Cruel Intentions
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Slaking a thirst for dangerous games, Kathryn challenges her stepbrother, Sebastian, to deflower their headmaster's daughter before the summer ends. If he succeeds, the prize is the chance to bed Kathryn. But if he loses, Kathryn will claim his most prized possession.
What critics thought
Critics were split on this modern-day riff on Les Liaisons Dangereuses, landing it squarely in mixed-or-average territory. The central tension in reviews was whether the film's cheerful moral corruption is a feature or a bug — some found it an honestly trashy pleasure, while others saw through the provocation to an exploitative stunt underneath.
“the dirtiest-minded American movie in recent memory – and an honestly corrupt entertaining picture is never anything to sneeze at”
Charles Taylor·Salon.com
“You have the queasy sense that the whole thing is just an elaborate stunt and, in this case, an exploitative one.”
Stephen Holden·The New York Times
“smart and merciless in the tradition of the original story”
Roger Ebert·The Chicago Sun-Times
Genres
Drama, Romance
Cast & Crew
Roger KumbleDirector
Sarah Michelle GellarKathryn Merteuil
Ryan PhillippeSébastian Valmont
Reese WitherspoonAnnette Hargrove
Selma BlairCecile Caldwell
Louise FletcherHelen Rosemond
Joshua JacksonBlaine Tuttle
Eric MabiusGreg McConnell
Sean Patrick ThomasRonald Clifford
Swoosie KurtzDr. Greenbaum
Christine BaranskiBunny Caldwell
Alaina Reed HallNurse
Deborah OffnerMrs. Michalak
Edward ShearmurComposer
Richard AshcroftComposer
John OttmanComposer
Choderlos de LaclosWriter
Theo van de SandeCinematographyCruel Intentions
Slaking a thirst for dangerous games, Kathryn challenges her stepbrother, Sebastian, to deflower their headmaster's daughter before the summer ends. If he succeeds, the prize is the chance to bed Kathryn. But if he loses, Kathryn will claim his most prized possession.
What critics thought
Critics were split on this modern-day riff on Les Liaisons Dangereuses, landing it squarely in mixed-or-average territory. The central tension in reviews was whether the film's cheerful moral corruption is a feature or a bug — some found it an honestly trashy pleasure, while others saw through the provocation to an exploitative stunt underneath.
“the dirtiest-minded American movie in recent memory – and an honestly corrupt entertaining picture is never anything to sneeze at”
Charles Taylor·Salon.com
“You have the queasy sense that the whole thing is just an elaborate stunt and, in this case, an exploitative one.”
Stephen Holden·The New York Times
“smart and merciless in the tradition of the original story”
Roger Ebert·The Chicago Sun-Times
Genres
Drama, Romance
Cast & Crew
Roger KumbleDirectorSarah Michelle GellarKathryn MerteuilRyan PhillippeSébastian ValmontReese WitherspoonAnnette HargroveSelma BlairCecile CaldwellLouise FletcherHelen RosemondJoshua JacksonBlaine TuttleEric MabiusGreg McConnellSean Patrick ThomasRonald CliffordSwoosie KurtzDr. GreenbaumChristine BaranskiBunny CaldwellAlaina Reed HallNurseDeborah OffnerMrs. MichalakEdward ShearmurComposerRichard AshcroftComposerJohn OttmanComposerChoderlos de LaclosWriterTheo van de SandeCinematographyStream
Rent & Buy