Review of Cruel Intentions (1999) by Martin D — 05 Mar 2010

Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar), the image of social perfection, takes the sheltered and naive Cecil Caldwell (Selmar Blair), under her wing, promising to turn Cecil into a model student like herself. Kathyrn's real intention, however, is to take revenge on Court Reynolds, Kathryn's ex-lover, who dumped her for the "innocent little twit", Cecil. Kathryn intends to corrupt Cecil by getting her to sleep with as many men as possible, thereby destroying her reputation and teaching Court a lesson.

Kathryn asks for help from her womanizing step-brother, Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe): Though Kathryn and Sebastian have collaborated in schemes of manipulation before, he initially refuses. He is busy planning another"conquest", the beautiful Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon), a girl who has published a manifesto saying that she plans to keep her virginity intact until she gets married.

Kathryn doesn't think Sebastian has a chance with Annette, so they make a wager. If Kathyrn wins, she gets Sebastian's vintage Jaguar; if Sebastian wins, Kathryn offers him a night of passion with her, as Kathryn knows she is the only girl Sebastian can't possibly bed. Sebastian initially rejects this deal, being very enamored of his car, but relents when Kathryn ups the ante, telling him that he can "put it anywhere".