To Die For (1995)

Nicole shines but that's about it

With a screenplay that screams movie of the week-Nicole Kidman turns in a stunning a funny performance-at the time, one that established her as being more than just Mrs. Cruise. (Now we're waiting for the same from the newest Mrs. Cruise.) It's cool to see a young Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck but other than that there's not much else here. December 28, 2008

Narcissism Meets Blind Ambition...

Lately I have been revisiting old favorite films, perhaps to see if they are as good as I recall. And this one, To Die For, with Nicole Kidman as Suzanne Stone, the self-obsessed ambitious TV personality - actually, a "weather person" for a cable station - whose blind drive leads her down a very dark path, is every bit as good as I remember.

Based on the novel by Joyce Maynard - who, incidentally, plays the lawyer in the film - we learn of a beautiful young woman's quest for a life in front of the television camera; despite her limitations, she imagines herself as the next Barbara Walters.

When she marries a young Italian-American musician, (played by Matt Dillon), whose parents own a restaurant, and who sets aside his dreams to become someone she envisions as an appropriate husband - an insurance salesman - he hopes there will be trade-offs for him. He constantly brings up his desire for a family. But his wife only cares about her own career, her little dog, and the condo they own.

When Suzanne embarks on a "project" with teenagers at the local school - New Hope, New Hampshire - she believes that the documentary will propel her into big-time journalism. The teenagers, however, with their serious limitations, soon are manipulated into the midst of a nefarious plot. And nothing will ever be the same again.

The teen boys - played by Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck - are convincingly cast as the mentally and emotionally challenged pawns.

Gus Van Sant directs, with his usual brilliance; the film was just as haunting this time around and well worth a visit (or revisit).

By Laurel-Rain Snow
Author of:
Chasing Stardust,
Web of Tyranny, etc.
December 22, 2008

Interesting Movie

THis is one of Nicole Kidman's earlier movies that is just fun to watch. Unfortuately the fun is loosely based on a true story. But still a good movie to watch. July 26, 2008

Pitch perfect example of misguided reasoning's...

I had heard a lot of great things about Nicole Kidman's performance in this black comedy, so many good things that I had to check it out. The problem was that I could never find it anywhere. Then, gloriously, it came on Encore the other night and so I DVR'd it and settled down to take in the gift that is Kidman. What I found was not just Kidman's finest screen performance ever, but quite possible Gus Van Sant's finest film ever. `To Die For' is just that, a film that is to die for. It is funny, smart, witty and darkly powerful; a film that plays to its strengths, and thankfully it has many of them.

Gus Van Sant is a hit-or-miss director with me. He has a unique style that I appreciate when it is channeled properly (ala `Elephant') but find myself put off when it is misdirected (circa `Psycho'). He attempts to commercialize his talent with mixed results, at times drawing enough star power to make up for lack of material (witness `Good Will Hunting') but then there are times when even his best efforts result in mediocre offerings (take `Finding Forester' for instance). There is no denying that Van Sant has talent and he has vision, and I respect that, but at times that talent and vision is muddled and produces films I don't feel are really up to par. Regardless though, I still longed to see `To Die For' if not for Kidman and Kidman alone.

Luckily for me, Van Sant is at the top of his game here and matches Kidman's brilliance step for step, pace for pace. Kidman plays Suzanne Stone, a young and ambitious woman who will do anything to achieve the fame she knows she is destined for. She marries Larry Maretto, a good looking Italian man who supports her dreams and believes in her, but his support is not enough for it alone won't get Stone what she wants. When Stone takes her ambitions to the next level, trying to engage some high school students in a news segment, she meets three particular students who prove to be the key to Stone's inevitable success. Jimmy, Russel & Lydia are putty in Stone's hands, easily manipulated and convinced to go along with Stone's scheme to rid her of her husband and catapult her to the spotlight she so longs for.

Fame comes at a cost; and that cost is something Stone will soon have to pay.

Van Sant films this black comedy as if it were part mockumentary, which aids in adding connectivity to the film, for it allows the characters to engage to audience and make them a part of the film. As each actor talks directly to the viewer we begin to feel like a part of their schemes and thus feel an intimate relation to the film. Even though the film has some devastating situations (murder and adultery) they are played out much like a Coen film, used for comedic effect and so while we are allowed to judge we are never allowed to judge too harshly.

Nicole Kidman is a force in this film, a dynamic ball of comedic energy. The way she can consume her character, delivering each and every line with precision and dedication, creating a character that is funny as can be yet serious as heart attack. She brilliantly manages to coat her satirical performance with enough genuine sincerity that her character becomes a real person instead of a farce. Matt Dillon is sorely underused as Larry, Stone's unsuspecting husband. He manages well with what he is given, but the film (like Stone) is pretty much uninterested with him. Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck and Alison Folland are wonderful as the three dimwitted students whom Stone uses and abuses. Phoenix has the most screen time, for he plays Jimmy, the student who falls for Suzanne and thus becomes the focus of her attention. Phoenix has surely turned in finer performances (it's nice to see the fine actor he's become) but this is far from a bad performance. He captures the mental level of his character, which isn't high mind you, and manages to make him interesting. His first line in this film alone is priceless. I also enjoyed the supporting performances by Illeana Douglas and Dan Hedaya who managed to make their small roles seem larger than they really were.

In the end `To Die For' is a brilliant satire, a fantastic film about the dangers of fame and obsession. Sure, it may seem far fetched at times but that's what a satire does; it blows truths out of proportion in an effort to cause the audience to realize the facts resting before their eyes. In a world so obsessed with being on the top of everything, of being in front of the cameras and in the magazines and on the lips of every living breathing human being, `To Die For' is a wonderful example of why that particular thinking is so far off the mark. June 20, 2008

Underrated classic

Suzanne Maretto (Nicole Kidman) wants to be a star. For her whole life she has focussed on her goal of becoming the next Barbara Walters. The problem is that she's not all that bright and not all that talented, not that she is aware of this. When she perceived that her husband (Matt Dillon) is standing between her and fame, she enlists the help of three teenagers (including Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck), whom she is working with on a documentary, to murder her husband for her.

"To Die For" is a highly underrated movie, based on a novel that you probably didn't know existed (although, it is also excellent - the book is by Joyce Maynard). When this film was first released, most of the reviews that appeared in the newspapers were less than glowing, which put me off this film for a number of years, and when I finally did see it, I was astounded by just how good it is. I suspect the reason why many of the critics didn't like this film was because it is a black comedy and as with most black comedies, if the humour isn't to your taste, it can end up falling flat or not being understood at all. The film is also made in a documentary format, which I can imagine might also annoy some viewers (generally, I don't like this format, but in this case I didn't mind it. It doesn't get in the way of the storytelling). However, I thought this film was great.

"To Die For" is a cross between a well-budgeted studio film and a high quality indie. Clearly this film had a reasonable budget and it stars Nicole Kidman (in the best role of her career), but the director is Gus Van Sant and the cast is a who's-who of indie regulars (Affleck, Phoenix, Matt Dillon, Ileana Douglas, etc). The result is a combination of the best aspects of each of these types of film. Add to that a script by Buck Henry (who co-wrote "Get Smart"), and as far as I'm concerned, you have a classic.
May 8, 2008

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