What makes it different from others?

Really Surprised!

Better Late Then Never

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

"Poison Ivy" follows wealthy but bookish Los Angeles teenager Sylvie (Sara Gilbert), who befriends Ivy (Drew Barrymore), a troubled girl from the wrong side of the tracks. While their friendship begins with moments of usual teenage rebellion, Ivy's infiltration of the family unit, including Sylvie's father and ill mother (Tom Skerritt and Cheryl Ladd) grows more and more disturbed.Perhaps more of a melodrama and meditation on loneliness than the outright thriller that it sometimes is labeled as, "Poison Ivy" is a prime slice of early-nineties teen schlock, fitted with bad behavior, daddy issues, and a dolled up sixteen-year-old Drew Barrymore playing a devilish Lolita opposite an early "Roseanne"-era Sara Gilbert. It's so nineties, it's almost painful, and the nostalgia factor works in the film's favor.It is admittedly dated by today's standards—melodramatic cinematography and some stilted dialogue abound, really showing the film's age. Katt Shea, who made a name for herself directing other hard-edged female-led thrillers like "Streets" and "Stripped to Kill" directs, and the movie is stylish and has some fantastic compositions scattered throughout (a gorgeous, artful overhead shot of the two girls getting into a car accident is a prime example). The editing at times feels wonky, and the conclusion a bit abrupt, but overall the direction is fairly solid. A surprisingly elegant, haunting score also accompanies the film.The acting is varied across the board; Drew Barrymore, while not flawless, is incredibly watchable and evokes unexpected sympathy. Sara Gilbert turns in a solid, if not slightly one-note performance. Tom Skerritt plays the questionable father bewitched by the teenaged Ivy, while Cheryl Ladd has a more peripheral role as the suicidal mother. Overall, "Poison Ivy" is a decent watch, especially for fans of early-nineties aesthetics. It's a solid melodramatic thriller that, in spite of its imperfections, is compelling from beginning to end. The taboo subject matter and a memorable performance from Barrymore has lent the film something of a cult following over the years, which is unsurprising, though many of the film's most ardent fans will probably lead you to believe it's a much better film than it really is. 6/10.

A teenage Drew Barrymore lends her undeniable sex appeal to this otherwise unremarkable erotic thriller which uses the well-worn 'family unit threatened by a wicked interloper' plot device as an excuse to deliver loads of cheap titillation. Drew plays a sultry blonde with a troubled past who befriends socially awkward high school student Sylvie Cooper (Sara Gilbert) in order to scheme her way into her family. Sylvie is captivated by her new BFF's wild streak, unaware that the luscious lolita has designs on her father and will kill to get what she wants...Although, on the surface, this film gives the impression of being a stylish, sexy and sophisticated thriller, with an almost noir-ish atmosphere and a cool slow-burn approach, when all is said and done, this is trash exploitation, pure and simple, as one might expect from the director of Stripped to Kill and Stripped to Kill II: Live Girls.Not that I'm complaining, mind, since I'm a big fan of the lovely Miss Barrymore, and trashy exploitation in general, and this film gave me plenty to smile about, namely miss Barrymore in a series of very sexy get-ups.6 out of 10, bumped up to 7 for all the gratuitous Drew!

This film, claimed to be a "Basic Instinct" meets "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle", is a big disappointment. There is no real storyline evident, just an idea that seems to have been given about fifteen minutes work. This is a Virginia Andrews style plot, but it just does not work. Not only is it incoherent, it jumps from one episode to the next and never pieces itself together or finds direction. And the characters are poorly developed, leaving the viewer caring less about what happens to them.Barrymore is watchable, but the film is a tease as it doesn't deliver the promised sensuality.Friday, August 14, 1992 - Village Centre Melbourne

DVD synopsis:One look and you can tell she's trouble. The bleached blonde hair, the pouting lips, the skirt just short enough to show off the tattoo on her thigh. But Cooper (Sara Gilbert), herself an outsider, like the newcomer's style. She befriends her and before long the loner she nicknames Ivy (Drew Barrymore) becomes part of Cooper's family. But for Ivy a handful of home comforts is not nearly enough. She becomes obsessed by desire for Cooper's father and vows that no-one, least of all Cooper's mother, is going to stop her from having him. And so the household is drawn into a web of deadly attractions where sex, lies, even murder are the weapons in a terrifying fight for survival.Well, the back of the DVD tells you enough, but let me tell you why i give this film 10/10.Drew Barrymore plays one hell of sinister character here. The title of the film portrays what this film is all about, so perfectly that I have fallen in love with this film. It will always be one of the best of its kind, for all time. Drew Barrymore is like poison here, infecting and taken over everything in her path. But to every Antagonist, there must be a Protagonist. All in all, this film has a certain passion to it and however deadly the "new friend" is, it is a beautifully told story that has a perfect beginning, middle and end. So much that I wish I had been the man to write this story for the film. 10/10 - absolutely!