Blyss's Review For:

Main Cast of Characters:

Ryan Phillippe....................Sebastian Valmont

Sarah Michelle Gellar....................Kathryn Merteuil

Selma Blair................Cecile Caldwell

Christine Baranksi....................Bunny Caldwell

Reese Witherspoon..........Annette Hargrove

Louise Fletcher..........Helen Rosemond

Joshua Jackson.......Blaine Tuttle

Eric Mabius.......Greg McConnell

Sean Patrick Thomas........Ronald Clifford

Swoosie Kurtz..........Dr. Regina Greenbaum

Tara Reid.........Marci Greenbaum

Herta Ware........Mrs. Sugarman

Hiep Thi Le.........Mai-Lee

Charlie O'Connell.........Court Reynolds

Drew Snyder........Headmaster Hargrove

1999; Rated R; 97 minutes;Category: Suspense

Some intentions are cruel, but well meant.

Two teens terrorize the school they go to and have fun doing it. Sebastian screws over the therapist's daughter he is seeing to begin the movie. Switch to Katherine. She seems like the perfect person for anyone to get to know on campus. She even speaks of God as if he is her best friend. Katherine is introduced to an immature girl Cecile Caldwell who hasn't even been around boys in many years as she has went to an all-girls school. Sebastian comes in and makes a rude comment to Cecile right before she and her mother leave. We then see that Katherine is also putting on "face" to the crowd at the school as her rosary is really a holder of her cocaine. Sebastian and Katherine are stepbrother and sister and they are always trying to get one over on the other. They make a bet that Sebastian cannot sleep with the new headmaster's virgin daughter by the beginning of the semester. If he wins, he gets to sleep with Katherine who is the one girl who he cannot have and if she wins, she gets his roadster. The journey begins. But something happens that Sebastian did not expect that blocks his path to winning the bet, he falls in love with Annette Hargrove, the headmaster's daughter.

I have been obsessed with this movie for a long time. Everyone knows a Sebastian or a Katherine at their high schools. Some of them do not go as far as these two have but they are there. What I really liked about the portrayal of Sebastian is that below all of that evil and selfishness, he learned he could be selfless and could actually love somebody. He never thought that was possible much less even wanted to try it seemed like. When he starts hunting down who told Annette the truth about his womanizing, you can see the gleam in his eye even then and you know that he is not just hunting them down for the bet. He cares about her.

I think my favorite scene in this movie is the most emotional one in the whole of it. No, it is not the ending, which is great. It is when Sebastian tries to deny his love for Annette to her and she can see through him. It really shows where he stands with his character and that he can never go back to the life he had before because Annette has changed all of that. Every woman is looking for a guy who no matter how he tries to lie, she can see through the lies and see his real feelings, even they make her angry.

Overall, this is a bittersweet love story with lots of twists and turns. It is not for the whole family but it is definitely something that is a must watch! Truly one of my favorites!

I rate this film: 9

Blyss