Title:Cruel Intentions

Date: 1999
Type: Drama / Romance
Rating: 3/5
Colour: Yes
Director: Roger Kumble
Producer:

Comment
A pair of manipulative and sexual step-siblings (Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe) at an expensive Manhattan school set out to seduce the innocent daughter (Reese With spoon) of the new headmistress and the girl (Selma Blair) who her boyfriend dumped her for. This is an 18th century French novel transposed to 20th century teenage America. Along the way it keeps the sexual play of the sorry but looses the social background that underpins the point of the sexual politics being played out. The film develops the games played out between the two lead protagonists, but somehow they are not entirely convincing, possibly because they are playing people that are too young for the complex characters that the story needs. The good performances come from Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair as the two innocent girls loosing their innocence. It is hard not to make comparisons with the earlier and better Dangerous Liaisons due to the sets, costumes and performances from Glenn Close and John Malkovich.
Actors
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Ryan Phillippe
Reese Witherspoon
Selma Blair
Sean Patrick Thomas
Swoozie Kurtz
Christine Baranski
Tara Reid
Eric Mabius
Oscars
None
Novel
Les liaisons dangereuses by Choderlos de Laclos