One of the most audacious filmmakers of our time delivers an unforgettable modern sexual fable

Rating: 8/10 (12 April 2008)

The story begins with a shot of what the film is entailing: sexual deprivation, temptation and exploration on so many levels. The shot is of Nicole Kidman slipping off her dress revealing her naked body within the pallor of her luxurious apartment. Funny. Tom Cruise plays a different role for him, but not one he necessarily did poorly with, in fact, playing someone in his position would be quite a task. After the couple- William and Alice Harford- enjoy themselves at a party hosted by a fellow doctor, they adjourn to their home to have sex. Ahem. Anyway, they drink, and smoke pot, and begin telling each other how hard it basically is to ignore the temptation of everyday sexual situations, which brings up a story that a menacing Alice begins to tell, about how she almost cheated on him, almost. But this seems to spark some kind of chain reaction for Mr. Harford, and he leaves on a house call, but out of spite, revenge and malice decides to walk the streets of New York, and begins a quest of moral and immoral discovery that leads him to long periods of thought to himself. What is just a story of light revenge between a husband and wife, is actually beginning to become a harrowing journey into some kind of murder mystery. After his pianist friend (Todd Field) informs him of a new gig he got at a mysterious location, Harford can't ignore the apparent lustful edict that goes on at this place, so he gets a costume, including the infamous mask, and spends a lot of money, then is ready to go to this place. It was described as sexual pleasure beyond imagining. And he realizes that it is, but it is also some kind of dangerous cult that poses a threat,and when a stripper informs him that he does not belong there and must leave, he also is told the same by the group. So he leaves with strange confusion. I must not go on. Needless to say, this is a great final film for Kubrick, with two great performances from the leads, and a script based on Traumnovelle by Arthur Schnitzler.