Bound is an intense neo-noir, violent,erotic, and perhaps romantic thriller from the Wachowskis. It tells the story of two women who become lovers and conspire to steal money from a vicious gangster, but get trapped in a dangerous situation. Its plot shares some similarity with another great movie, The Handmaiden, which I reviewed earlier. Unlike The Handmaiden, set in 1930s Korea, Bound takes place in 1990s Chicago.

Corky (Gina Gershon), an ex-con, does odd jobs at the apartment building where she lives, which is owned by the mob. Caesar (Joe Pantoliano), who works for the same criminal organization, also lives in the building with his mistress, Violet (Jennifer Tilly).

Sparks fly when Corky encounters Violet in the elevator. Soon, things become sexual between the two women and then develop into romance. Both women also realize that they share a common aspiration: to escape their present predicament. Corky wants a better life, and Violet wants to leave Caesar but has almost no options to do so.

Fate presents an opportunity when Violet learns that Caesar will bring home a sum of two million dollars, a “debt collection” from a former employee of the mob who tried unsuccessfully to embezzle the money. The duo decides to steal the money from Caesar and the mob.

The women proceed with their plan when Caesar is holding a suitcase filled with $2 million in cash for the mob, despite knowing how ruthless Caesar and his associates can be. Violet has seen these men inflict torture on those caught trying to steal from them.

The endeavor seems to go according to plan at first, as Violet successfully convinces Caesar that the boss’s son, Johnny Marzzone (Christopher Meloni), has stolen the money in an effort to frame him.

When the boss, Gino (Richard C. Sarafian), arrives to pick up the money, a deadly shooting occurs, placing Caesar in a predicament where he must cover his tracks and save his skin from the mob.

As the plot unfolds, Caesar soon realizes that he is being played by his mistress and her lover. The fast-moving story races to an explosive conclusion after a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Bound features a slick and tight screenplay, with few loose ends. The movie’s fast-paced cinematography by Bill Pope is impressive, packing numerous noir elements into both the plot and its lighting.

The fine performances from the movie’s sparse but well-chosen cast accentuate it further. As mentioned, it reminded me of the more recent Korean film, The Handmaiden, set in a different time, place, and an entirely different universe. I wonder how much impact Bound had on the making of The Handmaiden.

Gina Gershon is superb as the tough-as-nails Corky, and Jennifer Tilly also gives a convincing performance as the seductive Violet. One may debate whether Corky or Violet is the true femme fatale, but the onscreen chemistry between the two is electric. Another noteworthy performance comes from Joe Pantoliano, who plays the trigger-happy, unstable, but quick-thinking Caesar.

This movie is often available for free on platforms like Pluto and Tubi. Do not miss this action-packed, fast-paced, and steamy neo-noir thriller.