"Cruel Intentions" is another in a string of recent classics that have been modernized and gone "Generation X." The first was "Romeo & Juliet" with Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio. Then came "Great Expectations" with Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow. Now, it's "Cruel Intentions" with Ryan Phillippe and Sarah Michelle Gellar. "Romeo & Juliet" and "Great Expectations" were both movies that weren't great, but they were very clever, as well as entertaining. The same can be said for this movie.
Though I liked the movie, I was again unimpressed with Ryan Phillippe. His looks must be the only reason why he's getting roles, because it's certainly not his talent. There are plenty of actors out there with looks AND talent, but Ryan Phillippe is not one of them. He's supposed to play an arrogant guy, but he comes off more like a street kid who is a lottery winner. Beginning to end, he simply wasn't believable. I think that Stephen Dorff or maybe Freddie Prinze, Jr. woulda been more ideal in the role. Another person I had a problem with was Selma Blair as "Cecile." She overacted big time. Still, the performances by others made up for them. Sarah Michelle Gellar (re-teaming with Phillippe... they were together in the lame "I Know What You Did Last Summer") was excellent as the wicked stepsister. Her performance was simply flawless, and everytime she was on-screen, she just tore it up. I never realized that "Buffy" was that talented. Reese Witherspoon was very good, and Joshua Jackson (from "Dawson's Creek") was shockingly good despite being in the movie for only about five minutes. I'm not a fan of "Dawson's Creek," and I never thought much of Joshua Jackson, but his few minutes here are great... and hilarious. By the way, Fred Norris of "Howard Stern" fame has a cameo. Typically, I don't say who does a cameo, but I'll bet that if I didn't mention it, you wouldn't know it, it's THAT small of a cameo. He's the Meter-Reader guy.
"Cruel Intentions" was written and directed by Roger Kumble, and this is his first stint as a director. He did a nice job as far as setting the mood and creating a dark, gloomy atmosphere, but he shoulda reeled in Selma Blair, and gotten rid of Ryan Phillippe, though I have a feeling that it wasn't up to him.
I liked "Cruel
Intentions," and I thought that the ending (as well as the music chosen
for it) was excellent, but several people I've spoken to didn't like the
ending at all. I dunno, I thought it ended as well as it could. It's not
a great work of art, and the acting was at times brilliant and at times
laughable, but I wasn't bored for a single moment.