SPOILERS:
I thought I was going to love this! I've recently seen the movie "Pretty Persuasion" which is a bit similar to this and liked that a lot. But this movie, while not awful, really bothered me. It was very well acted, actually amazingly so, featuring superb performances from all the cast and wonderful direction but the movie was so incredibly mean that it was very difficult to enjoy it.
Since I generally enjoy these type of pictures (I count 'Heathers", "Cruel Intentions", "Wild Things", "Election" and "pretty Persuasion" as good movies) I did ask myself why I had such a hard time with this one. Using comparisons to 'Pretty Persuasion" a movie I just saw recently, I have to say that movie, despite the twisted aspects-(and there were many) was provocative. It was daring but it had something to say. There were a lot of different themes explored and it made one think.
But with Minnie's first time, it seems mean without all the Depth and introspective aspects. This is a very hard movie to like. I Will admit I was riveted and had no desire to turn it off. But man did it annoy me at times! It is a disturbing movie I'll give it that.
Some of the main characters frustrated the heck out of me. Unlike other movies, we are not provided much detail on Minnie's motivations either. She just seems to hurt people randomly. Alec Baldwin did a great job with his character but this story was just to twisted for me. I mean sometimes there is a line between dark and utterly twisted. Minnie's first time seemed a compilation of many other films but the depth needed to really make a good film didn't seem to be there. This was not awful or dreadful but it just was not my type of movie. I thought it would be. It started promisingly. But This movie just left a bad taste in my mouth in general. I guessed fairly early the pictures were from Minnie not the neighbor. I was also bothered that Minnie got of Scot free. So this isn't my favorite of the genre although I've seen a lot of 1 and 2 votes on here and I could never give it a really really low rating because it's got some positives, mainly the performances. This movie defines "Performance Driven".
So in spite of the negatives and Even though I wouldn't strongly recommend this, I'd give it a rating of low 6. It's got some positives, number one as mentioned the performances but also is the way the movie sticks with you-way more then other similar films. This movie is disturbing and one won"t forget it easily. I have noticed many either seem to love this or hate this. There are so many excessively low or high ratings on here. I'm one in between. I don't think this is Oscar material but nor do I think it's awful. I may even watch it again! (It could fall into the "Guilty Pleasure" type of movie but it wasn't that enjoyable to watch so I guess not) If I sound a bit confused about this movie it is because I am. But this is one where even though I was bothered by it, it does have something that grabs the viewer. Alec Baldwin is excellent as is Reed, Glodblum, Moss and Luke Wilson in a small but surprisingly effective role. This movie will never be one of my favorites and I can think of many other directions I'd have preferred it to go but it sure is intense movie watching. My vote's 6.
I thought I was going to love this! I've recently seen the movie "Pretty Persuasion" which is a bit similar to this and liked that a lot. But this movie, while not awful, really bothered me. It was very well acted, actually amazingly so, featuring superb performances from all the cast and wonderful direction but the movie was so incredibly mean that it was very difficult to enjoy it.
Since I generally enjoy these type of pictures (I count 'Heathers", "Cruel Intentions", "Wild Things", "Election" and "pretty Persuasion" as good movies) I did ask myself why I had such a hard time with this one. Using comparisons to 'Pretty Persuasion" a movie I just saw recently, I have to say that movie, despite the twisted aspects-(and there were many) was provocative. It was daring but it had something to say. There were a lot of different themes explored and it made one think.
But with Minnie's first time, it seems mean without all the Depth and introspective aspects. This is a very hard movie to like. I Will admit I was riveted and had no desire to turn it off. But man did it annoy me at times! It is a disturbing movie I'll give it that.
Some of the main characters frustrated the heck out of me. Unlike other movies, we are not provided much detail on Minnie's motivations either. She just seems to hurt people randomly. Alec Baldwin did a great job with his character but this story was just to twisted for me. I mean sometimes there is a line between dark and utterly twisted. Minnie's first time seemed a compilation of many other films but the depth needed to really make a good film didn't seem to be there. This was not awful or dreadful but it just was not my type of movie. I thought it would be. It started promisingly. But This movie just left a bad taste in my mouth in general. I guessed fairly early the pictures were from Minnie not the neighbor. I was also bothered that Minnie got of Scot free. So this isn't my favorite of the genre although I've seen a lot of 1 and 2 votes on here and I could never give it a really really low rating because it's got some positives, mainly the performances. This movie defines "Performance Driven".
So in spite of the negatives and Even though I wouldn't strongly recommend this, I'd give it a rating of low 6. It's got some positives, number one as mentioned the performances but also is the way the movie sticks with you-way more then other similar films. This movie is disturbing and one won"t forget it easily. I have noticed many either seem to love this or hate this. There are so many excessively low or high ratings on here. I'm one in between. I don't think this is Oscar material but nor do I think it's awful. I may even watch it again! (It could fall into the "Guilty Pleasure" type of movie but it wasn't that enjoyable to watch so I guess not) If I sound a bit confused about this movie it is because I am. But this is one where even though I was bothered by it, it does have something that grabs the viewer. Alec Baldwin is excellent as is Reed, Glodblum, Moss and Luke Wilson in a small but surprisingly effective role. This movie will never be one of my favorites and I can think of many other directions I'd have preferred it to go but it sure is intense movie watching. My vote's 6.