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The Center Of The World

Movie: A

Sound: A

Picture: A

Reviewed By: David

Artisan Home Entertainment and Director Wayne Wang team up to bring you the very erotic and sexy film "The Center Of The World".

What should have been a simple cash for sex arrangement sends a young computer genius and a beautiful stripper on an emotionally shattering journey into their deepest erotic fantasies. Captured with the raw, voyeuristic intimacy, it's a provocative, sensual tour de force from acclaimed independent filmmaker Wayne Wang.

Peter Sarsgaard plays Richard a typical geek who made a million dollars the year prior and is about to make a lot more through an IPO. We are introduced to him and Florence (Molly Parker) as they check into a hotel suite in Las Vegas. Through a series of flashbacks we learn that Richard recently met Florence a freckled stunner at the local strip club where she works. Within five minutes Wang sets the film's tone by having Parker perform an act that eliminates the chance for an R rating in this movie. Also to note this movie is not rated and does contain very explicit sexual material.

Richard is very fascinated and he buys her time for a lap dance and tries to get to know her a little better and ultimately offers her $10,000 to accompany him to Vegas for the weekend. All the while we see them in Vegas in which she is clearly bored and he is thoroughly content just to be in her presence. They go shopping and barely speak. She has a separate room. Through the flashbacks, we learn that she has agreed to come on certain conditions no talking about feelings, no mouth kissing, no penetration, and party time is from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. He does agree without any hesitation. It is apparent that money means nothing to him, $10,000 for three nights with a beautiful woman, even without completion, is a bargain for him.

A few minutes before ten o'clock, Richard pulls up a chair to her closed door, just staring at it, passing time, a child with an adult's patience waiting for his present at Christmas. Meanwhile, she prepares, putting on makeup, curling her eyebrows, getting ready for work. She emerges a few minutes after ten and the fun begins. Wang takes his time and the experience for Richard is a rare erotic pleasure and Wang spares the audience none of this emotion. Parker and Sarsgaard are absolutely great together. She's all steam and fire and he's all appreciation and glee. The film lingers on close ups of Sarsgaard enjoying her breasts, as she slowly removing his shirt, caressing his chest, letting their cheeks touch. I will let your mind wonder what happend next and to find out you will either have to rent the movie or purchase it from our store.

"The Center of the World" is Wang's second film exploring a man's unrequited attachment to a woman who trades in sexuality. "Chinese Box" tied similar themes to the 1997 hand over of Hong Kong, and as in that film the director employs profoundly layered symbolism here. Wang also lends the film and especially the very intimate scenes of indifferent sex an extra layer of voyeuristic import by shooting entirely on hand held digital video cameras.

Also, please note that this movie is NOT for children.

Click here to purchase this movie from our DVD store.

Edition Details:

• Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
• Color, Widescreen, Closed-captioned, Dolby
• Alternate Endings
• "Behind The Cyberscenes" - The Making of "The Center Of The World Website"
• Interactive Menus