A Journey from Whips to Whimsy
Ah, "Secretary" (2002). It's the film that gave us the much-needed education on BDSM before "Fifty Shades" swooped in with its vanilla fantasies. With its unique blend of quirky romantic comedy and, let's say, 'unconventional' office dynamics, it redefined how we view relationships, both on and off the desk. If Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader's unforgettable performances left you craving for more of those peculiar love stories that make you go "aww" and "ohh" in the same breath, then you, my friend, are in luck.
Put on your seatbelts (or handcuffs, no judgments here) as we dive into a world where love often comes wrapped in latex and served with a side of existential dread. Here are 12 movies like "Secretary" that will make you rethink your romantic wishlist, or at least your Netflix queue.
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)




Oh, let's get the elephant in the room out of the way first. "Fifty Shades of Grey" is like the generic store-brand soda compared to "Secretary's" vintage cola. If "Secretary" is a craft cocktail, "Fifty Shades" is the beer you settle for at a dive bar when you're already too tipsy to care. Though it attempts to emulate the BDSM romance, it barely scratches the surface. But let's be fair, it's entertaining, and sometimes, that's all you need.
CAST

Dakota Johnson

Jamie Dornan

Jennifer Ehle

Eloise Mumford

Victor Rasuk

Luke Grimes

Marcia Gay Harden

Rita Ora

Max Martini

Callum Keith Rennie
The Piano Teacher (2001)




For those who like their love stories to be as unsettling as their morning alarm on a Monday, "The Piano Teacher" is just the ticket. This film explores a twisted relationship between a piano teacher and her student. It tackles sexual dysfunction and deviant desires with such gritty realism that you may want to give your piano lessons a miss for a while.
CAST

Isabelle Huppert

Annie Girardot

Benoît Magimel

Susanne Lothar

Udo Samel

Anna Sigalevitch

Cornelia Köndgen

Thomas Weinhappel

Georg Friedrich

Philipp Heiss
Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986)



Talk about old but gold! "9 ½ Weeks" is the granddaddy of BDSM cinematic outings. Starring Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger, this film takes you through a steamy and tumultuous affair that unfolds over, you guessed it, roughly 9 and a half weeks. Its emotional depth may not be as intricate as "Secretary," but the chemistry is electric—think of it as a one-night stand that lasts just long enough.
CAST

Mickey Rourke

Kim Basinger

Margaret Whitton

David Margulies

Christine Baranski

Karen Young

Dwight Weist

Roderick Cook

Victor Truro

Justine Johnston
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)




If you liked the emotional depth in "Secretary" but could do without the whips and chains, "Silver Linings Playbook" is your jam. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence dazzle as two individuals struggling with mental health issues. It’s like your typical rom-com, but with more dancing and less predictability. A fun flick to laugh, cry, and get strangely attached to.
CAST

Bradley Cooper

Jennifer Lawrence

Robert De Niro

Jacki Weaver

Chris Tucker

Anupam Kher

John Ortiz

Shea Whigham

Julia Stiles

Paul Herman
Blue Velvet (1986)




David Lynch's twisted tale of love and crime in small-town America is dark, surreal, and, well, a bit kinky. If "Secretary" was a gentle introduction to the darker shades of romance, then "Blue Velvet" is a full-blown graduate course. It's not for the faint-hearted, but then again, neither is love.
CAST

Kyle MacLachlan

Isabella Rossellini

Dennis Hopper

Laura Dern

Hope Lange

Dean Stockwell

George Dickerson

Priscilla Pointer

Frances Bay
Jack Harvey
Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013)




The film that made eating spaghetti seem sexy. "Blue is the Warmest Colour" offers an intimate look at the ups and downs of a lesbian relationship. While the kinky factor isn't as high as "Secretary," the emotional intensity certainly is. A must-watch if you enjoy movies that offer a buffet of feelings.
CAST

Adèle Exarchopoulos

Léa Seydoux

Salim Kechiouche

Aurélien Recoing

Catherine Salée

Benjamin Siksou

Mona Walravens

Jérémie Laheurte

Alma Jodorowsky

Anne Loiret
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)




Two women in Barcelona exploring love and lust with a suave Spanish painter—what could possibly go wrong? Woody Allen's take on love is as complicated as assembling IKEA furniture after a few glasses of wine. A delightful choice for those who think love should be as intricate as a Picasso painting.
CAST

Scarlett Johansson

Rebecca Hall

Javier Bardem

Penélope Cruz

Christopher Evan Welch

Chris Messina

Patricia Clarkson

Kevin Dunn

Julio Perillán
Juan Queseda
Black Swan (2010)




Ah, the love story that isn't. "Black Swan" is more about self-love and self-destruction than romance, but its intense scenes, starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, bring a kind of psychological kinkiness to the table. It's like "Secretary," but if you replaced the red pens and typo corrections with pirouettes and ballet shoes.
CAST

Natalie Portman

Mila Kunis

Vincent Cassel

Barbara Hershey

Winona Ryder

Benjamin Millepied

Ksenia Solo

Kristina Anapau

Janet Montgomery

Sebastian Stan
The Shape of Water (2017)




Ever thought of finding romance in a government laboratory? Me neither, but Guillermo del Toro makes it work. A love story between a mute woman and an aquatic creature, it’s unconventional, to say the least. It’s like "Beauty and the Beast" for adults, if Beast were a fish-man and Belle was super into sign language.
CAST

Sally Hawkins

Doug Jones

Michael Shannon

Richard Jenkins

Octavia Spencer

Michael Stuhlbarg

David Hewlett

Nick Searcy

Stewart Arnott

Nigel Bennett
Dangerous Liaisons (1988)




For fans of the older classics, "Dangerous Liaisons" is a saucy period drama that explores manipulation and desire among French aristocrats. Think of it as "Secretary" in corsets and powdered wigs, but with a heavier dose of deception and betrayal. Ah, the lengths people went for love before Tinder.
CAST

Glenn Close

John Malkovich

Michelle Pfeiffer

Swoosie Kurtz

Keanu Reeves

Mildred Natwick

Uma Thurman

Peter Capaldi

Joe Sheridan

Valerie Gogan
Wild at Heart (1990)




David Lynch strikes again with "Wild at Heart," a bizarre yet captivating road-trip love story. This one is less about the BDSM and more about, well, wild love. If "Secretary" was a well-prepared dish with exotic spices, "Wild at Heart" is a food fight with all your favorite flavors thrown in.
CAST

Nicolas Cage

Laura Dern

Willem Dafoe

J.E. Freeman

Crispin Glover

Diane Ladd

Calvin Lockhart

Isabella Rossellini

Harry Dean Stanton

Grace Zabriskie
My Own Private Idaho (1991)




Last but not least, "My Own Private Idaho" gives you River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves as two street hustlers in a unique friendship. It's edgy, raw, and shakes up the traditional love story format. Think of it as "Secretary" without the office but with a lot more life lessons on the open road.
CAST

River Phoenix

Keanu Reeves

James Russo

Rodney Harvey

Chiara Caselli
Michael Parker
Jessie Thomas

Flea

Grace Zabriskie
So there you have it, a dozen films that will make you laugh, cry, and perhaps venture into the slightly darker corners of your Netflix library. If "Secretary" made you curious about unconventional love stories, this list is your treasure map. Happy watching! 🍿