Stylish but barely mediocre overall

good back-story, and good acting

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Some universities and colleges would grant a 4.0 average to the roommates of students that commit suicide. That said, there is always someone who figures out a way to get rid of an obnoxious student if it would mean grades one didn't earn. Leave it to some college kids to figure out a way to get into prestigious schools with little intelligence to justify the artificially inflated grades given to them in order to appease the ordeals they've been through.This is the premise of Dan Rosen's thriller "Dead Man's Curve". Mr. Rosen trying to capitalize on other movies directed to younger audiences, created a story with many twists and turns. Some of the plot devices work, while the viewer is left to ponder some of the logic behind what is presented on the screen. The film, as some of the comments do suggest, will resonate more with American audiences because they might be more aware of this curious fact that some of our higher institutions of learning reward students that come close to tragedy.There are four people that can gain admittance to Harvard, one of the elite centers for learning in the country. Tim and Chris conspire to get rid of the boorish and obnoxious Rand and by doing so, they will be admitted to the place of their dreams, almost by osmosis, since they don't have the grades to prove their intelligence. But Rand's body is never found, so can it be considered a true suicide? When the police appears to interrogate them, Tim suddenly switches his story and Chris' account of what happened is questioned by the detectives.The second plot involves Emma, who is Chris' girlfriend. She also has her own agenda. When Natalie, her roommate, who had been going with Rand, tests positive as being pregnant, puts the Canadian co-ed into a suicidal mood. Emma will stand to receive the good grades and has an assured future, or so it seems. It is at this point when another twist that comes out of nowhere occurs. Rand, who didn't die, resurfaces. His explanation doesn't convince, but here is where one gets to the real point in the film. Chris, it turns out has done some planning on his own, really wants to get rid of Tim.The intense Matthew Lillard gives an over the top performance as Tim, the man at the center of the story. Michael Vartan plays Chris and Randall Baliskoff is seen as Rand. Keri Russell, a gorgeous creature, appears as the sweet Emma, an ambitious girl, herself. Dana Delaney's role is not justified as the psychiatrist that acts as a sort of a Catholic priest, knowing the students' secrets, but not coming forward to denounce what really is going on.

The "curve" in the title refers to a grading curve. At a college Chris (Michael Vartan) wants to get into Harvard--but isn't getting the grades. His roommate Tim (Matthew Lillard) wants the same but also doesn't have the grades. The they hear if you have a roommate who commits suicide you get an automatic 4.0 from the college. And they have a horribly obnoxious roommate (Randall Batinkoff)...Not bad little thriller. It's well-made, moves quickly and has a good cast that were virtual unknowns when this was made. There are some problems--there was a plot twist an hour in that I just didn't buy and there were TOO many twists and turns at the end. Also Lillard and Batinkoffs' characters are SO cruel and unlikable that it's hard to give a damn about them...and also hard to believe that they are so popular around campus. And Dana Delaney is wasted as the school psychologist. Still it's easy to overlook these faults.The acting is good--Lillard overacts (as always) but it fits the role; Batinkoff underacts nicely; Vartan is somber (but he's supposed to be) and Keri Russell (as Vartan's girlfriend) is very good. There's a nice soundtrack with some impressive visuals--I love the two candlelit vigils in this.Some previous posters have complained about the ending being too confusing with too many loose ends. They're right--but this is just a nice quick little thriller--don't think about it TOO much. I give it a 7.

OK, this movie starts out like a really bad college movie...but the ending is great. even my parents loved it. but the thing i really love about this movie is....it was filmed at my school! Johns Hopkins University!! of course, you will never see this in the credits, because i bet that Hopkins didn't want to have anything to do with it...it shows the faculty (especially the counselor) as being incomparably incompetent (which is totally the case at JHU) so I figure they didn't want anybody to see this and think that this might be what JHU is like. but anyways... the movie has a really nice twist at the end, and the acting is pretty good. i would recommend it, especially to anybody who is thinking about attending Johns Hopkins. I still don't know where that lighthouse is tho.

Ever heard about those movies that are totally misinterpreted or ignored? The Curve (aka Dead Man's Curve) is such one. It tells the story about some students how found out that once a roommate commit suicide that they are graduated, to survive the shock. I have no idea if these rules are actually existing but it's enough for some students to play the game anyway... What follows is a great movie in where the viewer is switched from one situation to an other (who is who, who is dead...) and they're all lead by the pervert performance from Matthew Lilard (Thirteen ghosts, Scream) who plays the role of his life. To give it a much more suicidal character, director Dan Rosen opts for suicidial music like Bauhaus and The Smiths. Also watch out for the moviegames the students are playing (the parody on the Russian roulette=scene in The Deer Hunter is superb). Totally ignored movie, what a shame....