Bound (1996)

“Bound is one of those movies that works you up, wrings you out and leaves you gasping. It’s pure cinema, spread over several genres. It’s a caper movie, a gangster movie, a sex movie and a slapstick comedy.” When Roger Ebert wrote this in 1996, he knew he was witnessing something special. Long before the Wachowskis upended the world with The Matrix, they delivered a sultry neo-noir that radiated pure ambition.

At the center are Corky (Gina Gershon) and Violet (Jennifer Tilly). The sparks between them are unmistakable, but what made Bound truly revolutionary was its grounded approach to their relationship. Their romance isn’t a ‘theme’ or an obstacle; it is simply the engine behind a nail-biting heist. Gershon perfectly embodies the classic noir anti-hero—the ex-con trying to go straight, only to fall under the spell of an irresistible woman she knows she shouldn’t trust.

From the very first shot, where a row of pumps in a closet resembles a menacing set of teeth, the Wachowskis’ visual signature is undeniable. The imagery pulses with a level of guts and technical precision rarely seen in a debut. As Ebert concluded at the time: “It’s amazing to discover all this virtuosity and confidence in two first-time filmmakers.” Bound is a stylish, sexy, and razor-sharp thriller from two directors who were about to rewrite film history forever.

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Director Lana & Lilly Wachowski

United States of America, 1996, 105 min

Cast Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilly, Joe Pantoliano

Spoken language English

Subtitles Dutch