This film is about a sadomasochistic, obsessive and degrading sexual relationship between Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke. In order to truly capture that, director Adrian Lyne felt he needed to shoot the film chronologically, to break Basinger down emotionally, much like her character.

He’d tell her rumours about Rourke, keep her separated from her co-stars, and repeatedly insulted her. It got so bad that it sparked problems with her then-husband, and caused her to have a breakdown off screen.