Exotica

The action in Canadian provocateur Atom Egoyan 's cryptic Exotica revolves largely around the strip club, which lends the film its name, a faux-tropical hothouse where young female dancers cater to their customers' sexual and psychological needs. Among the regulars is Francis ( Bruce Greenwood ), a troubled taxman haunted by Christina, a young stripper played by Mia Kirshner . As the film hypnotically unfolds, their relationship is slowly explored, the narrative dovetailing with the stories of a gay pet shop owner ( Don McKellar ), the Exotica's pregnant owner ( Arsinee Khanjian ), and its embittered DJ ( Elias Koteas ). Like all of Egoyan 's films, Exotica is a riddle, its answers only fostering more questions. The director's recurring themes of family breakdowns, voyeurism and obsession are all in the mix here as well, but essayed with a new clarity of vision and intensity. — Jason Ankeny