Strictly Confidential Review: Woefully Uninspired Erotic Thriller Is Neither Sexy Nor Thrilling

As the directional debut from model-turned-filmmaker Damian Hurley, Strictly Confidential is a poorly acted erotic thriller that enters the realm of the bizarrely Freudian with the realization that it stars his own mother. A lifeless story of a young woman drawn into a world of conspiracy, lies, and hidden secrets, Strictly Confidential feels like its script was generated by AI, the actors were reading off a teleprompter, and when they weren’t sure what their lines were, they decided to kiss each other. Thankfully, at just 21 years old, Hurley, who also wrote the screenplay, has plenty of time to improve.

Set on a Caribbean Island on the anniversary of the death of the young and beautiful Rebecca (Lauren McQueen), a tight-knit group visits the mother and sister of their deceased friend. Here they meet Rebecca’s mother, played by Damien’s real-life mom, the model and actress Elizabeth Hurley, and her sister Jemma (Genevieve Gaunt), both of whom are still reeling from the death of their family member. At the center of it all is Rebecca’s best friend, the clueless Mia (Georgia Lock), who painfully uncovers the layers of secrets and deception behind Rebecca’s final days.

Damian Hurley Doesn’t Trust Audiences To Read Between The Lines

Strictly Confidential is more vapid than the average erotic thriller

Strictly Confidential’s main crime is having nothing to say. Sex scenes are scattered throughout between the various characters, who are either cheating on or lying to one another, the twists are dull, and the eroticism is off-putting. In almost every scene there is a mention of Rebecca, and, in a shocking turn of events, all is not what it seems. As Mia gradually realizes that there’s more to the story than she originally thought, her expressions of shock, horror, and sadness are so over-the-top that Hurley seems to underestimate our ability to follow a basic plot.

Strictly Confidential sparked discussion before it was even released due to sex scenes involving the director’s mother, which Hurley said he “felt totally normal” directing (via The Times). Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the viewers watching, who, with the knowledge of the familial relationship, are likely to feel somewhat uncomfortable. While there is sexual tension between pretty much every character in Strictly Confidential, the erotic scenes feel oddly shoehorned in, almost as if Hurley was trying to pad out the runtime to bring the 89-minute movie into feature-length territory.

Technically, Strictly Confidential looks just fine, although it often feels more like a made-for-TV movie than a theatrical feature film. The musical cues are in your face, bombastic and over-the-top when the characters are in the city, and elusive and exotic once they make it to the island. Narratively, there is a lot that does not add up and, although the characters are supposed to be deeply connected, it often seems like they haven’t spoken for the last year. Once the big twist is revealed, all logic well and truly goes out the window.

Strictly Confidential Turns Up The Tension In Its Final Act

But Hurley has a long way to go as a filmmaker if he wants to succeed

Of course, there is more to Rebecca’s story than her untimely death, and, despite all its illogical faults, once all is revealed in the final act, Strictly Confidential starts to pick up steam, becoming a far more compelling film. As all the various secrets between the characters are outed, and the not-so-subtle foreshadowing pays off, what’s left is a movie whose ending we could have guessed, but it’s still satisfying to see it mostly come together. It was by no means perfect, but the final reveal was Strictly Confidential at its most urgent.

While Hurley’s skill as a filmmaker was in question for the majority of the movie’s runtime, there are around 10 minutes near the end that hint that, with some work, he could hone his skills further. Strictly Confidential was a film that did not need to be made, as it bore none of the appeal of erotic classics like Eyes Wide Shut or Basic Instinct. But, it may stand as a guilty pleasure for some. Unfortunately, Hurley is just too young and inexperienced to pull off this project with the depth, maturity, and self-awareness that the best erotic thrillers require.