Review of Pretty Persuasion (2005) by Mike H — 20 Mar 2012

This film started out good... but the ending left me enraged and upset. The bulk of the story was interesting enough and overall the movie was actually pretty smart. However, the main protagonist has no redeeming qualities and I feel no sympathy for her.

In fact, I outright hate this girl. Kimberly would have been a great character if there was more insight, but she just comes off as another spoiled, manipulative, cold, heartless bitch who would stab her best friend in the back over her own personal issues with self-loathing.

The fact is, when I watched this movie, at the end I wanted some kind of retribution for everything she had done... but never got it. There just isn't anyone you can cheer for in this movie. Any other character in the movie is just so underdeveloped and, well, stupid that you have no other choice but to think everyone got what they deserved.

...EXCEPT THE MANIPULATIVE KIMBERLY! Actually, I would have overlooked all the film's flaws if the movie had just at least given the audience what they wanted: Kimberly to pay. But instead you get this tearful self-absorbed, self-conscience, empty "I got what I wanted but it wasn't worth it" type crap.

Like I said earlier, this isn't a bad movie... at least not until the very end. You are lead to believe that maybe - just MAYBE - she'll get her just desserts only to have those expectations dashed.

Maybe that was the point of the film, but if it was, it's a bad one. James Woods stands out as the main attraction only because he seems to have fleshed out his character the most. Well, actually the cast and the acting was pretty good all around.

The problem is with the ending! I HATED HOW IT ENDED!