Pretty Persuasion

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Pretty Persuasion
Directed by Marcos Siega
Produced by Todd Dagres
Carl Levin
Marcos Siega
Matt Weaver
Written by Skander Halim
Starring Evan Rachel Wood
James Woods
Ron Livingston
Music by Gilad Benamram
Distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films
Roadside Attractions
Renaissance Films
Release date(s) August 12, 2005
Running time 104 minutes
Language English
Budget $2,500,000 US
IMDb profile

Pretty Persuasion is a 2005 black comedy / satirical film focusing on themes of sexual harassment and discrimination in schools, and attitudes about females in media and society. It was directed by Marcos Siega and written by Skander Halim, and stars Evan Rachel Wood, James Woods and Ron Livingston amongst others. The film's tagline is Revenge knows no mercy.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Kimberly Joyce (Evan Rachel Wood) is a high school student at Roxbury, a Beverly Hills school for the wealthy. She and her best friend Brittany (Elisabeth Harnois) take Randa (Adi Schnall), a new student from the Middle East, under their wings. When Kimberly decides to accuse her drama teacher (Ron Livingston) of sexual harassment, she gets everyone - including her friends, her family and the media (Jane Krakowski) - involved in her seductive and manipulative ways.

[edit] Critical reaction

The film was not received very well by film critics. Roger Ebert called it "daring, and well-acted", but also pointed out that it "exists uneasily somewhere between comedy and satire."[1] Channel 4 agreed with Ebert, saying: "Hovering uncomfortably between comedy and satire, Pretty Persuasion never quite gets the balance right."[2], while the Seattle Post-Intelligencer accused the film of being an "ugly, cheap attempt at satire".[3]. Slant Magazine called it "a pretty unpersuasive lecture".[4]

It received a 32% rating at Rotten Tomatoes.[5]

Moreover, it "tosses a nod" to David Mamet's play and film Oleanna about sexual harassment by teachers.

[edit] Nominations

The film was nominated for the 2005 Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Festival.

[edit] Cast

Evan Rachel Wood, Adi Schnall and Elisabeth Harnois
Evan Rachel Wood, Adi Schnall and Elisabeth Harnois
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski

[edit] Cinematography

It is shot in a style somewhat resembling music videos, but much slower. The film makes heavy use of irony and sarcasm, a fact that is also commented on in the film, as a blackboard in the background says "...the use of irony, sarcasm ridicule or the like, in exposing, denouncing or deriding vice, folly, etc." and the headmaster literally says: "That's a level of irony I just don't want to have happening under this roof.". On multiple occasions the main character resorts to plagiarism (citation without acknowledgment).

The High School is presented in an idealized, timeless form, with references to the Naughties, like brand shoewear or backpacks, virtually missing throughout.

[edit] Music

The musical score was composed by Gilad Benamram. Contrary to current trends, the film does not feature any popular music songs.[6]

[edit] Trivia

  • The film achieved brief exposure on the internet after a short lesbian scene was leaked.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050825/REVIEWS/50824001/1023
  2. ^ http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=155983
  3. ^ http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/239001_pretty02q.html
  4. ^ http://www.slantmagazine.com/Film/film_review.asp?ID=1687
  5. ^ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pretty_persuasion
  6. ^ Comment by the director

[edit] External links

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