movie

Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a child, Bob Flanagan spent much of his youth in hospitals, undergoing painful procedures, and contemplating his own mortality. This experience shaped his sexuality, spurring Flanagan to explore the intersections of pleasure and pain. As an adult, he would become a boundary-smashing artist, staging strange and moving sadomasochistic performances with his life partner and collaborator Sheree Rose.

Best friends Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal) and Tenoch (Diego Luna) are on the brink of adulthood. When their girlfriends leave on holiday, the 17 year-olds decide to explore their romantic freedom. They meet Luisa (Maribel Verdú) an attractive older woman, and convince her to take a road trip. Along the way, tensions arise between the two friends.

Lee (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a sensitive, socially awkward young woman who seeks relief from her anxieties through self-inflicted pain. Routine, structure and dull tasks also help her to fend off unwanted thoughts and feelings. Though she is overqualified for the position, Lee takes a job as a secretary for Edward (James Spader), a dominant, detail-oriented lawyer, and submits herself to the transcendent drudgery of a regimented workplace. Their office routines quickly escalate into kinky roleplay, giving Lee the release she craves, while challenging the neurotic Edward to embrace intimacy.