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Cruel Intentions

Actor(s): Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair, Louise Fletcher
Director(s): Roger Kumble
100

Details

MPAA Rating: R
Content Advisory: Strong Sexual Content, Not For Children, Profanity, Substance Abuse (Alcohol, Drugs), Watch With Your Teen
Movie Release: 1999
DVD Release: 08/03/1999
Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan
Edition: Special Collection
Audio Tracks: English
Subtitles: English
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Number of Discs: 1
Run Time: 1 hrs 37 mins
Studio: Columbia TriStar
Total Copies: 21
Genres: Drama, Melodrama, Teen Movie
See Also: Cruel Intentions [UMD for PSP], Cruel Intentions [Blu-ray]

Synopsis

In an adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos' novel, -Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe) are step-brother and step-sister living in Manhattan. With their absent parents travelling in Europe, the wealthy pair have the family penthouse to themselves as they while away their summer break before beginning senior year at a private high school. Sebastian, bad-boy lothario, has apparently slept with all the girls in town and appears numb to it all. Kathryn, who appears to be the good girl class president, is actually far more amoral and malicious than Sebastian, but maintains appearances to the contrary. When she is dumped by her boyfriend, Court Reynolds (Charlie O'Connell), for the innocent Cecile Caldwell (Selma Blair), she schemes revenge by destroying Cecile's reputation. She challenges Sebastian to deflower Cecile and transform her into a tramp to humiliate Court. Sebastian isn't as interested as Cecile -- she's spent her whole life in a Catholic girl's school and presents no challenge. The girl who has caught his attention is Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon), the new headmaster's daughter. Annette had written an article for Seventeen Magazine on her plans to stay a virgin until she finds her one true love. Kathryn makes a wager. If Sebastian fails to lure Annette into bed before the summer is over, Kathryn gets his car. If he succeeds, Sebastian gets Kathryn, whom he wants anyway. Sebastian accepts the bet, but Annette turns out to be more than either of them bargained for. ~ Ron Wells, All Movie Guide

Cast

Sarah Michelle Gellar - Kathryn Merteuil
Ryan Phillippe - Sebastian Valmont
Reese Witherspoon - Annette Hargrove
Selma Blair - Cecile Caldwell
Louise Fletcher - Helen Rosemond
Swoosie Kurtz - Dr. Greenbaum
Christine Baranski - Bunny Caldwell

Editorial Review

Dangerous Liaisons gets the teen treatment in this extensive collector's edition release from Columbia TriStar Home Video. Viewable in either 1.85:1 widescreen (enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs) or 1.33:1 standard full-frame, and featuring an English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track with optional English subtitles, the disc also features a number of informative and entertaining extras. Featuring production notes, feature-length audio commentary, six deleted scenes, a featurette entitled "Creative Intentions: Finding a Visual Style," a "making of" featurette, music videos by Marcie Playground and Placebo, and a theatrical trailer, Columbia TriStar has scored another winning collector's edition package. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Member Reviews

Vanessa V. - POUND RIDGE, NY wrote on 8/26/2008...

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

I was 14 years old when Cruel Intentions came out, and to my middle-school sensibilities it was absolutely the sexiest, most dramatic, decadent movie I could imagine. Of course now, I can see it for what it is, but I don't really enjoy it any less. Cruel Intentions updates the story of Dangerous Liaisons into a modern Manhattan prep school, and the story translates remarkably well. The youthful cast acquit themselves remarkably well, hitting just the right notes of entitlement and self-doubt. The story is melodramatic, but sharply written, not too long and with just enough mocking self-awareness to keep from being to ridiculousely serious. Cruel Intentions is a teen movie that teeters on the edge of eroticism (i.e. a remarkably chaste lesbian kiss), allowing its target audience to emulate the characters in the way that matters most; by allowing them to play at being grown-ups, while never losing sight of their true immaturity and inexperience.