The Center of the World (2001)

34% of critics liked it
(80 reviews)
38% of users liked it
(2,398 ratings)

In this digitally shot feature from acclaimed director Wayne Wang) (The Joy Luck Club), the boundaries of sexual relations are put to the test by two individuals. Richard (Peter Sarsgaard) is a dot-com entrepreneur who, despite earning millions of dollars, feels little connection to the outside… More In this digitally shot feature from acclaimed director Wayne Wang) (The Joy Luck Club), the boundaries of sexual relations are put to the test by two individuals. Richard (Peter Sarsgaard) is a dot-com entrepreneur who, despite earning millions of dollars, feels little connection to the outside world. After frequenting a strip club, he offers Florence (Molly Parker), a sometime-stripper who also works as a drummer, $10,000 dollars to accompany him to Las Vegas for a short stay. She makes him a list of rules that must be followed: no kissing on the mouth, no penetration, and each will stay in separate bedrooms and only convene during the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Staying in adjoining rooms, they stick to the plan as laid out until they develop a fondness for each other -- still, Florence tries to maintain the order of their agreement. Despite Richard's declarations that he is in love with her, she is forced not to let herself get too involved, even when their sexual relationship begins to increase after the arrival of Florence's hooker friend Jerri (Carla Gugino), who after a brutal fight with a man, immerses herself in the sexual lives of Richard and Florence. The film also features Balthazar Getty and Shirley Knight in small supporting roles. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 26 min.
Directed By: Wayne Wang
Written By: Ellen Benjamin Wong, Wayne Wang, Miranda July
Genres: Drama, Romance, Art House & International

In Theaters: Apr 18, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Dec 18, 2001
Studio: Artisan Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Why is it that "prestige" sex films, made by name directors and featuring estimable players, are usually so boring?
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel
There's something numbingly predictable about Wang's whole approach.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Enough to send you running from the theater, yawning.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
Wang is working on your mind, not your body.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Way off-center in any world.
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle
We leave the theater thinking less about how the film made us feel or think than the mechanics of how it was put together.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
...rings with a perfectly hollow pitch that's a digital video punch to the solar plexus.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Utilizando o sexo como ponte para estudar seus personagens, o diretor Wayne Wang cria um filme interessante, mas não totalmente satisfatório.
Tom Grealis, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
Retains the dreaded essence of voyeurism dressed as art.
Nathaniel Rogers, Film Experience
The dramatic push and pull of the budding relationship is not terribly original in and of itself -but in its ambiguities the movie soars.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
Peter Sarsgaard and Molly Parker bare just about everything, without really bringing the characters to life.

Read all 11 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Steve K

A very modern, somewhat disquieting look at sex and relationships in the modern world.
Daniel P

Depressing as hell and rather self-contained, The Center of the World is a dull, dreary story, shot on the cheap with an ugly, hyper-real aesthetic but a somewhat unbelievable starting point. Richard, a successful but socially inadequate computer engineer, meets… More
Depressing as hell and rather self-contained, The Center of the World is a dull, dreary story, shot on the cheap with an ugly, hyper-real aesthetic but a somewhat unbelievable starting point. Richard, a successful but socially inadequate computer engineer, meets Molly, a drummer in an aspiring rock group, iand decides to talk to her. Molly (very) soon tells him that for money, she works in a strip club, and one night he goes there to meet her and gets a lap dance. Apparently under pressure from his friends to 'get laid' (well, there's one scene anyway), he offers Molly a substantial amount of money if she spends a three-day weekend with him in Las Vegas. Of course, eventually she agrees, though inevitably there are conditions: she's only 'his' from 10 PM until 2 AM, there's no kissing on the mouth, and definitely no penetration. Guess what happens? The bleak ending is a bit disrespectful to one of the characters, but is certainly powerful, and the strong sex scenes are far more effective than say, those in 9 Songs. Though there's really no new ground covered here, writer Ellen Benjamin Wong and director Wayn Wang clearly have good intentions, and what elevates this into watchable, sometimes perceptive territory is the stunning lead performance from Peter Sarsgaard (and to a lesser extent, the performance by Molly Parker). Whenever films are shot on hand-held camcorders/home-video equipment, something about the way it looks highlights that people are acting. It all looks too 'fake' and static, mannerisms become exaggerated and it becomes quickly obvious that the whole thing is, well, fictitious. But Sarsgaard is never anything less than utterly believable; he is supernaturally talented here - there's no artifice, and though the entire film is really quite underwritten, his is the only character here who feels like he has lived before the film starts and will continue to live after it is over.
Brian R

Wayne Wang's "The Center of the World" is a real, painful story about two lost souls. A guy who is a wealthy in the dot com era and a female stripper.(they're really called business women because they never mix real emotional love with work, same applies for webcam… More
Wayne Wang's "The Center of the World" is a real, painful story about two lost souls. A guy who is a wealthy in the dot com era and a female stripper.(they're really called business women because they never mix real emotional love with work, same applies for webcam ladies, the product is their bodies. Take it or leave it) They go to Vegas for three days together where the female has listed certain rules to the deal. No intercourse, sexual contact between 10pm to 2am, no touching, etc...etc The man is fine by that but how long will those rules last until? They sort of try to get to know each other and she can see that he isn't a creep, when 10pm hits she transforms into an erotic attractive woman. TCOTW is not pornography, sex isn;t even the main subject but it's about the deal and of course cash. They are both the same, no one is greater then the other, at first I started to resent the female because she managed to get the upper hand but did we not forget the wealthy guy? he still manages to make money while he leaves his investors in the wind, and what about a third party who enters the scene? She happens to be the stripper's girlfriend and shows up at their hotel beaten to a pulp.(she explains what happend but im too lazy to give details) At first I started to cringe because surely this felt like a setup while somehow the third girl was gonna run away with his money(he gives her the money anyway out of curtesy)ugh...I don't know sure seems like it, either that or the beat up chick is a very good actress. Their is a lot of suspence in this film and I was desperately waiting for the two to drop the deal and start to really like each other, when the suspense ended I manage to escape the headlock. The ending fits so well as to believe did these two business souls meet again? or was this the past? Molly Parker, Peter Sarsgaard, Carla Gugino turn in strong performances.