As one of several 1990 theatrical releases whose controversial content helped lead the MPAA to amend its vague and restrictive ratings system, the Spanish dark comedy Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! Earned a reputation that at first glance may seem deceptive.

The latest entry from daring director Pedro Almodovar has little in the way of onscreen sex or nudity, but the MPAA undoubtedly felt unnerved by the story of an abducted film actress who falls for her mentally unbalanced captor. Much like the kidnapper, the movie has some wild shifts in tone that make watching it an uneven performance.

Victoria Abril stars as Marina, a former porn star and recovering drug addict, who, in one of the many one-night stands, makes a lasting impression on escaped sanitarium patient Antonio Banderas. When he’s later released, he sets out to create a “normal life” for himself, and chooses Abril as his intended wife. Following her from a mainstream film set where she’s making a comeback, he enters her apartment and holds her captive, patiently waiting for her to fall in love with him. Along the way, the boundary between captor and captive becomes blurred, and when their relationship takes a turn to the bedroom, the next problem is how to avoid Marina’s sister, who is investigating her “disappearance.” But has Marina really succumbed?

Almodovar has made a name for himself in both Spain and America for his skewered look at sexual politics and compelling female characters, but those qualities seem lacking in this film. Despite the satiric tone, there is still something vaguely distasteful about Abril’s situation and how it’s handled, and while her past problems and dependencies may explain some of it, her sudden turn towards sympathy for Banderas (after he’s mugged while trying to obtain drugs for her) doesn’t ring totally true.