We All Unfairly Slept on Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott’s Sexy, Twisty Thriller

When films are compared to theatrical stage productions, it is often to regrade them by implying that they do not take advantage of the cinematic medium. That being said, making use of a confined location and giving a spotlight to a limited set of performances can be advantageous for films that have an inventive new perspective on an antiquated genre. Sanctuary sadly did not get the attention that it deserved during its initial theatrical release, which is not all that surprising; it’s very hard to market a film with such an unusual premise, as audiences may have struggled to understand what differentiated it from countless other erotic thrillers. However, Sanctuary depicts an exhilarating battle of wills between two idiosyncratic characters, and features some of the best work that Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott have ever done.

What Is 'Sanctuary' About?

Sanctuary is set entirely within the confines of a fancy hotel suite, in which a potential CEO of a major company shares an intimate encounter with a sultry dominatrix. Abbott stars as Hal Porterfield, who is expected to become the leader of the hotel chain after the death of his father, who had previously served the company. Qualley appears as Rebecca Marin, who initially comes to interview Hal; however, it becomes evident that she is performing dialogue that was prewritten, as this is a moment that Hal has fantasized about. The lines between the sexual fantasy and reality of the situation begin to blur when Hal informs Rebecca that they can no longer see each other, as he needs to focus on his preparations; this sets off Rebecca, who feels that she deserves to benefit from his success, which she claims to be directly responsible for. The film examines how these two highly disturbed characters are continuously drawn to each other, despite knowing how toxic a potential relationship could be.

Even though it is almost entirely reliant on dialogue, there is very little expositional material in Sanctuary, as it encourages viewers to pay attention to the latent intentions of both characters. It is evident that Rebecca has become so comfortable playing different “characters” in her profession that she can easily sound sincere, even when her intentions are manipulative; likewise, Hal has begun to adopt the persona of a charismatic, progressive CEO, even though in reality he suffers from severe anxiety and feelings of self-doubt. Even though both characters have to mask their true desires from each other, it becomes clear that there is nothing false about the way that they feel. As much as Hal wants to dismiss Rebecca as a figure of his past, he knows that he still feels like he can express the truth to her; similarly, it is clear that Rebecca has become personally invested in seeing Hal succeed and fulfill his potential, and does not view him as simply another client that she would have otherwise forgotten about as soon as her assignment was fulfilled.

'Sanctuary' Is an Inventive Twist on the Erotic Thriller Formula

Sanctuary makes use of its confined space, and is able to get fairly inventive with the way it stages the intimate moments. Although there is an undeniable sexual chemistry between the two characters, Sanctuary does not attempt to be alluring in the same way that many classics of the genre are; it is often that Hal and Rebecca draw out the worst in one another, leading to some graphic sexual acts that occasionally feel somewhat disturbing. Sanctuary is not afraid to elicit awkward laughter from its viewers; it is dealing with some fairly ridiculous characters, and so a little dark comedy is warranted.

Sanctuary is uniquely suited for the modern world of dating and relationships, as it addresses how hard it is to feel a true sense of discovery when so many interactions are digital. Part of what makes the relationship between Hal and Rebecca so alluring is that there is a genuine sense of mystery; both characters are hiding things about themselves to make their interactions feel more spontaneous. By removing anything but the primal instincts of its characters, Sanctuary is a terrific character study that examines the scary, hilarious, and unusual things that people do for one another when they believe that they are in love.

Sanctuary is streaming on Hulu in the United States.

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