A weird one! And not really because of the subject matter but the structure of the movie... it's definitely unique and memorable. ***Sanctuary*** is something along the lines of a dark comedy rom-com psychological drama erotic thriller. Dialogue driven all the way. It reminded me a lot of last year's *Good Luck to You, Leo Grande* but it also feels so different.

The biggest praise I could give it is it's not afraid of taking risks. The way it totally releases the tension very early on but then manages to pick back up again is commendable. There's sooo many back and forth it's pretty much a cat and mouse game and it does get redundant but I was never bored. At first, I was mixed on the dialogue and some of the interactions between the two characters, it's definitely stagey, over-the-top and nobody talks like that... Then again it reflects the whole premise of this movie: it's basically a game of chess, a facade and just like when you play a game you can get a little silly. They exaggerate on what they say and how they act in order to win. I think it can afford to bend the rules of "normal" dialogue because of that.

The two performances are excellent but Margaret Qualley blew me away, she was given more playing ground to showcase her skills than Christopher Abbott though. Excellent character study, couldn't get enough of the energetic score, claustrophobic set and the colors really pop. Unpredictable from beginning to end and perfect ending!

Going into this I kinda assumed it it would be a bad pale imitation of Secretary (2002). 15 minutes into it I knew it was going to be a bad pale imitation of Secretary (2002). However at the end of the movie. I realized that somewhere along the way. It became a good version of Secretary. It's somehow lighter and yet more intense due to bottle status. Because of the premise I kept just assuming the characters were acting. Some of it might have been but the film is tight and well done. It's well acted. The dialog mostly works. The worst part of the movie is the ... and I'll put it delicately, the "sound design". I understand they wanted us to understand that some parts of the movie aren't being "played" but actually happening. But that sound design, while subtle, was DEFINITELY noticeable. You hear it, quiet as it is, and it kinda sucks you out of the movie as distracting. And considering the domination and submission aspects of the movie that's a bit of an impressive feat.

But in the end as I said it's a good movie. Not the best thing I've seen but far far far from the worst.

A dominatrix and her wealthy client engage in the most elaborate power struggle during one night in a luxury hotel suite in “Sanctuary,” director Zachary Wigon’s twisted psychological love story / thriller. The film’s tone is uneven and inconsistent and the direction is lacking, but the two lead performances are terrific.

Hal (Christopher Abbott) is the heir to a major company and will soon be taking over as CEO, which means it’s time to cut ties with the longstanding professional relationship he’s had with a dominatrix, Rebecca (Margaret Qualley). When he tries to break it off with an expensive goodbye gift, she’s not having any of it. This leads to a wild night of sexual game playing and psychological torture, as the power shifts and sexual dynamics converge in a tornado of chaos.

As a viewer, this constant back and forth makes the film extremely frustrating. By the very definition of her profession, Rebecca is a person who holds and exerts all the power over her client. The twist here is that Hal also has a significant amount of power. They both are master manipulators and can control each other on a whim. This aspect of the film becomes more irritating than compelling, especially when it’s impossible to tell who’s telling the truth at any given time.

It’s one big charade. Hal doesn’t think much of himself, as it is made evident in the elaborate, belittling scripts he writes for Rebecca to recite, word for word. She knows he has daddy issues and plays to his weaknesses. His power over her is all about the money. The story loses its edge when Rebecca engages in a bit of blackmail, exposing an unfortunate pettiness from which her character never recovers.

There are some sophisticated ideas about gender and capitalism at play, but they’re drowned out by situations that feel like they were solely added to the screenplay to push buttons or at least garner some uncomfortable, cringey laughter. What begins as a feminist-leaning story transforms into one that’s more off-putting and problematic.

When a film has a cast of just two actors, they better be strong enough to support the material. Thankfully, that’s not a problem here. These are two complex characters, and Qualley and Abbott skillfully embody them. She plays Rebecca as an unconventional therapist of sorts, and he is believable as a broken man with a poor self image.

The dominatrix thriller genre isn’t huge, and “Sanctuary” is well acted and provocative. I found the filmmaking to be amateurish and disappointing however, and this project is unlikely to find a large audience. It’s a festival film and nothing more.