The Center of the World (2001)

The titular center of the world is a matter of perspective in Wayne Wang's (The Joy Luck Club, Smoke) notorious, explicit drama of emotional isolation and sexual commerce in the modern world. According to rich, apathetic cyber-geek Peter Sarsgaard (Boys Don't Cry), it's his home computer. Amateur rock & roll drummer and part-time stripper Molly Parker (Wonderland) deems it an erotic part of the female anatomy. Their "date" is merely a sexual contract that takes them to Las Vegas, a place as phony and impersonal as their so-called romance. "You know it's just an act, right?" she reminds him between her slinky bump-and-grind striptease shows and their sweaty sexual gymnastics.

The Internet makes a great metaphor for modern social alienation, with its impersonal communication and virtual sex, but there's not much else new in this familiar story other than the erotic content. Shot on dimly lit, high-definition video, the gray, washed palette sucks the glamour and titillation right out of the spectacle, turning it into an empty, soulless exercise in physical sensation and self delusion--appropriate to this story of lonely souls unable to break through their own isolation. --Sean Axmaker Amazon.com

Sex, Power, and Let's Not Be Coy About It.

In 2000, director Wayne Wang changed his pace from studio-supported movies to make a low-budget film about sex and power. "The Center of the World" was his first digital film, shot alternately on a Digi Betacam and Mini DV. Most critics didn't like it, but it is a rare film that deals with sex as frankly as this one, an unflinching exploration of the costs and consequences of sexual power. And this is a sexy film. There is a lot of sexual game-playing in it. My only complaint is that the Mini DV used in so many of the intimate scenes and close-ups brings out too much detail and makes the actors look sallow. This was before the days of HD DV, so the quality leaves something to be desired.

Richard (Peter Sarsgaard) is a twenty-something technology entrepreneur whose hard work and dismal social life have made him co-owner of a company about to go public. He's going to be rich, and he'd like to enjoy himself. He is attracted to Florence (Molly Parker), a woman who frequents a local coffee shop. When he finds out that Florence is a stripper, Richard offers her $10,000 to spend three nights with him in Las Vegas, thinking this is an agreeable way to make his fantasies come true. Florence accepts, on the condition that there will be no intercourse. "It's all an act. You know that, right?" she says.

Richard is used to being master of his own world, building a company and a fortune from behind a monitor and keyboard. Florence makes a living with her power to inspire men's imaginations and fulfill their fantasies while maintaining distance and control. Richard and Florence like each other, and their arrangement seems mutually beneficial. They have lively conversations about mundane things...until the power game becomes a power struggle. To what extent did Richard's fantasy become reality? Most women would not act as Florence does; strippers are very conscious of boundaries. But does her unwillingness to cede power undermine her own interests? "The Center of the World" is unpredictable and provocative.

The DVD (Lions Gate 2001): Click on "Explore Me" to find a teaser, a trailer, 2 alternate endings (12 min) that I think are superfluous, bios and filmographies (text) for 10 cast and crew members, "Behind the Cyberscenes" (5 min), which is about creating the now-defunct interactive web site for the film, and Production Notes (text) that include comments by the director and actors. Click on "Tell Me Now" to hear audio commentary by director Wayne Wang and post production consultant Patrick Lindenmaier. This commentary is for 7 segments of the movie only. Choose a segment from the menu. Commentary is about technical issues, primarily how the "look" of the film was achieved and working with DV. Also click the "play" icon at the bottom to hear an audio-only comment by Wang. January 23, 2008

Center of the World

As a stripper, I expected to relate closely to this movie (even though I would never meet a client outside of the club). I was not disappointed. The role of the female protagonist (stripper) was obviously created with respect for the character, and the film did a good job of making an obvious division between her "real" and "night" lives, which many "stripper movies" fail to reveal. It also does a surprisingly good job of showing the storyline from two, opposite perspectives (without any sort of split-screen narratives): both the stripper and her customer have well-thought-out, dynamic, complex roles.

The female protagonist does a fantastic job of showing the dichotomy between her "real" and "stripper" lives, and the director was smart to include a transformative scene where the actress changes herself in order to fit a different role (by applying make-up). Too often, strippers are portrayed as sex objects who are always "on," rather than the normal people we (often) are. This was refreshing.

So it's a pretty short movie, but the acting is very good, and the director/writer seems to have been informed about the industry, for I found it to be relatively authentic compared to most representations out there. Stripper-movie-junkies will find that this is not the typical stripper movie where women are scaling poles in the background at all times.

As a side note, you might wonder, upon viewing the film, if something is wrong with your TV screen, but you will quickly get used to the unique, grainy look of the movie. In my opinion, it actually adds to the authenticity the director is attempting to portray. October 7, 2007

movie

It was a very unusual movie. I was a bit confused about their relationship, but I was entertained enough to watch the whole thing. November 10, 2006

Sex shouldn't be boring

Two moderately decent-looking white people who apparently aren't very good at sex go at it in this movie. If that's your thing, why not just rent a bad softcore porn film and be done with it? At least then you won't have to listen to the cornball pseudo-artistic dialogue in this film. What a crock. They could at least have cast a fine young sista like Rosario Dawson or Gabrielle Union to make this movie moan and squeal! This movie makes sex seem boring. October 13, 2006

intense sexy drama with leads in great performances

Peter Sarsgaard(The Salton Sea, Empire) is in love with Molly Parker(Bliss1997, Sunshine) who is a hooker& a stripper and so Sarsgaard brings Parker to Vegas for 3 days where then things start to unfold. Sarsgaard's passion for Parker breaks down a wall and she might like him too. Great performances by the leads with some intense, sexual moments, some of which Parker shows some skin, nice..adult drama about obsession. Also starring Balthazar Getty (Project Greenlight's Feast, Lost Highway) and Alisha Klass. May 23, 2005

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