Pretty Persuasion
"It's like the world is this orchestra and I'm the conductor"
Pretty Persuasion is an American black-comedy from 2005, starring Evan Rachel Wood, James Woods, Ron Livingstone, Jane Krakowski, Elisabeth Harnois, Adi Schnall and Selma Blair.
Kimberly Joyce (Wood) is a precocious 15-year-old who dreams of becoming an actress. Her best friend is Brittany (Harnois) and the two take new student Randa (Schnall) under their wing. They go to the exclusive Roxbury Academy in Beverly Hills, and it's at the same time that Emily (Krakowski), a local news reporter, is filming a fluff piece on the school, that the trio accuse Anderson of sexual harassment. Hilarity Ensues.
The film was noted on its release for proudly taking refuge in both vulgarity and audacity at a level many other films might not have dared to go. Very few of the characters are likeable, and the comedy is pitch black, sometimes bordering on Dead Baby Comedy. Think of it as a caustic mix of Heathers and To Die For with Nicole Kidman. Reviews are mixed, and mileages certainly vary as to whether the vulgarity and audacity are pulled off successfully, but most agree that Wood is a standout in the role of Kimberly.
- Abusive Parents: Kimberlys parents are both neglectful
- Adults Are Useless
- Alpha Bitch: Kimberly fits the bill, except it's suggested she's not all that popular at school, at least in the superficial sense of the word "popular"
- Asshole Victim: Although Anderson did't actually sexually harass the girls (except perhaps what he did to Brittany), he was still incredibly inappropriate to and about them
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Kimberly - and how.
- Black Comedy
- Book Ends: The film opens and closes with Kimberly's dance
- A Date with Rosie Palms: Brittany likes to do this. Unfortunately, she is led into having one in front of her entire drama class by Mr. Anderson. It Makes Sense in Context.
- Depraved Bisexual: Played with, though mainly Kimberly is just being manipulative.
- The Ditz: Brittany and Kathy.
- Double Standard: Emilys behavior in having sex with a 15 year old girl who in her mind had recently been a victim of sexual abuse by an adult would likely be depicted less sympathetically if she were male
- Driven to Suicide: Randa, when it comes out that the trio lied.
- Evil Plan: the entire plot, as pulled by Kimberly
- Fee Fi Faux Pas: Many, but Kimberly's "Money-grubbing Jew shyster" is pretty epic. Subverted of course when we find until of course we find out it was deliberate.
- Fille Fatale: Kimberly
- Foot Focus
- For the Evulz
- Hypocritical Humour:
Hank: "Racism is ignorance and I don't ever want to catch you being ignorant. Now, this is not to say you have license to bring R. Kelly home for dinner..."
- Jerkass: MANY examples, but Hank and Mr. Anderson are the best examples.
- Lipstick Lesbian: Emily.
- Magnificent Bitch: Kimberly, all consumingly.
- Manipulative Bitch: Kimberly again.
- Mood Whiplash: The ending abandons the Black Comedy in favour of some last-minute Character Development. It's Better Than It Sounds.
- Motor Mouth: Brittany becomes one when being cross examined.
- Parental Abandonment: Half the reason Kimberly is the way she is is due to her mother's absence, meaning she spends a lot of time with her father
- Precision C Strike: Emily's labelling of Kimberly with Country Matters is spot on and vicious.
- Refuge in Audacity: The entire film, but in-universe Kimberly's "I'm very glad I was born White" speech probably takes the cake.
- Refuge in Vulgarity: James Woods as Hank Joyce is pitch-perfect casting.
- Troubled Child: Kimberly identifies with a guy who shot up his school. Safe to say she has issues.
- Teens Are Monsters: Kimberly most definitely
- Vomit Indiscretion Shot: Subverted in that due to a bird's-eye-view we see the end result, but not the actual act.
- What Have I Done: The film ends with Kimberly breaking down as she sees that all she's done in order to get her acting job has alienated her from everyone she loves, and that despite it all, her role is a bit part on a worthless show that most people (including herself) would skip over.