To Die For

There are some good things here - most notably the performances of Nicolle Kidman and Joaquin Phoenix - that nevertheless fail to coalesce into a satisfying whole because of the confusion of the central story. Kidman is great as the feather-brained harpy who will stop at nothing to be on television - the absolute narrowness of her world-view to the parameters of what fits onto the TV screen makes her a kind of female counterpart to Jim Carrey's Cable guy. But her single-minded devotion to this aim causes her subsequent actions to make little sense: would someone as ambitious as her really stick around in a nowhere New England town (humorously named Little Hope) rather than set out for the big time of New York or Los Angeles? Such a transplant would have given the movie a kick, since it would have set Suzanne's fundamental cluelessness against the reality of the television industry and how it actually works (to perhaps more humorous results than are displayed here).

But even if you can buy Suzanne remaining in her isolated little hamlet (and it must be said that the setting does allow for some subtler, more understated humor than the scenario drawn above would have), does it make any sense whatsoever for her to get involved with, much less marry, the Matt Dillon character? If we're really supposed to buy her as someone who thinks about nothing but television and making it in that medium, then what could she possibly see in Dillon, who is barely even familiar with TV? Any explanation would probably be lame, but what's lamer is the fact that the filmmakers don't even try to supply one! This leaves you with the sick feeling that it only happens in order to get the plot moving - the worst possible reason for ANYTHING to happen!

This fundamental flaw in plot logic really sinks the movie before it even has time to get going. That's a shame, because there are SO MANY good things here: Kidman's performance is wonderfully perky and shallow in all the right ways, and the candy-colored outfits that have been designed for her are a scream just in themselves. The narrative style is inventive, being told in flashback as a series of interviews - "Hard Copy" style, or even "Oprah" style - with the main participants, which in itself forms a meta-critique upon television and its reconstruction of the world (although, curiously, the film keeps dropping in and out of this style, and so waters down its effect). Finally, Phoenix is at once both hilarious and heartbreaking in his portrayal of a trailer park teenager so besotted with Kidman and the sophistication she supposedly represents (the joke's on him, of course) that he'd literally do anything for her, which is exactly his undoing. Watching him, I kept thinking of Dustin Hoffman's groundbreaking performance in The Graduate and how it operated on the twin levels of satire and true sympathy all at once. Phoenix, in my opinion, hits the same bulls-eye.

Other enjoyable performances come from Ileana Douglas as Dillon's sister, wonderfully nasty and sarcastic when discussing Kidman (and then surprisingly touching and vulnerable when you're least expecting it) and Wayne Knight as the head of the cable station where Suzanne comes to work. If you know Knight only as Newman on TV's "Seinfeld" and so believe him only capable of wild over-acting, his performance here is a treat: his baffled and understated responses to Suzanne's dippy ideas and shenanigans are some of the funniest things in the picture.

But in the end it all comes to nothing. The good things in this movie just can't salvage the fact that the central story has not been worked out with enough rigor. The film spins its wheels beautifully, but it simply has nowhere to go.

While Gus Van Sant's mockumentary approach does not always work great with Buck Henry's expertly sharp and funny screenplay, 'To Die For' is held together by a brilliant Nicole Kidman performance. Kidman - with her divine looks and devilish smiles - owns every second of this picture that even when she isn't on screen her presence is felt. Kidman is surrounded by an outstanding supporting cast, from Matt Dillon to Joaquin Phoenix to Illeana Douglas to Casey Affleck, giving memorable performances in their own right

Nicole Kidman is right on target in this notable dark comedy, an adaptation of the Joyce Maynard novel which was itself inspired by a notorious real life story. Nicole, looking absolutely ravishing throughout, is a completely self-serving sociopath named Suzanne Stone who's simply hellbent on achieving her personal American dream of being a TV personality. When she realizes that her nice guy husband Larry (Matt Dillon, in a solid change of pace performance) is going to be an obstacle in her path, she turns on the heat and convinces dumb as dirt, lovelorn teenager Jimmy Emmett (Joaquin Phoenix, in his breakthrough performance) to bump off Larry. She then proceeds to play to the media to her hearts' content.

22 years later, this film version remains pretty damn relevant, in the era of reality television where just about any person can become a celebrity for no really good reason, and fame & fortune is still seen as a worthwhile goal. Working from a screenplay by actor Buck Henry, director Gus Van Sant gives us a thoroughly absorbing film with a fair amount of ideas to mull over. Just like any good dark comedy, it's funny in a twisted sort of way. I'm sure some people who've followed the story, or read the book, or seen the movie, must know one or more people like Suzanne Stone.

An exceptional cast full of familiar faces is the real drawing card: Phoenix, Casey Affleck as his degenerate "friend", Alison Folland as the awkward girl who hangs out with the two of them, Dan Hedaya and Maria Tucci as Larry's parents, Kurtwood Smith and Holland Taylor as Suzannes' folks, Tim Hopper and Michael Rispoli as investigating detectives, Wayne Knight as the manager of a local TV station, and especially Illeana Douglas as Larry's sister, a cynical sort who has Suzanne pegged right early on. Making cameo appearances are author Maynard (as Suzannes' lawyer), screenwriter Henry (as a huffy teacher), and filmmaker David Cronenberg as the mysterious man at the lake. Kidman is a marvel as she really struts her stuff for the camera.

Ultimately, one does feel somewhat sorry for Jimmy when it's seen just how pathetic he really is. He's just one of many characters who get jerked around by Suzanne, a master manipulator if ever there was one.

Eight out of 10.

A lot of people dislike To Die For. The film's detractors largely find fault with its tone and subject matter. It is really the epitome of black comedy, and anyone expecting either pure comedy or pure suspense will be very disappointed.

That said, To Die For deserves a place in film history as one of the sharpest satires of television and fame, ranking alongside films such as Network. Forgive the cliche, but Nicole Kidman's performance is truly a revelation -- she shows talents that were clearly invisible in earlier travesties such as Far & Away and are only now beginning to resurface. But the real discovery in this film is the magnificent Illeana Douglass. It is scandalous that few people mention her amazing work when discussing To Die For. If for nothing else, the film should be seen for the work of Kidman and Douglass. (Note also that To Die For has one of Joaquin Phoenix's earliest roles.)

As other commentators here have suggested, you are not guaranteed to love this film. Nonetheless, as far as I'm concerned, it's required viewing if you're a film fan.

Suzanne Stone Maretto (Nicole Kidman) is a TV weathergirl and an infamous tabloid sensation suspected of enticing teenagers Jimmy Emmett (Joaquin Phoenix), Lydia Mertz (Alison Folland) and Russel Hines (Casey Affleck) to kill her husband Larry Maretto (Matt Dillon). She is driven and would stop at nothing to achieve fame. His sister Janice (Illeana Douglas) didn't like cold Suzanne from the start.

It has the noir style with characters doing interviews with the camera. Director Gus Van Sant has more style than a simple narrative. Talking directly into the camera adds to this dark comedy. It is the performance of Nicole Kidman that is the most interesting. She can be sweet and innocent in one moment. Then she's manipulative and ambitious the next. She delivers one of her best performances ever. It is a dark indictment of the modern obsession for fame.