Review of Wild Things (1998) by Stuart K — 30 Dec 2012
Directed by John McNaughton (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990) and Mad Dog and Glory (1993)), this is a clever and blackly comic erotic thriller which manages to pull the rug out from under the viewers feet more than once.
It requires a little attention, but it has a game cast with some game leads and a couple of cameos who manage to nearly steal the film from everyone else. In Florida. Womanising High School guidance counsellor Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillion) is accused of rape by two students Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards) and Suzie Toller (Neve Campbell).
Kelly's family are very wealthy indeed, and her mother Sandra Van Ryan (Theresa Russell) hires successful lawyer Tom Baxter (Robert Vaughn) to do the case, while Lombardo's only hope is cheapo lawyer Kenneth Bowden (Bill Murray) to defend him.
But, Lombardo gets lucky when Suzie admits they made it up to get revenge on Lombardo. In the end, Lombardo is given a huge check for libel, making him and Bowden rich, but police detective Ray Duquette (Kevin Bacon) knows somethings not right about the whole case.
It's a good thriller which requires attention, but it pays off in the end and it has one or two memorable moments that stand out. But it has a good script that has all the hallmarks of a morality play, about the absolute corruption of greed, and how it makes monsters of us all.
Murray nearly steals the film as the wheeler-dealer lawyer.
This review of Wild Things (1998) was written by Stuart K on 30 Dec 2012.
Wild Things has generally received positive reviews.
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