Pretty Persuasion: A Dark Comedy

Marcos Siega’s Pretty Persuasion is one of the darkest comedies of recent years. It’s a high school movie, at least on the surface. But nothing is truly safe from being skewered. Racism, coming of age, celebrity, sexual harrasment, and a whole host of other issues come into play over the course of the running time.

Though it is funny, many people will be offended at some point while watching it. The film is cynical and somewhat mean spirited. It’s also very, very good.

Centering on Kimberly Joyce (Evan Rachel Wood – proving Thirteen was no fluke) and her friends, Randa(Adi Schnall) & Brittaney(Elisabeth Harnois) we are taken inside a posh Beverly Hills private school. Kimberly is a freakishly smart sophomore, who also has little if any conscious.

She is a master manipulator which soom be comes apparent. Kimberly seductvely uses her burgening sexuality to her advantage in nearly every encounter. Fellow students, teachers, and even the press all fall under her spell.

Her relationship with her bigotted father (James Woods in a hysterically over the top perfomance) almost non existant. At the end of the first act we jump forward a month as Kimberly and her t wo friends accuse their Drama teacher Mr. Percy(Ron Livingston) of sexial harrassment. The film switches between flashbacks and present and we see the how and why the trio reached this point.

As the case goes to trial Kimberly woos a local lesbian reporter Emily Klein(Jane Krakowski) in order to get more favorable press. The trial itself is fascinating as we jump back and forth in time. We are shown whole versions of earler scenes that give context to the proceedings.

For example Mr. Percy, while not a pedophile, does have an unhealthy fascination with his female students. A scene between Percy, his wife, and a skirt gains a level of significance during the case. I don’t seek to give away too much of the plot machinations however. A large part of my enjoyment came from not knowing what cards Siega would play next.

The cast is excellent. There is a not a bad perfomance in the whole piece. The satire is biting and harsh. The script is peppered with the kind of foul language and off color remarks that made Tarantino’s career, and is used to great effect. The film has a sheen that is somewhat surprising given the small-ish budget I imagine the film had.

Films have poked fun at the highschool expereince in the past. There have even been really dark comedies like Election and Heathers. This is much different though . It is far from being a typical Hollywood piece. It should cause heated discussion and debate both pro and con.

This is a film I can’t imagine people being lukewarm on, it’s a love it or hate it piece. Count me among the former.

3.5 out of 4 stars