To Die For

 To Die For 1995

• Director: Gus Van Sant
• Seen by this director: Milk, Paris je t’aime, Good Will Hunting, My Own Private Idaho
• Based on the book by Joyce Maynard.
• Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joaquin Phoenix, Matt Dillon, Casey Affleck, Illeana Douglas, Alison Folland, Dan Hedaya, Kurtwood Smith, Wayne Knight
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Nicole Kidman – Top of the Lake, Lion, Genius, Queen of the Desert, Strangerland, Before I Go to Sleep, The Railway Man, Rabbit Hole, Nine, Australia, The Golden Compass, Margot at the Wedding, Fur, Birth, Cold Mountain, The Human Stain, Dogville, The Hours, Birthday Girl, The Others, Moulin Rouge, Eyes Wide Shut, Practical Magic, Billy Bathgate
• Joaquin Phoenix – Joker, Two Lovers, Reservation Road, Walk the Line, Hotel Rwanda, The Village, Gladiator
• Matt Dillon – Crash, Beautiful Girls, Drugstore Cowboy, Rumble Fish
• Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea, Interstellar, Gone Baby Gone, Lonesome Jim, Hamlet, Good Will Hunting
• Illeana Douglas – Factory Girl, Six Feet Under, Happy Texas
• Alison Folland – The Happening, Good Will Hunting
• Dan Hedaya and Kurtwood Smith – probably many
• Wayne Knight – Hail Caesar, Third Rock from the Sun
• Why? The cast.
• Seen: 4 July 2022      

       Suzanne (Kidman) murdered her husband Larry (Dillon). Or did she?

       We’re told the story through interviews and flashbacks. Larry’s sister Janice (Douglas) regards her as cold and shallow from the beginning. Suzanne’s father (Smith) regards Larry as beneath her. Larry’s father (Hedaya) wanted him to marry a nice Italian girl. Larry adores her and is proud of her ambition to become a TV journalist. Of the three in her documentary about teen-agers, Lydia (Folland) adores her, Russ (Affleck) lusts after her and James (Phoenix) lusts after and loves her passionately.

       So, is Suzanne with the little-girl voice and big blue eyes sweet and innocent and thick, or manipulative and ruthless?

       It’s called a black comedy but it’s not so funny. It’s kind of creepy.

       The cast is excellent and carry this bizarre story with bravura, especially Folland and Phoenix, but Kidman is outstanding, as usual, in this odd but compelling film. 

3 ½ * of 5