Encontro Secreto

Saw this a long time ago and watched again this weekend and still think the writers and director ruined it. They had it heading down the path as an all time great erotic R rated movie and pulled the plug on it after the swimming pool scene. I don't know why they did that but it ruined an otherwise excellent adult movie. Maybe they couldn't figure out how to end it, keeping it in the same context as it started out.

Besides the lack of steam, the whole concept makes no sense. For a mutual partnership to evolve, there should be some sort of trust and attraction between the people, but why would one couple keep on pursing this relationship when the other couple obviously is not going to give the same in return? It is no better than going to a professional escort service which would provide you with all the needs and even make believe that they actually care for you. When it comes down to the point of threats, is there a point in continuing the relationship? We're not talking about some obsessed person who cannot leave a relationship, but professional swingers who seeks someone who they are comfortable with and whom they could trust. And after the first few bad encounters, all those qualities in this relationship is gone.

As for Kristy Swanson being in the role of the seductress, it is all cold shower from her. The real steamer role comes from Brandy Ledford, who is suppose to be the wife that reluctantly went along with the swinger idea. She had all the body cues to entice even the stiffest of corpses while Swanson acted more like a tomboy or dominatrix.

Caught this on cable last night (part of my self-inflicted double feature with the much-better Cellular), and needless to say, it started off promising but deteriorated far too quickly into spineless, unimaginative drivel, and not enough sex (steamy or otherwise) to justify it. Found myself making a list in my head about what I needed to buy at the supermarket during the sex scenes, in fact, and during the other scenes, where the 2 virgin swingers find themselves relentlessly pursued by the deranged Baldwin brother and his lunatic wife (way to go, Kristy - you sure can pick 'em), I was going over my strategy for a Neopets game in my head.

The upper middle class Wendy Barnet (Brandy Ledford) and Alan Barnet (Cameron Daddo) are married with children and live in the suburbs. Alan is disputing a promotion with his co-worker Neil Bradley (Vincent Corazza) but his relationship with Wendy is boring. They decide to buy a swingers magazine and contact an attractive couple to rekindle their sex life. The couple Louise (Kristy Swanson) and Jack Bauer (Stephen Baldwin) schedule a date with them at the Zebra Lounge and they go to a place where they swap wives. Wendy and Alan feel satisfied with the encounter but Louise and Jack want to meet them again. Soon they find how persistent Jack is.

"Zebra Lounge" is a sexy but lame erotic-thriller. The story is predictable and full of roles. But Kristy Swanson and Brandy Ledford are very sexy and make this film worthwhile watching. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Encontro Secreto" ("Secret encounter")

to this film, which is a cable ready movie, so use that as the parameter to judge it.

Kristy Swanson is Stephen Baldwin's wife, they are swingers who come across a personal ad placed by a bored married couple (Cameron Daddo is believable as a bored sales executive).

There are a few artful scenes in the beginning, which slowly degenerate to predictable, but then the couple begin to pursue Daddo and his wife, as well as their children. They pop up at a birthday party, buy them a plasma TV and move in to the vacant house next door.

There is an amusing scene where Baldwin says he and Louise (Kristy Swanson) are committed to the relationship and want it long-term, apparently swingers "going steady" to avoid the possibility of HIV, other complications.

Overall it is entertainment, worth watching for Baldwin as the villain. 5/10.