Rating: 
Summary: A dialog heavy film about sex and love
Review: Borrowing a part of it's plot from 'Indecent Proposal', 'The Center Of The World' manages to be a sexually charged, and erotic film, one that may surprise some viewers because it was an American made movie.The deal is simple...Richard, a computer genius (Peter Sarsgaard) offers Florence, a struggling musician/stripper (Molly Parker) $10,000 to spend the weekend with him in Vegas, but before she says yes he must agree to her terms...no kissing, only meeting between the hours of 10pm and 2am, not getting personal and absolutely no falling in love. With these rules laid out in front of him Richard agrees even though he plans on making her love him. The story of Richard and Flo unfolds slowly, but as the characters are developed the viewer realizes the pair are searching for the same thing...love. Molly Parker gives an intimate performances of a woman looking to find herself, and get past her fear of intimacy, and Peter Sarsgaard does a great job as Richard, an empty young man looking to make his life complete. Although sexually explicit in spots (the lollipop scene must be seen to be believed) 'The Center Of The World' never becomes cheap or porno-ish. And bravo to Ms. Parker and Mr. Sarsgaard for being brave enough to take on roles that required them to be fully nude in several scenes. Anyone looking for a sex movie should look elsewhere, for the power of this film lies in it's two main characters. Those looking an artsy/erotic movie will enjoy this. Nick Gonnella
Rating: 
Summary: "You create a frontier."
Review: Florence (Molly Parker) drummer by day and stripper by night meets computer geek & millionaire Richard Longman (Peter Sarsgaard). Richard abandons his computer screen and checks out Florence's act at Pandora's Box. He likes what he sees, and he offers Florence $10,000 if she will spend the weekend with him in Las Vegas. Florence, at first rejects the idea, but then presents a counter-offer with VERY strict rules of engagement allowing limited sexual favours between the hours of 10pm-2 am. A contract is literally drawn up, and Richard agrees--reluctantly--to abide by the rules. Florence packs her rubber dresses and her high heels, and the two head to Vegas and check into a sumptuous adjoining suite.
"The Center of the World" is a fascinating film, and it's most fascinating in its depiction and exploration of sexuality. Here we have two characters who attempt to create a contract regulating the limits. Richard clearly wants more than Florence is prepared to give him, and Florence is only comfortable 'performing' literally with music. It's a situation that's destined for trouble. And there's a sort of naked honesty and best of intentions here, but at the same time the characters struggle and fail to understand each other.
The character of Richard is a little overdone--the scenes with his takeout food containers and half empty pizza boxes emphasize that this is a man who has put his personal life on hold while pursing his career. But Florence is a truly great character--someone who can't be bought but someone who still wants to deliver Richard's money's worth. Ultimately, the film's message is that sex is a complicated thing--and definitely something that can't be regulated. All the contracts in the world don't cover feelings and complicated moral issues, and while the contract between Florence and Richard isn't exactly the normal state of affairs between human beings, nonetheless, the contract serves in a way, as the figurative contract assumed by any couple--in any relationship. It's always the fine print ...
"The Center of the World" far outclasses such tripe as the syrupy sweet "Pretty Woman" or the souped up romance "Indecent Proposal". Obviously this is a film for adults only, and due to the strong sexual theme, it's really reserved for those more tolerant of certain raw aspects of sexuality--displacedhuman
Rating:
Summary: It's 10:00 p.m.: Do you know where your lap dance is?
Review: Las Vegas. A computer nerd with too much money--a thin, freckled redhead with too little money. A gaudy hotel suite, complete with erotic paintings; a set of two double-doors, separating (permanently) our two protagonists.
And behold the movie THE CENTER OF THE WORLD. That's pretty much it.
Okay, there is a little more than the above, but not much. When computer wonder-boy Richard Longman (Peter Sarsgaard) finds himself infatuated with a stripper and rock drummer-wannabe Florence (Molly Parker), he offers the lady ten grand to spend three pleasurable nights in Las Vegas with him. Never mind the fact he could have used the money for a decent set of clothes and a shampoo, but I digress. Florence accepts the offer, but there are conditions. Primarily, ala the film "Pretty Woman," the conditions have to do with avoiding liking one another, so at once the viewer knows immediately what's going to happen.
So, in essence, we are treated to a film where two characters prance and frolic in wanton self-denial, until, at last, one of them finally succumbs to his/her (no giving away the storyline for me, by golly) emotions. The confrontation/climax is both bittersweet and unbelievable--especially once the rejector treats the rejectee to a most puzzling episode of self-pleasure, before the lowered eyes of said rejectee.
Where the heck did that come from?
But, again, I digress. THE CENTER OF THE WORLD is a handsome film, and very easy on the eyes. Both main characters could stand a square meal, by the way, but again, that's just me. Eat hearty, folks. The ending is contrived, nothing is actually resolved, and now I'm pulling the cushions off my sofa looking for loose change. Gotta save up my money: Ten thousand buckaroos is going to be dang hard to come by.
--D. Mikels
Rating:
Summary: sexy and intense drama
Review: Peter Sarsgaard(The Salton Sea, Empire) is in love with Molly Parker(Bliss1997, Sunshine) who is a hooker& a stripper, Sarsgaard brings Parker to Vegas for 3 days and then things start to unfold. his passion for her breaks down a wall and she might like him too. great performances by the leads with some intense, sexual moments, some of which Parker gets down, nice..good drama about obsession
Rating:
Summary: about the movie...The centre of the World
Review: Richard, a computer genius (Peter Sarsgaard) offers Florence, a struggling musician/stripper (Molly Parker) $10,000 to spend the weekend with him in Vegas, but before she says yes he must agree to her terms...no kissing, only meeting between the hours of 10pm and 2am, not getting personal and absolutely no penetration or sex.
With these rules laid out in front of him Richard agrees even though he plans on making her love him. Richard, actually love this stripper(Florence) and what make piss off and 'force' sex with her is that Florence told him that she was only paid to make her enjoy him(can't really remember that much).
Rating: 
Summary: Boring to watch
Review: The actors spend too much time just staring at each other without speaking. The story is too unbelievable too. It was a waste of my money to buy it.
Rating:
Summary: Exploring the boundaries between reality and fantasy
Review: Think the premise of "Pretty Woman," but more firmly grounded in the real world, and you might get close to what "The Center of the World" is all about. This film abandons the glamourized Hollywood notions of sex workers, and doesn't engage in the pat, happy ending that we saw in "Pretty Woman"... and it is a far better film for it. Furthermore, Molly Parker is far more exotically lovely than Julia Roberts could even hope to be, and a better actress to boot. In short, if you're looking for a romantic escapist fantasy about a sex worker redeemed by the love of a good man, look elsewhere -- this film is far more complex than that. Comparisons to "Pretty Woman" do seem inevitable however, to the point that I wonder if the director and writers weren't crafting this film as a direct response to that one, a way of saying, "Whoa boy, reality check!" The premise is familiar at least. Richard (Peter Saarsgard) is wealthy but lonely after a breakup with his girlfriend two years before. He meets Florence (Molly Parker) in a coffee shop and finds out that she is a stripper. He visits her at the strip club where she works (nicely named Pandora's Box), and is so intrigued by her that he offers her $10,000 to spend three days with him in Las Vegas. She agrees, with a number of strict conditions, including limiting the number of hours she is required to "work," and limiting the acts she will perform. "No kissing on the mouth" (sounds familiar, no?) and "no penetration" are among her limitations. From this familiar territory, though, the film explores new ground. Richard and Florence get to know one another as they spend more time together, and Florence finds out that Richard isn't such a bad guy, just lonely. "Why do you have to be so nice?" she asks him at one point, partially angry and partially not. Richard, in the meantime, is becoming more and more deeply entranced by this woman he has hired, which becomes part of the conflict. Given the subject of the film, there is of course a great deal of sexuality portrayed in it. It is handled pretty tastefully, and none of it is there for its own sake. It is partially through their sexual relationship that we see the growth and the limitations of the characters' relationship in general. The sex scenes are handsomely shot and are not the typical sort of scenes one might expect from an erotic film; nevertheless (perhaps because they are unique), they are extremely erotic. The acting is quite good. We spend most of the film only seeing Richard and Florence interacting together, with just a few other characters showing up here and there, but the two lead actors have the chops to sustain the film from beginning to end. Peter Saarsgard plays a "nice guy" well, and it's good to see that he doesn't overplay it at all. He's a very real nice guy, with flaws and points where he stops being nice out of frustration or anger. Molly Parker, as Florence, lends a similar depth to her role. From the first moment you see her you can see why Richard becomes infatuated with her: she is ethereally lovely, with a husky voice that is simply enthralling. But it is her personality that Richard really falls for, and that too is portrayed believably. She is played with a genuine warmth and likeability that is often missing from erotic films, but not overly sweet like "Pretty Woman" and many other Hollywood attempts at a similar story. I suspect that Molly Parker will be a talent to watch carefully in the next few years. The nature and limitations of the relationship between these two people -- in one sense employer and employee and in another far more intimate than that -- becomes the main subject of the film as it progresses. How much of what Florence is giving to Richard is real, and how much is an act? How does the aspect of money change what happens over that three days? Are his feelings based in reality? Are hers? Some of these questions are answered at the end, others are left open to the viewer's interpretation. There is nothing about the end, however, that is trite or simple, and as in life, there is a great deal that will depend on the perspective of the person watching the story unfold. This is a film very much grounded in reality, dealing with real people in a realistic (if unique) situation, and in the end it avoids the typical Hollywood fantasy notions that are so common. Comparisons to "Pretty Woman" may well be inevitable for this film, but in such comparisons "The Center of the World" comes out ahead in every category. It's not a perfect film, but it is an excellent one. It is both sexier and more realistic, and that makes it well worth watching in my book.
Rating: 
Summary: Pointless titilation
Review: This is a really awful movie. The characters are one-dimensional so it's hard to care about this bunch of loosers. There is no significant plot development (when a third character appears there's a brief hope that there might be something of interest, but she soon leaves the script) so it's hard to sustain attention. The production values would earn a "C" in film school--instead of a "gritty, reality" feel, you end up saying: "I could have made a better movie myself." Avoid it.
Rating: 
Summary: Hidden gem!
Review: This movie was totally not what I was expecting but I just loved it. It examines the meaning of relationship (at least that's how I understood it) and does it with such delicacy and subtlety that it's very rare in american movies (it rather characteristic for french movies). The movie is very erotic and sensual even without (or almost without) nudity. The acting by Peter Sargaard and Molly Parker was superb. Highly recommended to all fans of european cinema that can accept a movie without much outside action.
Rating:
Summary: Weird Sexual Film Leaves One Dry
Review: This was a weird movie. Wayne Wang is one of the most famous directors of "no budget films" (films that shoot on 16mm and video with no connection to Hollywood) and popularized by Rick Schmidt. On that recommendation, I went to see this movie. The plot centers around a rich tech-geek who hires a stripper to go with him to Las Vegas. During the trip, sex mixes with (maybe) love and eventually all hell breaks lose with each side realizing what they really are. There are plenty of reasons to view this movie. The characters are very complex, with truly subtle perfomances given by all involved. The story also is engaging with enough twists to keep one puzzled. This is a sexual film that is the complete opposite of "Showgirls." It is a view of the sex industry with both it's appeal and its horrible toll of the minds of its partisipants. You will real want to discuss this film. So far, it sounds like a five star movie, but it isn't. The lowbudgetness of the movie makes the sex scenes look like porn, which actually draws the audiance out of the emotions Wang is looking for. It also is a movie that becomes increasingly vulgar to melodramatic effect, so as to almost parody itself at times. It appears that there were two sides to Director Wayne Wang on this piece. Director Wayne made a profound study of the sex industry. Director WANG made a cheap vulgar porno. It's too bad that they're the same movie.
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