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Wild Things

Wild Things

Mystery · Thriller · Drama · 1998

When teen-socialite Kelly Van Ryan and troubled bad girl Suzie Toller accuse guidance counselor Sam Lombardo of rape, he's suspended by the school, rejected by the town, and fighting to get his life back. One cop suspects conspiracy, but nothing is what it seems...

Movie details

Wild Things

“They're dying to play with you.”

1998 Mystery · Thriller · Drama 1h 48m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.4 / 10

Community rating

When teen-socialite Kelly Van Ryan and troubled bad girl Suzie Toller accuse guidance counselor Sam Lombardo of rape, he's suspended by the school, rejected by the town, and fighting to get his life back. One cop suspects conspiracy, but nothing is what it seems...

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Wild Things?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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An investigation into one woman’s memory as she‘s forced to re-examine her first sexual relationship and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.

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Julian makes a lucrative living as an escort to older women in the Los Angeles area. He begins a relationship with Michelle, a local politician's wife, without expecting any pay. One of his clients is murdered and Detective Sunday begins pumping him for details on his different clients, something he is reluctant to do considering the nature of his work. Julian begins to suspect he's being framed. Meanwhile Michelle begins to fall in love with him.

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Crime · 1974

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

John McNaughton

Written by

Stephen Peters

Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon

Sergeant Ray Duquette

Matt Dillon

Matt Dillon

Sam Lombardo

Neve Campbell

Neve Campbell

Suzie Toller

Denise Richards

Denise Richards

Kelly Van Ryan

Theresa Russell

Theresa Russell

Sandra Van Ryan

Bill Murray

Bill Murray

Kenneth Bowden

Daphne Rubin-Vega

Daphne Rubin-Vega

Detective Gloria Perez

Court is in session

Put Wild Things on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.