To Die For
The main reason I went to see To Die For was Nicole Kidman. I had heard so many critics praise her performance, so I wanted to see it for myself. When I finished watching the movie, I was surprised. Not by what the critics said, but how Nicole Kidman had been left out of the Oscar Nominated actresses. I couldn't believe it, but I don't think she had much of a chance against Susan Sarandon. But her performance did lead to a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.
The movie opens with a wonderful opening credits scene. It explains the movie that we are about to see. We then find Suzanne Stone/Maretto (Nicole Kidman) talking to us in front of a white background. She begins to tell us her life story. This is what the whole movie is about: her life story. But what a life it is. She is a woman with a goal to be on TV. She says that she would do anything to get into the business.
However, when she gets married to Matt Dillon, she believes that he is getting in her way. She wants to get him out of the picture (no pun intended) so she seduces a young teenager (played by Joaquin Phoenix). She has him and one of his friends kill her husband. The movie follows her through her trials and successes. She gets a small time job at a local TV station where she does the weather.
The movie portrays many point-of-views from every character. It shows the suffering of the two families, especially the sister of the husband. The performances are all good, especially by the sister, who competes for attention against Suzanne. The contrast is very well done and adds color to the movie. The kids, especially Phoenix, are all good. One of my favorite lines comes from the girl at the very end of the film. There are many good lines in the movie, including the most famous one: "You aren't anyone in America unless you are on TV." (Or something like that)
The movie is rated R. The movie is a visual movie because it is hard to explain in words without spoiling any of the fun. There are a couple sex scenes and some vulgar language throughout the movie. This might be offensive to some people and it really isn't necessary. However, the movie is funny and Kidman is very near perfect in this performance.