The Center of the World (2001)

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Richard Longman (Peter Sarsgaard) is a dot com meteor on the rise. He's alone and depressed. He talks to Florence (Molly Parker) at his coffee place who turns out to be a stripper. He offers her $10k to spend three days in Las Vegas with him. He lays out the terms where they spend four hours each night but with limitation. He starts falling for her. Her local friend Jerri (Carla Gugino) is a card dealer.This could have been a simple two person erotic play following in the footsteps of "Last Tango in Paris". Sarsgaard and Parker are very capable actors. It wouldn't be breaking any new grounds but it would still be interesting to see the actors try their best. Sarsgaard definitely has the sadness but he doesn't strike me as a nerd who needs to pay for a girl. That guy is too beautiful to not have a dozen girls chasing after him. Director Wayne Wang is unable to deliver anything visually compelling other than some memorable erotica. The mixing of lower grade indie cinematography is distracting. In the end, this doesn't really get there.

"Center of the World" is a very well photographed drama and is highly worth a viewing, but has several flaws."Center of the World", an almost mirror image of "Leaving Las Vegas" (better film), is about a computer whiz named Richard's (Peter Sarsgaard) three day escape from his everyday life to Las Vegas with a stripper named Florence (the lovely Molly Parker), who he pays to go with him under the conditions they won't have sex.But Richard's promise eventually gets the best of him and he begins to obsess about having the best sex of his life with Florence. Florence, meanwhile, holds Richard back with teases and a "Fire and Ice" (Don't ask me) routine off screen. With each tease, the characters' chemistry builds up and we begin to wonder if Richard and Florence are actually falling in love."Center of the World" has beautiful cinematography. The entire film was shot on tape and a few scenes are in one of the best shades of black and white I've ever scene.Peter Sarsgaard is very good as the naive but extremely polite computer whiz and Molly Parker (although very better in "Pure") pours herself into the tough role of Florence almost as good as Jennifer Connely portrayed Marion in "Requiem for a Dream".The film does have several flaws though. It has far too many sex scenes (often gratuitous), the chemistry between the two characters blooms and dies at any given time and the surprise ending is almost ruined by two scenes directly after the surprise (you'll have to see for yourself)."Center of the World" is a good film worth watching once.

Gee whiz, didn't realize I was setting out to watch a soft core porn movie! Could have been a very interesting story. Unfortunately, the main characters were devoid of emotional depth and lacked any interpersonal chemistry. In the end the story had nothing to do with love or even attraction, but just the power (and violence) that some people exert over each other. Thought the ending was perfect given the superficiality of the characters. Gave this 2 out of 10.

Ancient script. Man needs the physical stuff. Man hires dancer or prostitute. Man falls in love with her. Man in crisis mode.This movie lacks a bundle on the character development's front. And the passion between Richard and Flo doesn't really fly. The elements are there to make a good movie, but Wayne Wang seems to be unable to put the magic touch to it.Molly Parker and Peter Sarsgaard are doing a fine job as Flo and Richard.You can easily skip this one.Out of 100, I gave it 73. That's good for **½ out of ****.Seen at home, in Toronto, on October 18th, 2002.