The Center of the World

Infobox Film
name = The Center of the World


image_size =
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director = Wayne Wang
producer = Wayne Wang
Peter Newman
writer = Wayne Wang
Miranda July
narrator =
starring = Peter Sarsgaard
Molly Parker
music =
cinematography = Mauro Fiore
editing = Lee Percy
distributor =
released = April 19, 2001 USA

runtime = 88 min.
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0240402

"The Center of the World" is an American film directed by Wayne Wang, digitally shot, released in 2001. It stars Peter Sarsgaard as a Dot-com millionaire who hires a drummer/stripper (Molly Parker) to stay with him in Las Vegas for three days for US$10,000.

Internet executive Jason Calacanis consulted on, and appeared in, the film.

Plot summary

A couple checks into a suite in Las Vegas. In flashbacks we see that he's a computer whiz on the verge of becoming a dot.com millionaire, she's a lap dancer at a club. He's depressed, withdrawing from work, missing meetings with investors. He wants a connection, so he offers her $10,000 to spend three nights with him in Vegas, and she accepts with conditions: four hours per night of erotic play, and no penetration. During the days in Vegas, they get to know each other, have fun, meet a friend of hers; at night, at least after the first night, things seem to get complicated. Is mutual attraction stirring? Will they play by their rules? Can it be about more than money?

Popular and critical reception

The film opened to mixed reviews, and has been compared to movies with similar "hooker in love" storylines such as Exotica and Pretty Woman. "The Center of the World" is more explicit than said films, containing both female and male full frontal nudity, as well as a penetration shot of a lollipop in a vagina.

External links

*imdb title|id=0240402|title=The Center of the World