in his head. I can't say enough about the beauty of this film.

  I thought both of the principals turned in exceptional performances, even though I view Rourke as a below-average actor. This film is easily his best, which actually could be said of Basinger as well. The Casting Dept. did a good job on this one.

  Bar none, Basinger's strip tease (done with very little nudity) goes on my "All-Time Best Scenes List". The music choice, Joe Cocker's "You Can Leave Your Hat On" was a stroke of genius!

  Alas, years after it's debut it's the subject matter that is remembered, and I find it still holds up. I'd suggest this film highly. Careful though, you may get more than you bargain for if you make it a "first date" flick to watch!
  
  

• Pretty junky
  By A2CW9IQAPFEYLM on 2005-03-11
  Mickey Rourke and Kim Bassinger are caught in the spider's web of a sado-masochistic affair. There isn't very much going on in the movie except a string of highly charged and seamy sex scenes. On the whole, the movie adds up to a big zero.
  
  
• 9 1/2 Weeks
  By A1GWQQXKTNK9SG on 2005-05-30
  The movie touches me each time I see it. Kim Basinger is at the top of her game, irresistible; Mickey Rourke is mesmerizing. Nothing is left to chance in 9 ½ Weeks. The photography is remarkable. Everything is close and simple. It is a very intimate movie in the way it was shot, with a story in which each of us should find a familiar sense of the questions we have about love and sex, passion and fantasies, true love and cruel love.
  A beautiful forever modern movie.
  
  
  
• FULL RANGE OF EMOTIONS, FROM LUST TO DESIRE
  By A1L8HRCM60W0W7 on 2005-08-21
  Usually it's not my game to publish spoilers on this site but fret not, there isn't much to spoil here (were it not for film-like credits and sporadic bursts of tub-thumping music, you might in fact mistake this for a soft core video) -- they meet at a butcher's, eye oh so suggestively, then meet again, and again, and again. That's your film there. Humble apologies.
  
  Both Rourke and Basinger should look fetching to their respective audiences. Their attire showcases delicious variety over all the rendezvous, ranging from wet and clingy to missing in action. Yet they traipse through their shenanigans like cyborgs, hissing much of the time and looking so painfully unsure one has an uncontrollable urge to furnish an obligatory smack on the head and a pointer to get on with it already.
  
  I'm delighted for reviewers here who found something to enjoy in this teenage fantasy yarn -- the delicate vicissitudes of romance, the subtle games thereof, the dynamics of eros, all that jazz.
  
  Frankly, this reviewer would much rather have some semblance of a story, thank you. That failing, some goofy chitchat of the Before Sunrise variety would be fine. But all play and no talk makes 9.5 weeks an awefully dull time. I watched it with a 4x fast-forward, stopping at strategic locations as fitting, but that hardly makes for a recommendation does it.
  
  
• Strawberry Fields (and Mickey Rourke) Forever...!
  By A1PQCWADI4FFD2 on 2006-10-18
  
  For the longest time, I've steered clear from this movie because I once overheard my mother say to her friend,
  "Oh my God, I had to walk out in the middle of this filthy movie because it had no respect for food..."
  
  That was sometime in 1987.
  
  A few years ago, I thought I'd be rebellious and watch the movie anyway.
  
  Hell, my mom didn't have to know.
  Plus I was definately old enough...
  
  On the contrary to my initially biased impression, this movie, for some reason wasn't as blatantly "filthy" to me as how my mother described. Rather, it was an interesting story about a woman captivated in a torturous love affair that was ever so consuming - and how she managed to free herself from an addiction to a numb lover who was equivalent to a cruel child.
  
  In other words, I really liked it. :)
  And for the record - I still have no problems eating strawberries.
  Then again, who with 20/20 vision can say "No" to pre-surgery Mickey Rourke??
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A dirty movie
  By A37AY3YMDYH7BY on 2000-02-06
  A story about sexual obsession.

  Much similar to Showgirls, this movie shouldn't have been made. A terrible, degrading movie with a not-so-good plot.
  
  

• Psychological Journey Through Sexual Fantasy Scenarios
  By A259F4J3QOBIUH on 2001-02-19
  I have loved this film, since the first time I got my hands on a copy, ten years-ago! Unfortunately, it seems most of the great aspects of this movie have already been covered--"Tony from Down Under" did a fine job of reviewing & commenting about this film--however.... I would like to add that this film is not-only a very well-made, well-casted and classic treasure, but is also a Wonderfully Stimulating movie for Couples! You've probably seen the parody scenes inspired by this film and you may even know they are somehow connected with this movie, yet you may not realize how ... sensual this movie can be for a relationship. "9 1/2 Weeks" is a must-see for Couples, married or not, because of the many "Role-Playing" concepts explored and the many sensual explorations of normal, everyday surroundings. A scarf can become a blindfold, food becomes....experimental, Dining becomes Adventure, Life becomes a Game....and you play to live Life to the Fullest. If the basic concepts of the movie are adapted to a relationship (sans the Ego-Tripping), the relationship becomes stimulating, refreshing and always-evolving, instead-of stagnating or boring. Lovers who explore these techniques will be inspired to recreate their own romantic scenarios.... This is an inexpensive way to add decades of Adventure to your private relationships. Have a blindfold, candlelight and massage oil ready, guys--because, she'll want you to spoil her, after you watch this one together!
  
  
• LEAVE THE BLINDFOLD ON AND DON'T SAY A WORD...
  By A25LREZ1IMRVCU on 2001-09-03
  I SAW 9 1/2 WEEKS 16 YEARS AGO AND THE IMPACT HAS NEVER LEFT ME.
  I BELIEVE WHAT MAKES THIS FILM SO ADDICTIVE IS HOW THE DIRECTOR IS ABLE TO TAKE SUCH A SKIMPY SCRIPT AND MAKE IT INTO AN EPIC WORK THROUGH A KALEIDOSCOPE OF VAST IMAGERY.
  THERE IS ALSO A CONTAINED FURY OR PERHAPS A INNER INTENSITY THAT IS GRIPPING FROM THE FIRST SHOT TO THE LAST.
  JOHN(MICKEY ROURKE) IS A CHARACTER OF POWER,CHARM,AND A EERIE MYSTERY THAT IS ALURRING MAKING IT EASY TO UNDERSTAND HOW A WOMAN COULD FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM.
  ELIZABETH IS A TENDER FRAGILE BEING THAT IS ALL TOO READY TO GIVE HERSELF TO THE MAN SHE LOVES.
  UNFORTUNATELY SHE GIVES HER HEART TO A MAN WHO IN THE END CRAVES ONLY TO POSSESS HER LIKE A TOY.
  IT IS A SAD AND TRAGIC TALE THAT MAKES YOU WONDER HOW COULD ELIZABETH BE SO BLIND AND FOOLISH YET WHEN WE LOOK AROUND WE SEE HER IN OTHERS OR POSSIBLY WITHIN OURSELVES.
  SCENES OF EROTICA ARE MASTERFUL AS THEY BUILD UP TO EXPLOSIVE CLIMAXES OR IGNITE IN A FLASH OF SWEAT AND FIRE.
  THIS IS TRULY AN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL SPARK A FLAME WHETHER IF IT'S IN THE PASSION OR IN THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR ELIZABETH AND JOHN.
  AN UNFORGETTABLE VOYAGE THRU THE LAND OF THE TWISTED AND WEAK THAT WILL REMAIN WITHIN YOU FOR AN ETERNITY.
  OSCAR F.
  
  
• Spoilers
  By on 2002-10-10
  Why did she go see Mr. Farnsworth and why did we need to see that? You find that out at the end. They connect because they something in common: They are both in over their heads and very much "fish out of water". Look for the cues. They are there throughout the entire movie.

  The dialog between John and Elizabeth is important. But it's sometimes hard to hear and I think that's why people get a bit lost. It's a movie you need to watch more than once to fully undestand.
  
  

• genius subtext. . . a brave american film. . .
  By A1XHZGO4JZTZNJ on 2003-10-12
  This is one of my favorite films of all time. Kim Basinger is poignant and astounding. Her wounded eyes that belie the sexual obsession is such an affective contrast.Her performance is impeccable.

  The plot is disturbing and yet common. I was turned on, infuriated, and -worst of all- familiar with the subject matter. Notice the subtle things that change as Elizabeth falls deeper into this sadistic union. (the darkening clothing and make-up for instance)

  This nothing short of an American classic and one of the only films I want to own.

  I also recommend the novel of the same name!!!!
  
  

• It was all about "Kim Bassinger's Body"
  By A1CH7VM25U7J8Y on 2004-11-01
  The first time that I saw this movie was ten years ago. I was so stunned by the way that the director used Kim Bassinger's body parts to enhance this movie that I just had to buy it. I did buy it--ten years later. And everytime that I watch it I'm stil stunned by this dark love story. The plot is very basic--girl meets boy/falls in love with boy--but boy turns out to be the Wrong Man! What makes this movie so sad is that the director went to know degree to degrade Kim Bassinger in the easiest way possible. Emotionally and sexually. Mickey Rouke was just a male Spade in his meaningless pawn. "Kim Bassinger's Body" made this movie. From the scene of her sitting in the screening room while thinking of Rouke--while touching herself to the all the time sex scenes--food fetishes-- and light dominant/baby doll scenes played by both Rouke and Kim, that kept the audience thinking... "She just needs to get the hell out of there!" This movie was so sad in the end. I happen to see 91/2 weeks 2 but it was nothing like the first 91/2 weeks. Kim Basinger's Body stole the show--actually it was the whole movie.
  
  
• erotic and artful
  By A34SV654BYQJLF on 2004-11-04
  Loved this movie. A classic erotic film, its scenes of seduction and passion are the epitomy of scorching sex, that lustful and enticing relationship everyone fantasizes about. See it...
  
  
• painfull to watch
  By A1ZF2MSBDUM5SF on 2005-10-20
  Mickey Rourke was sexy. played a controlling ass, but he was cute.
  
  Kim Basinger was so annoying I could scream! at least 3 times she was running in her high heals, and runs like a cow. her hair, her voice... gag me.
  
  as far as sex, OK, the ice cube was sexy. the food at the fridge, hummm, was OK. after the honey - all I could think of was - she really needs a shower.
  
  the bondage was a tease. why didn't he tie her wrists? he blindfolded her, but, I was yelling at the TV - "tie her wrists too, you idiot!" for those of us that do bondage, this was so lightweight that it was frustrating.
  
  he also promised to spank her, and didn't. she needed it - with all her whining.
  
  my dear Norman and I watched this and got a little board. a lot frustrated. and I about couldn't stand another minute of that bleached Blondie's voice. she was just way too white bread for him. a match not made in Heaven.
  
  but, you do get to see a boob. woo hoo! so, watch it for that.
  
  good date movie, helps break the ice, so to speak.
  
  
  

• Wild Orchid
• Two Moon Junction
• Lie With Me
• Another 9 1/2 Weeks
• Gia (Unrated Edition)