From [email protected] Tue Mar 28 09:48:14 EST 1995
Article: 53384 of alt.sex.movies
Newsgroups: alt.sex.movies
Path: roch0.eznet.net!news.sprintlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!torn!nott!cunews!freenet.carleton.ca!FreeNet.Carleton.CA!bw877
From: [email protected] (Doug Schneider)
Subject: REVIEW: EXOTICA!
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Sender: [email protected] (Doug Schneider)
Reply-To: [email protected] (Doug Schneider)
Organization: The National Capital FreeNet
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 1995 13:37:40 GMT
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Status: RO


Since there has been much interest in the Canadian film Exotica, I dug up
a review I did a while back for a local 'adult' magazine.  I'm posting
this for anyone's interest in the movie, which, by the content of the
review you will see I recommend in a BIG WAY!


EXOTICA....Doug Schneider

A sexy title, a story of obsession, and a beautiful stripper in
a heavenly place called Exotica - "yeeeee-owwwwww," it sounds
too good to be true. 

Acclaimed Canadian director Atom Egoyan brings a tale about an
average guy, Francis (Bruce Greenwood - best known for boffing
then stalking the bodacious Paige of Knots Landing), with a
hidden past and a bizarre obsession.  Just how average is he? 
Well how 'bout being a Tax Auditor for starters, not exactly
most people's idea of rip-roarin' stimulation, is it?   If I was
the boring bureaucrat, I'd be looking for a charge to my
erectile tissue too.  And true to male form he finds a way to
make the most of his time at a place he can turn $5 into the
live peep show deal of the century.  His sanctuary is a lavish
strip club called 'Exotica' where nightly he pays the same (as
in EXACT same) beautiful schoolgirl stripper named Christina
(Mia Kirschner) to table dance.  Consistency is nice, but our
boy is here far longer, far more often, and for far more serious
reasons than you, I, and all our friends combined ever would be.
  
'Look but don't touch' is the rule in the skin caves where
hours pass and his sweat  boils over the tartan-skirted
Christina - watching, talking, protecting, then bolting for the
doors in a tense rage.   Christina is not oblivious to his
obsession as she mysteriously relishes in this attention.

Egoyan pumps his characters full of secrets and lets them unfold
slowly.  This is key to Exotica's tense storytelling.   And many
secretive characters there are, as we quickly find out Francis
is not alone in his obsessive rage and the young stripper's not
lonely for love.  Lurking a few feet above the panting auditor
at this same strip bar heaven lusts the D.J., who also achingly
drools over Christina - scheming, stalking, and pleading to her
at every chance.  He wants her back, but did he ever have her?  
Rounding out this sexual triangle is Exotica's pregnant owner
who also has eyes for Christina.

Many other quirky events and characters surround this love nest.
By day, our Tax Auditor's on the tail of a pet-store owner
raising and selling exotic pets, who does his own bit of night
prowling with anonymous homosexual rendezvous at the opera.  The
mystery continues as we're introduced to  Francis' brother in a
wheelchair, the niece that babysits his empty home, and the eery
flashbacks to a massive police search.  Obviously good clean
country livin' didn't get Francis where he is today, but I'm not
gonna give away any more of the story.  There's more to all
this, much more, so much more that it can't be described quickly
anyway and I could sell you a novel instead.  But even Forrest
Gump could figure out that all these seemingly unrelated events
have something to do with Francis' fixation on Christina.  It's
not until the puzzle pieces are put together that we really know
why.

Greenwood's understated performance is strong and believable.  
Sure he's a little off the deep end, but despite all the
weirdness going on, the audience can still identify with him
because he looks like an everyday person.   We know something
has forced this handsome, intelligent guy off the freeway a few
exits early.   Kirshner as Christina is unbelievably sexy and
enticing.   "Schwing!"  would be the understatement of the year.
Let me tell ya, if she was stripping here you can bet I'd be
there a few nights myself.   I've never seen this actress
before, but I sure hope we see her again, and again, and again,
and......  

Obsession and voyeurism are strong themes throughout this movie
and the audience themselves become voyeurs watching these
secretive lives' unfold.  But unless you didn't read the
preceeding paragraphs,  you've now realized this is not
soft-core erotica nor even a spiced up erotic thriller as the
title, the sexy poster, the strip bar story, and the nudity
warnings were titillating enough to imply.   If a 'skin flick'
is your game plan, your money will be better spent elsewhere.  A
disappointed friend said it was, "the orgasm that didn't
happen." "All the sexy women, that gorgeous stripper!  Where was
the payoff?" he demanded.  My friend was lookin' for love in the
wrong place.  This is a mind game that seductively draws you in.
It's wicked and sexy like Christina, but it won't perk your
coffee in the usual way.  Erotica it's not, Exotica it is.

Canadian made films don't usually have people stampeding for the
box office, scared they'll find something that looks like an
episode of The Littlest Hobo.  No fear here!  The makers of
Exotica have done us proud with this world-class production,
deservedly walking off with numerous Canadian and International
film awards.  For those who want an emotionally driven, complex
mind-bender about obsession and desire then step right up. 
Uniquely smart, sexy, and seductive, with great visual style, it
sets new standards for Canadian film.   Take your friends too,
you'll have plenty to talk about afterwards.....highly
recommended.


Released 1994, stars Bruce Greenwood, Don McKellar, Mia Kirshner

Directed by: Atom Egoyan