Preaching to the Perverted Movie Review

When you wrap your DVD in a faux vinyl S&M mask, you're making a statement. In the case of Preaching to the Perverted, that statement is, "Bondage is fun!"

This silly little comedy out of the UK offers a simple premise sent against a presumably scandalous backdrop: the world of fetish/S&M clubs. It's all fun and games until Johnny Law comes sniffing around, trying to figure out who's behind the clubs (which meet in secret) and how to prosecute them for, er, something. The government's priggishness seems to revolve around problems with shock treatment being practiced on the slave types. Solution: Hire a young "computer whiz" (in this film, that means a guy who knows how to use a chat room) to "infiltrate" the bondage world and gather evidence against them.

The problem: Computer whiz Peter (Christien Anholt) falls in love with head bondage-chick Tanya Cheex (!) (Guinevere Turner), and vice versa. Oh, the humanity! What's the House of Commons supposed to do now!? Well, eventually they do get their evidence and go to trial, and the film turns into a melodrama.

On the plus side, this film has the incomprably beautiful Turner, appearing naked or topless during nearly all of her screen time and often whipping or electrocuting someone with obvious delight. Her legions of latex-encrusted slaves (including countless women with their heads shaved) are a joy to behold.

The movie itself is fundamentally pretty stupid, never quite reaching the realm of good farce (Blazing Saddles) or even mediocre farce (Strictly Ballroom). It's rarely funny, though thank God it avoids the sheer idiocy of films like Exit to Eden. Recalling Rosie O'Donnell in leather is making me shudder. This is a reasonably fun but ultimately really pointless movie about embracing differences and savoring the delightful pain of a nipple piercing. Somehow that got the film banned in several countries. Who knew?