SummaryWhen a disturbed young man (Antonio Banderas) kidnaps and ties up a porn queen, a psychological power play ensues. As the woman is held captive, she becomes torn by her growing bond with her abductor.
Directed By:Pedro Almodóvar
Written By:Pedro Almodóvar
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!
Metascore
Mixed or Average
55
User score
Generally Favorable
7.7
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
57% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
29% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
14% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
90
X marks the G-spot perhaps, for this is an orgiastic comedy of terrors and errors.
80
Almodovar's inventive direction, superb lensing by Jose Luis Alcaine, a fine score by Ennio Morricone and top technical credits make pic a pleasure to watch.
75
What keeps Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! from being irredeemably offensive are Almodóvar’s efforts, however vague and tentative, to undermine his own thesis.
63
The movie is too flighty and uncentered, and it allows actual violence to break the spell when false alarms would have sufficed.
60
Mr. Almodovar's comic invention runs out too soon, leaving the audience to giggle weakly in anticipation of the big laughs and disorienting shocks that never arrive.
50
In terms of psychology, it's an abysmal failure, too real to be symbolic, too symbolic to be realistic. [25 May 1990]
10
An offensive premise and a pathetic, almost pleading desire to outrage our sensibilities with it.
User score
Generally Favorable
91% Positive
29 Ratings
29 Ratings
9% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Nov 8, 2021
8
A beautiful erotic movie by Almodovar. This film may seem the least Almodovarian of all because here the director steps out of the comfort zone and tries to devote himself to a genre that can be defined as a bitter comedy. The encounter between a woman who does not believe in love and a man who feels the need to impose it. Great acting here by all the cast.
Jan 31, 2020
8
The Skin I Live In was so good, have been going through Pedro Almodovar movies. This has music by Ennio Morricone (it's excellent), better photography and sound than earlier Almodovar movies, better production values all around than Matador and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Seems to feed into the idea that captives enjoy captivity, an idea that played better 30 years ago.
Production Company:
- El Deseo
Release Date:May 4, 1990
Duration:1 h 51 m
Rating:NC-17
Tagline:A love story...with strings attached!
Awards
Goya Awards
• 15 Nominations
Fotogramas de Plata
• 2 Wins & 3 Nominations
Premios ACE
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
