Taglines: She’ll do anything to get what she wants …ANYTHING.
To Die For movie storyline. Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) dreams of being a world-famous news anchor. To that end, she marries Larry Maretto (Matt Dillon), due to mutual attraction and because she believes his family business will keep her financially comfortable, and she starts attempting to climb the network news ladder, beginning as a meteorologist at a local cable station, WWEN.
When Larry starts asking her to take time off from her career to start a family, she immediately begins plotting to get rid of him. To this end, she uses the subjects of her TV documentary, a high school project called “Teens Speak Out”, and seduces one of her students, Jimmy Emmett (Joaquin Phoenix), and manipulates him and his friends, delinquent Russell Hines (Casey Affleck) and shy Lydia Mertz (Alison Folland), into killing Larry. With the help of Russell and Lydia, Jimmy ultimately commits the murder.
Though Larry’s death is ruled a burglary-murder, the police begin investigating when they stumble across a “Teens Speak Out” video of Suzanne at Jimmy’s school in which Jimmy discreetly hints at a relationship with Suzanne, provided by her boss, Ed Grant (Wayne Knight). Jimmy, Russell and Lydia are arrested. Lydia makes a deal with the police to converse with Suzanne while wearing a wiretap, and Suzanne unwittingly reveals her hand in the murder.
Despite this undeniable proof of Suzanne’s guilt, however, she is acquitted in court, on the basis that the police had resorted to entrapment, and walks free. Suzanne basks in the media spotlight as she talks to reporters about Larry’s death, and fabricates a story about her husband being a drug addict and being murdered by Jimmy and Russell as his dealers. Jimmy and Russell are sentenced to life in prison, though Russell appeals against his sentence and receives sixteen years instead, while Lydia is released on probation for her cooperation.
o Die For is a 1995 American criminal comedy-drama film, made in a mockumentary format, directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Buck Henry, based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Maynard, which in turn was based on the factual story of Pamela Smart. It stars Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon, and Joaquin Phoenix.
Major supporting roles feature Illeana Douglas, Wayne Knight, Casey Affleck, Kurtwood Smith, Dan Hedaya, and Alison Folland. Nicole Kidman was nominated for a BAFTA and won a Golden Globe Award and a Best Actress Award at the 1st Empire Awards for her performance. Her character has been described as suffering from narcissistic personality disorder in the scientific journal BMC Psychiatry.
To Die For is a mixture of styles, combining a traditional drama with darkly comic direct-to-camera monologues by Kidman’s character, and mockumentary interviews, some tragic, with certain of the other characters in the film.
The film and the novel it is based on were both inspired by the facts that emerged during the trial of Pamela Smart, a school media services coordinator who was imprisoned for seducing a 16-year-old student and convincing him to kill her husband.
The role of Suzanne Stone was originally offered to Meg Ryan, who turned down the part and the $5 million salary offered. Kidman, who was later cast in the role, was paid $2 million.
To Die For (1995)
Directed by: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon, Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck, Illeana Douglas, Alison Folland, Dan Hedaya, Holland Taylor, Susan Traylor, Maria Tucci
Screenplay by: Buck Henry
Production Design by: Missy Stewart
Cinematography by: Eric Alan Edwards
Film Editing by: Curtiss Clayton
Costume Design by: Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
Set Decoration by: Carol Lavoie
Art Direction by: Vlasta Svoboda
Music by: Danny Elfman
MPAA Rating: R for strong sexual content, and for language.
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: October 6, 1995
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