Sekretarka / Secretary (2002)

Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) emerge from a psychiatric hospital, determined to reintegrate into society. A single day with her dysfunctional family triggers a resurgence of self-harm tendencies, propelling her to seek a semblance of normalcy. Enrolling in a typing course, she secures a mundane job at a law office, where her employer, the peculiar attorney Edward Grey (James Spader), blurs the lines between professional and personal relationships, transcending not only the boundaries set by labor and ethical codes but also societal norms concerning love.

Lee, haunted by her recent stint in a psychiatric facility, harbors reservations about applying for the position of secretary in Edward Grey’s law office. Freshly liberated from the confines of a mental institution, she is grappling with the scars of a dysfunctional family, a crucible that swiftly compels a return to her self-destructive habits. Moreover, Lee lacks any prior work experience, making her an unconventional candidate. Nevertheless, the idiosyncratic lawyer opts to hire her. Initially, her duties seem routine, encompassing typewriting and coffee brewing, but as time elapses, the relationship between Lee and Mr. Grey takes an unexpected turn, venturing into realms that would leave any human resources director flabbergasted. When Lee’s family and her casual boyfriend, Peter (Jeremy Davies), catch wind of the unconventional office romance, scandal erupts. While her family endeavors to reinstate Lee into a semblance of „normal” life, she, confident in her newfound emotions, rebels against their attempts, having discovered the true meaning of love.

Lee, portrayed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, is a young woman scarred by her tumultuous past. Freshly discharged from a psychiatric institution, she confronts the challenges of an emotionally unstable existence, resolving to lead a conventional life and secure employment. Against the odds, she lands a job as a secretary in a law office. However, as time progresses, her employer demands more from her than mere secretarial duties, evolving their relationship into an unconventional emotional entanglement.