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Cruel Intentions
This film is one of those films that is a guilty pleasure for me. I don't know that the story and acting are so amazing in it, but I like a little bit of a love story, and this one isn't put together like a typical romance film. It has characters that can be fairly unrealistic, but they are more human in some ways, just because they aren't nearly as stock as a classical romance film.
The performances of the characters don't blow you away. Ryan Phillipe is solid in his role as is Sarah Michelle Gellar, and otherwise, they are pretty average, but the diversity in the characters is what is nice. The difference between "The Bet", Cecelia, and the two main characters is great in how is plays out. Like I said, they might not always be the most realistic characters, but the diversity in them is what makes the film. If they were all stock characters, you really wouldn't end up feeling for "The Bet" in the end of the film, or Ryan Phillipe's character. But, they are, so there is some emotion wrapped up in it.
It also helps, for me, in this film, that I am somewhat of a romantic. The romance story that comes through is just convoluted and hurt enough at the end, that it causes the romantic in me to feel for it a little bit. The story complicates itself enough through the motives of the characters that it holds together better then most romance stories do. The complications in it aren't anything extremely far outside the realm of the general teenage film, but it does work together quiet nicely, and it does become entertaining to watch. The manipulation that takes place is interesting and in some ways worth seeing.
Overall it is probably more of a guilty pleasure film then anything, but I enjoy it alot. It comes in with a story that is just romantic and confusing enough for me to become ensorbed in it, and the diversity in the characters makes it quite entertaining.
Overall Grade: B
Story: B-
Acting: C
Audio/Visual: B+
This film is one of those films that is a guilty pleasure for me. I don't know that the story and acting are so amazing in it, but I like a little bit of a love story, and this one isn't put together like a typical romance film. It has characters that can be fairly unrealistic, but they are more human in some ways, just because they aren't nearly as stock as a classical romance film.
The performances of the characters don't blow you away. Ryan Phillipe is solid in his role as is Sarah Michelle Gellar, and otherwise, they are pretty average, but the diversity in the characters is what is nice. The difference between "The Bet", Cecelia, and the two main characters is great in how is plays out. Like I said, they might not always be the most realistic characters, but the diversity in them is what makes the film. If they were all stock characters, you really wouldn't end up feeling for "The Bet" in the end of the film, or Ryan Phillipe's character. But, they are, so there is some emotion wrapped up in it.
It also helps, for me, in this film, that I am somewhat of a romantic. The romance story that comes through is just convoluted and hurt enough at the end, that it causes the romantic in me to feel for it a little bit. The story complicates itself enough through the motives of the characters that it holds together better then most romance stories do. The complications in it aren't anything extremely far outside the realm of the general teenage film, but it does work together quiet nicely, and it does become entertaining to watch. The manipulation that takes place is interesting and in some ways worth seeing.
Overall it is probably more of a guilty pleasure film then anything, but I enjoy it alot. It comes in with a story that is just romantic and confusing enough for me to become ensorbed in it, and the diversity in the characters makes it quite entertaining.
Overall Grade: B
Story: B-
Acting: C
Audio/Visual: B+