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To Die For

Director Gus Van Sant's insanely engrossing dark comedy is an electric piece of filmmaking that dazzles the mind with its mangled view of reality for one woman and the lives of the families effected by it.

Little Hope, N.H. had a dreadful and high profile murder case hit their small cozy town, and whose face graces each front page with hair, make-up and fashion in perfect place? None other than the victim's wife and local reporter Suzanne Stone. When news breaks out about Suzanne being mentioned as a femme fatale who orchestrated her husband's murder, Suzanne remained calm and collected through the whole ordeal, looking at the camera like a seasoned professional.

The story is told like a media event throughout the movie with candid conversations taking place over a talk show with Larry and Suzanne's parents; Joe and Angela Maretto ( Dan Hedaya and Maria Tucci), and Earl and Carol Stone( Kurtwood Smith and Holland Taylor) as well as personal one on one interviews. We're also given an in-depth and critical analysis of Suzanne's thoughts about the world, people, and the psycho jibber jabber she thinks she's so on top of, while she video tapes her autobiography for a prominent member of an organization interested in Suzanne's story.

Suzanne Stone( Nicole Kidman) is viciously outspoken, thinking she's sophisticated and well articulated but what comes out of her mouth at times is despicable and vulgar. Suzanne is smart at getting what she wants, sassy, extremely motivated, and driven to succeed at becoming the best new woman in the field of television reporting. For Suzanne nothing else is as important as being on TV and she will do whatever it takes to get the job done and see her name in lights. Suzanne sees success in the way one looks and is always trying to up one even at the cost to her sister in law Janice( Illeagan Douglass) who right from the start never did feel Suzanne was the right girl for her brother.

Larry Maretto ( Matt Dylan) is Suzanne's husband who looked up to her and fell in love with her so easily. He even took his college money he was saving to put a deposit down on a house, as well as buying Suzanne a new car, so she would be happy. Larry helps run his parents restaurant business and has many ambitions of his own to succeed in. But the one goal he is reaching for next is to start a family with Suzanne; a goal that is nowhere on her list.

Suzanne lands a job assisting(running errands) at a local cable station and through draining excessiveness, lands herself a place on the late night weather spot as the station's new weather girl. Now Suzanne has tasted the sweetness of television's power and wants more of it. Suzanne eventually overpowers the station again, and gets a shot at creating a documentary of today's teenagers and how they look at life. She works her charms, media influence and her shiny painted manicured hooks into three dopey, lazy, and drugged out teenagers Jimmy( Joaquin Phoenix), Russell (Casey Affleck) and Lydia( Alison Folland) to be in the documentary. She gains their trust through their stupidity and in time will worm her way into their personal lives.

When walls start to close in on Suzanne from Larry's eagerness to have children she begins to explore another outlet that will allow her to focus on herself, and get Larry's ridiculous and constant chatter of starting a family over and done with..permanently Suzanne brainwashes the teenagers and starts a heated affair with Jimmy luring him and the others into her web of evil.

Nicole Kidman's performance which gained her a Golden Globe win for Best Actress was well deserved. Nicole's ability to transfer her character's emotions at the drop of a pin and basically become a chameleon, to the levels in which her character is captivating at the least. Nicole Kidman is a power house of sexy intoxication and charm that could entice bees out of their hive. She is dynamite in this role and I think her best performance to date.

Matt Dylan is another actor who is pushing his way through the tunnels of creativity as he develops into an even more amazing and skillful performer. His performance is alive with personality and he is one of the most charismatic and important actors of his generation.

Joaquin Phoenix is engrossing to watch as he drifted further into the seduction trap that ultimately destroyed his life. Casey Affleck and Alison Folland shine on screen and make the roles their own with lots of creativity and control of their character's vulnerabilities and strengths.

Illeana Douglass gives a piercing performance as well as comical relief to her grief stricken character. Another performance that shows how incredible she is in drawing your attention to her. An actress who had so much spirit and a gift of getting inside of a character's state of mind and projecting with great confidence.

Overall a superb cast of supremely talented individuals that shine, mesmerize and keep you glued to the screen.

To Die For is rich in character driven performances and is a stunning, bizarre, and tightly twisted black comedy. An intelligent and daring piece of filmmaking which will leave an icy feeling over your skin especially in the last moments of the story. The wickedly consuming music composed by Danny Elfman generates its own alluring and chilling background as it squeezes you tighter into the tale.

Written by: Lynda Dale MacLean

Reviewers Rating: 8
Reader's Rating: 6.00
Reader's Votes: 3

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