Wow! Such a good movie.

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Pretty Persuasion stars Evan Rachel Wood as Kimberly Joyce, a very intelligent yet extremely cynical 15-year-old psychopath, the product of bad parenting (James Woods as her father is despicable yet hilarious) and an over-privileged lifestyle, who mercilessly manipulates her friends and exploits her burgeoning sex appeal in any way necessary to achieve her ambition to become an actress (whilst simultaneously exacting revenge on those who she believes have wronged her), eventually accusing her English teacher Mr. Anderson of sexual assault (it's hard to feel sorry for him, though: as frustrating as it must be to be surrounded by cock-teasing jail-bait all day long, he does get to go home in the evening and act out his fantasies with his hot-to-trot wife, played by Selma Blair).Darkly humorous, deliciously quirky, deeply satirical, and thoroughly perverted, this is a surprisingly daring tale requiring a certain degree of bravado from all involved, including the viewer. The easily outraged need not bother watching: there is plenty of swearing and lots of sexual activity, particularly from Evan Rachel Wood whose morally vacuous character engages in all manner of deviant behaviour, including taking it up the poop-chute, and the giving and receiving of oral pleasure with both sexes (non-explicit, of course, but fairly shocking all the same given Kimberley's tender age).As a fan of uncompromising cinema, I found Pretty Persuasion both thoroughly engaging and pleasantly unpredictable, the kind of film genuinely deserving of those oft-used labels 'quirky', 'witty', and 'off-beat'; you could do worse than to give this movie a permanent place on your DVD shelf, filed alongside Mean Girls, Cruel Intentions, To Die For, Wild Things and Heathers.7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

I chose to watch this movie because it was available, looked like a pop corn college flick. There is something about this movie which keeps you on it and for someone who gets bored very easily, this is quite an achievement. Part of the attraction I guess has to do with the innuendos, hot girls and that the story revolves around an alleged sex crime. But this is quite common and this is not why I gave the movie a 7. The reason I gave it a 7 is because of the lucid way in which the central character is developed and the director's portrayal of characters and situations which are quite realistic while at the same time not taking the "college" flick feel away from the movie. Not a must see. Maybe a maybe see

it was pure awesome. everything from the very being was linked in a very very genius was for lack of words.its about an extraordinary girl who controls the world with her intelligence. cold hearted, smart as hell, pure genius. its definitely one of the best movies I've seen. the main actors a high school girls witch Kimberly uses as puppets for her master plan. the movie does have a bit of sexually directed content but shows nothing but the face and sounds. an intriguing aspect is her stepmother witch Kimberly insults with "go f the dog". the dog its self is interesting and plays a very important part of the movie, in fact just about every scene in the movie plays an import part in understanding the phenomena the is Kimberly. in end pure genius.

Evan Rachel Wood stars as Kimberly Joyce, an aspiring starlet gifted with an amazing intellect and killer sex appeal - all while being a high-school student in a private school. An apparent culmination of a broken home, a privileged lifestyle and a lack of parental boundaries, "Pretty Persuasion" marauds as a satire that cuts right down to teenage sex issues, racism and media irresponsibility but its really just a drama with an unhealthy fixation on comedy and no particular place to direct its send-up at.Armed with an acumen for persuasion, Kimberly uses it on everyone, from her uncouth businessman father (James Woods) to her best friend, Brittany (Elisabeth Harnois). Lying and manipulation is second nature to her, she even manages to convince herself from time to time. She's an anti-heroine, who you'd never root for. Not even when you learn her motivations. She knows her beauty, although good-looking, is limited, and does not set her apart from the competition when it comes to auditions and screen roles. Kimberly's not the most popular girl either, as she dispenses insults and backhanded compliments with razor sharp proficiency but she is promiscuous, trading sexual favours for actual favours. Wary of her 'talents' are her teachers and principal, as they appear malcontented at her strong and formidable disposition.Unfortunately, the English teacher, Percy Anderson (Ron Livingston) draws her ire when he punishes her and a new student, an immigrant Arab girl, Randa (Adi Schnall) who was unfairly reprimanded because of a defiant Kimberly. Randa sticks with Kimberly and Brittany, although uncomfortable with their licentious behaviour and oh-so insipid American ways, a true innocent to their immoral antics. At a slumber party, Kimberly schools them in order to enlist them in corroborating an accusation of sexual assault at the English teacher. They go along unwillingly, with the realisation of instant feminist heroism and increased exposure, in the case of Kimberly even if they lose. This incident sets off a media frenzy led by Emily Klein (Jane Krakowski), a lesbian reporter who finds herself in dangerous Sapphic territory with a master seductress in Kimberly. Allying herself with her, Emily sets out on a one-sided crusade against Percy.What it does well is its careful unwrapping of the truth behind Percy's accusation. It keeps us in the dark on whether he is indeed guilty. Various instances of Percy's behaviour with his wife (Selma Blair) and furtive looks at girls in the school make us question the validity of those claims.There's a sense of irony in this film, when the filmmakers themselves make caricatures of the characters in the script. It's so conceited and self-aware that it lampoons everyone and everything, from the Columbine shootings to the war in Iraq. The high-schoolers are either presented as brain-dead but attractive or sex-obsessed losers, adding to their self-parody. Everyone's a victim in this film and everyone is an object of contempt. Just as "Saved!" (with another rising starlet in Jena Malone) did it heart and humour, this film did it with condescension and disrespect.Despite an uproariously hilarious portrayal by James Wood, in a role that you might think is actually James Wood as he is, it's still a weak and offensive film that just does not know what it wants to be. It's social commentary gone the way of opine bashing. Shame, considering Rachel Evan Woods actually gives a great performance in this, even more impressive than in "Thirteen". Undeniably, she's one to look to out for in the future.