After visiting a glamorous Christmas party in 90s New York, Dr. William “Bill” Harford and his wife Alice find their marriage disrupted. When the couple discusses their unfulfilled temptations, Bill is confronted with his wife confessing her sexual fantasies with another man. The agitation leads Bill into a chaotic journey through the nightlife of a bustling city in full Christmas spirit. What follows are bizarre encounters filled with sexual temptation: from prostitutes to a costume shop owner and old acquaintances. One of which, Nick the pianist, happens to be part of a secret society that conducts sexual ceremonies. Bill quickly comes to realize that his endeavors might be more dangerous than he anticipated.
Through striking imagery and tense dialogues accompanied by an eerie score, Kubrick masterfully depicts the descent of a man consumed by the inner conflict of holding on to his values or giving in to repressed, self-righteous infidelity. The journey of Bill not only provides a window into sexual relations hiding beneath the surface of modern society, but it also invokes introspection of topics integral to the human experience: partnership, lust and love.
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