To Die For

In this black comedy directed by Gus Van Sant, Nicole Kidman and her supporting cast, including Matt Dillon and Joaquin Phoenix, give quirky and outlandish performances that are truly “to die for”. Kidman plays Suzanne Stone who has wanted to be on television since she was a little girl. During her quest to become a news woman she falls in love with Larry Maretto. He is the drummer of a local band and rides a motorcycle. Matt Dilon plays Larry who falls hard for Suzanne, so much so he is willing to give up his wild ways and settle down for the married life. Being from a large and prominent Italian family, Larry is ready to start a family of his own with his new wife, but if Suzanne becomes pregnant how will she be taken seriously as a newswoman? After getting a job at the local cable station, Suzanne finally gets her wish and becomes the night time weather girl. With her new job in tow she visits the local high school where she meets up with three teenagers and starts to work on a documentary called “Teens Speak Out”. With her career soaring and her finally coming up in the world Larry decides to put his foot down and demand Suzanne start concentrating on making a family. This simply will not do for this up and coming weather girl, it is time to go to drastic measures and seduce the young Jimmy Emmett, played by Joaquin Phoenix, and have him and his friends kill Larry so she will be free to follow her dreams.

This movie is wickedly funny and puts the black in black comedy. The entire cast gives top-notch performances and everyone is a perfect fit for their character. Nicole Kidman is devilishly wonderful as the Jane Pauley wannabe and grabs your attention right away. She is an enigma who displays characteristics of the straight laced and family oriented news woman to the cougar seductress with a wild side willing to orchestrate a murder to reach her goals. Matt Dillon also gives a worthy performance as the unsuspecting husband who seals his fate by insisting his wife become pregnant and start concentrating on the family restaurant. Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck, and Alison Folland embody the not so smart teenagers who are tricked into committing murder.

Van Sant uses a really ingenious way of presenting the story as an after-the-fact documentary with all of the people involved giving interviews looking back on the lives of Suzanne and Larry Moretto. In Suzanne’s desire to become a media personality she even narrates the movie through a home video to tell her side of the story to perspective media outlets. This omniscient way of telling the story adds something extra special and gives Kidman the ability to play with the audience as can only be done by a murderous and calculating femme fatale. To Die For is a clever social commentary of how, in America, even a murderer can become a celebrity