Review of Dangerous Liaisons (1988) by Cory T — 13 Nov 2007

For a film that is nearly twenty years old, Dangerous Liaisons is still as powerful and moving as many I can recall. I am naturally drawn to a film where the characters are so intelligent and passionate they can't see past the irrevocable pain they are causing themselves and those around them. 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe?', Closer, and Cruel Intentions are three of the best examples of this I can name right off.

Glenn Close's character says the key to the film, in a normal conversation with Malkovich's: "That's the problem with intellectuals- they're intensely stupid." Aside from the insanely well written dialogue found from start to finish, the characters are revealing themselves without even knowing it. The beauty of a film like this is that element is not directly related to the audience- we must infer these things in reflecting on it after the film is over.

The set pieces are grand and the direction is wonderful, for sure... but I can see how if a person were to watch this film without truly listening to the quick-witted dialogue and understand that these people are all, ALL truly cruel- they may hate it and certainly be left confused.

This is, by no stretch, one of my favorite films of all time.