Overview
Two women plot a daring heist, but their scheme spirals into chaos when betrayal lurks around every corner.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- sultry
- tense
- darkly comic
- late night viewing
- crime movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the Wachowskis' stylish, confident direction, strong performances, and entertaining neo-noir caper while some found the violence excessive and the emotional or comic writing shallow.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Corky and Violet combine their romantic relationship with a calculated plan to steal Mafia money and escape Caesar's control.
The theft depends on Corky's plumbing access, apartment layouts, hidden money, surveillance, and tightly timed coordination.
The film emphasizes apartment corridors, walls, confined rooms, and stylized lighting to connect desire with criminal danger.
Caesar launders two million dollars for the Mafia, making financial criminality the concrete engine of the women's scheme.
Films like Bound, and why
Blood Simple
shares neo-noir crime plotting, morally compromised characters, dark humor, and a scheme that spirals into violence
Body Heat
shares erotic thriller tension, betrayal, dangerous desire, and stylish suspense
Fargo
shares a tightly constructed crime caper, criminal underworld intrigue, and sharp tonal control
The Handmaiden
shares lesbian romance, noir atmosphere, and a suspenseful struggle against patriarchal criminal power
Movie Details
- Directors
- Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
- Release Date
- 1996-09-13
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (1154)
Cast
- Gina Gershon
- Jennifer Tilly
- Joe Pantoliano
- John P. Ryan
- Christopher Meloni
- Richard C. Sarafian
- Barry Kivel
- Mary Mara
- Susie Bright
- Margaret Smith
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Bound about?
- Two women turn a dangerous Mafia money-laundering operation into an audacious escape plan, using romance, deception, and ruthless nerve.
- What is Bound like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Bound as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Bound violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Bound as graphic.
- What did critics think of Bound?
- Critics broadly praised the Wachowskis' stylish, confident direction, strong performances, and entertaining neo-noir caper while some found the violence excessive and the emotional or comic writing shallow.
- Which films are like Bound?
- Films with a similar feel include Blood Simple, Body Heat, Fargo, and The Handmaiden.
- How long is Bound?
- Bound runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch Bound?
- In United States, Bound is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
