I don’t remember how this movie was brought up. Someone mentioned it during my scene. Maybe it was as simple as a reference to the black nylon stocking, maybe it was actually about the acting and story. Or maybe it is a reference to the scene where Iron’s character stands in the living room and you can tell by the way he looks at his house that he has no attachment to the house and the life.

It’s a quite intense movie. I actually liked it. It is not a particular “pretty” movie but all the elements combined to deliver an undeniable shockwave. The unexplainable passion and obsession are so wonderfully expressed.

I like this comment from imdb:

It’s fairly clear from the mostly silent, often awkward, and sometimes almost painful-looking sex that they are not in it for the sheer physical sensation, or even to show affection/love for each other. They simply can’t help themselves. Through sex with each other they appear to be working out their own individual pain, a sense of loss or longing for something they are unable to express any other way, and the physical act is almost incidental. 

The most conflicting point from the comments is Anna. Some think she is sexual and intriguing; some think she is cold and boring. More than half think she is the most culpable one, the ultimate home wrecker.

This is a very interesting character. If you begin with the look of the character, people either love her or hate her. To me, she has a very enigmatic look. She catches my eyes the moment I see her and then I want to know more about her. But there might be nothing underneath.  To others, she is not captive at all.  Inside, she is definitely damaged. I believe she does have an intense feeling with Stephen and that she is not just there to mess with Stephen and Martin’s life. Of course, from the acting, you can never quite tell how much of a feeling she has for either man. She seems more relaxed and genuine with Martin while more manipulative with Stephen. It’s like she would share the darkest secret with Stephen but would never show him her daily side or share with him her life.  The film only tried to show her feeling of Stephen one time. She was eating a sandwich while watching Stephen confidently answers interviewing questions on TV. She didn’t have any reaction the whole time so I have no clue her motive.  Is she studying him? Is she missing him? Does she see power as the ultimate aphrodisiac?

Then it comes to the ultimate question. Why does she agree to marry Martin? I don’t think she does that to be around Stephen. There are plenty of ways to keep the relationship with Stephen no matter who she is with. Bits and pieces of information indicate that she chose Martin because she does love him. She feels comfortable and safe with him. But she cannot leave Stephen alone because of the passion he invokes. Or worse, she hates her past but subconsciously recreates the past. She has to have a “Peter” along with a zelous “brother” lover. Once one of them dies, she goes back to the one person she feels safe with, Peter and discard the survivor.  Or maybe if Stephen dies, she is familiar with the situation and will stay with Martin but not the other way around. Although I don’t understand why she chose to have an apparently normal family life with Peter and a baby. No way she is doing that because of guilt and the thought of that’s it, I should stop whatever I have been doing.