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To Die for [1995]


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Not worth dying for
Review date: 2007-07-01 Rating: 4 out of 10


This movie, told as a documentary, with scenes from different time lines related, is about Suzanne Stone Maretto (Nicole Kidman in an incredible acting role development) a cold woman, not very smart but very determined to accomplish her goals and with an obsession with the cameras; who got married with Larry Maretto (Matt Dillon), a good guy and husband; this movie, told as a documentary about the events in their life as a couple is a sarcastic story based on a book inspired by real events (the life of Pamela Smart).

Suzanne (the main character) manage to get a job as a weather woman in a TV channel, but her goals are even higher; and in the way, making a documentary, she meet three teenagers that will play an important role in the film: Jimmy Emmett (Joaquin Phoenix), Russel Hines (Casey Affleck, brother of Ben) and Lydia Mertz (Alison Folland).

The movie's good things are the great acting of Nicole Kidman, the a good acting of a young Joaquin Phoenix, and the innovative way to tell the story (as a documentary narrated by the characters). Beside that, the movie is simple and poor, with a lot of sarcastic events and not much interesting scenes.

Worth to see but nothing exceptional

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Reviews


Great black comedy with stunning performance from Kidman
Review date: 2007-03-02 Rating: 10 out of 10

Adapted from Joyce Maynard's novel by Buck Henry and directed by Gus Van Sant, this film is a black comedy about a woman (Suzanne Stone, played by Nicole Kidman) who becomes obsessed with her desire to be a television celebrity. This means when her idiot husband (Matt Dillon) makes a pathetic effort to halt her career ambitions, she manipulates a bunch of addled teens into killing him for her.

At the centre of To Die For is a funny, engaging, and - in its own way - frightening performance from Nicole Kidman as Suzanne. Kidman captures perfectly the combination of vacuousness and ambition that makes Suzanne so dangerous, but she is able to make this character just sympathetic enough to stop her from becoming a hateful caricature. Kidman achieves the double feat of making you understand why young James (Joaquim Phoenix) is so captivated by her while also ensuring you will empathise with everyone who finds her exasperating and shallow.

Despite being made in the mid-nineties, this story about greed and ruthless ambition is very much a parody of eighties sensibilities. What's most interesting about To Die For, however, is how much more relevant it seems when watching it today. In these times of Pop Idol and Big Brother, with the desperate pursuit of celebrity more widespread than ever, the film has an oddly prescient feel to it.

To Die For is sharp and funny and maintains a consistent tone throughout, so although the ending may not be what you were expecting, this is one black comedy that does not cop-out with a bunch of nonsense where everyone learns important life lessons and yadda yadda yadda. I can't recommend this one highly enough.

Utterly Satisfying
Review date: 2002-10-27 Rating: 10 out of 10

This has to be one of my favourite films of all time. Nicole Kidman is superbly seductive in this movie about a local TV weather girl who wants to excel in the world of news reporting. Matt Dillon plays the ignorant husband unaware of his wife's dark plans for him.
The best performance comes from a younger Joaquin Phoenix as the dimwitted high school student besotted by the stunning redhead who has requested Jimmy's (Phoenix) help on a project. He is sucked into Miss Kidman's plans and used along the way.
This film is fantastic. Stunning performances all round. A fantastic plot, Nicole Kidman for the guys and Matt Dillon for the girls. (Well Joaquin Phoenix has a mullet!) All in all a wonderful film. Buy it!!

the flipside of innocence
Review date: 2000-11-16 Rating: 10 out of 10

i think this has to be one of the darkest films coming from the most innocent point of view. Nicole Kidman is superbly seductive in a way that scares and even though Joaquin phoenix never seems to be mentioned in the cast listings for this film, i want to give him credit for his role as jimmy. what a decievingly dark story.

Poor old Matt Dillon!
Review date: 2000-03-13 Rating: 8 out of 10

This black comedy from Gus Van Sant represents, for me, the turning point when he left behind independent filmmaking ('Drugstore Cowboy' - possibly my all-time favourite film, and the haunting 'My Own Private Idaho') and embraced the mainstream (his 'Psycho' remake, 'Good Will Hunting' and so on). It's a darkly comical film, with Nicole Kidman excelling as a TV anchorwoman who will do literally anything to achieve success - including hiring a group of youths to murder her husband (Matt Dillon). A good nugget of film trivia about 'To Die For' is that it stars Casey Affleck - (coincidentally?) brother of soon-to-be filmstar Ben Affleck.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Nicole Kidman
Matt Dillon
Joaquin Phoenix
Casey Affleck
Illeana Douglas

Creators:
Nicole Kidman (Primary Contributor)
Matt Dillon (Primary Contributor)
Jonathan T. Taplin (Producer)
Joseph M. Caracciolo (Producer)
Laura Ziskin (Producer)
Leslie Morgan (Producer)
Sandy Isaac (Producer)
Buck Henry (Writer)
Joyce Maynard (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: Uca Catalogue
Manufacturer: Uca Catalogue
EAN: 5050582220582
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2004-03-08
Number of discs: 1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 106 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1995-10-06

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