I used to be 16 when Cruel Intentions opened in theaters in 1999. In some ways, I used to be the proper viewers member for the teen flick: I used to be in highschool, lusting after senior boys, and listening to The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” made me really feel issues. However, in actuality, I wished nothing to do with that film. I used to be an enormous movie nerd at coronary heart, so my film preferences aligned extra with The Insider, American Magnificence, or Woman, Interrupted. On prime of that, I wasn’t an enormous Ryan Phillippe fan (sorry, Ry), and watching dangerous wealthy youngsters do dangerous issues to one another did not curiosity me. Been there, achieved that.
As everyone knows by now, although, the ’90s are cool once more. I imply, I do not suppose they have been ever not cool, however the nostalgia pull is oh-so-real nowadays — to the purpose {that a} Merciless Intentions TV sequence simply dropped on Prime Video on Nov. 21.
So, as a dating and sex writer, I assumed it was my obligation to look at one of the vital sexually specific teen motion pictures of its period. And 25 years later, listed here are my ideas about lastly watching the film (and that scene between Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair that made each lady my age giggle and gush).
Merciless Intentions revisited
For individuals who want a refresher, Merciless Intentions is loosely based mostly on the novel Harmful Liaisons by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. Sebastian (Phillippe) and Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a pair of diabolical step-siblings, maintain a wager of sexual conquest involving Annette (Reese Witherspoon) when she writes an article in Seventeen Journal about how she intends to remain pure till she marries her boyfriend.
Sebastian bets he’ll woo Annette into mattress whereas Kathryn bets towards it, and if she wins, Sebastian should sleep along with her. Nonetheless, Sebastian will get greater than he bargained for as he finds himself falling for Annette.
Twisted, proper?
First impression: Horrible individuals
These individuals suck. Am I the one one who would not root for the dangerous man? When you’re a horrible individual, I would like you to lose. I do not care how handsome you’re. Proper off the bat, we all know Sebastian is terrible — he leaked poor Tara Reid’s nudes. He additionally simply reeks a$$gap.
Kathryn isn’t any higher (though SMG as a brunette is *chef’s kiss*), as she’s making an attempt to deprave Blair’s character, Cecile. Additionally, as a result of Blair appears like she’s perpetually 25 years previous, seeing her put on a decent koala t-shirt and appearing like she’s 13 years previous (which I am guessing is the age that she was presupposed to play) was very unsettling.
Regardless, the wager is absolutely tousled. Why do they wish to do any of this stuff past the truth that they’re egocentric, manipulative jerks who’ve manner an excessive amount of time on their arms? Ah, the great thing about being a youngster, I assume.
The Reese and Ryan chemistry
Reese and Ryan were the It Couple of the ’90s, and I believe their actual romance offscreen was partly answerable for the film’s intense hype. Regardless of their unbearable characters — even Reese’s Annette was annoyingly “too excellent” — these two loopy youngsters shared some insane chemistry. A lot in order that, apparently, whereas they have been filming their breakup scene, Phillippe threw up while shooting the scene. Aww.
All about intercourse
This film is nearly having intercourse, and possibly I might roll with that if the characters weren’t so one-dimensional and mean-spirited. Or if the intercourse in query was portrayed by way of a extra inclusive, sexual-positive lens. As an alternative, all of it appears… exploitive.
It is the raunchy dialogue (did a blonde Joshua Jackson actually say, “The person’s bought a mouth like a hoover”?) and Sebastian getting Cecile drunk and guilting her into sexual exercise. It is peddling out the notorious kiss between Blair and Gellar for titillation’s sake. The tongue! The saliva! It is how, finally, your complete major plot of the film revolves round Sebastian scheming to devirginize Annette. All of it appears quite ugh.
The sexism aspect
Talking of intercourse (as a result of that is what this complete film is about), there’s an enormous sexism aspect that must be acknowledged. Kathryn and Sebastian each wish to have intercourse. It is truly refreshing to see a feminine character like Kathryn be so specific with expressing sexual want and being assured along with her sexual company.
So, it is disappointing to see her character regularly be villainized whereas Sebastian, the sexual predator that he’s, receives a character-redeeming arc and dies a hero. As a result of Sebastian would not simply have intercourse with Annette, he makes like to her. He falls in love along with her (or so we’re made to imagine as a result of, actually, I do not suppose these two had practically sufficient display screen time to persuade me that they did and as an alternative relied closely on the Reese and Ryan chemistry). That is why it is OK for them to have had intercourse. In the meantime, we’re presupposed to like it when Kathryn lastly will get her comeuppance. As a result of she’s a slut!
Anyway.
This film actually reinforces the virgin–whore advanced during which girls are “good” once they’re “pure” and “dangerous” once they’re sexually liberated, and that kind of narrative can keep within the ’90s.
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