James Intriguing to consider that Lena Headey, Joshua Jackson, Norman Reedus and James Marsden were pretty much unknown to me (as I guess to many of us) back around 2000 when I first watched this entertaining film; and Kate Hudson hardly known. And then here we are in 2016, catching the same film again, and it does change the perspective.But overall what sums this piece up is the word "edgy". There's a slightly specific triangle of room-mates, albeit with the word "room" taken to indicate about half an acre of space. They are not unlikeable and close, very close, though also part of a wider circle of students characterised by that uneasy mix of determined maturity and actual immaturity, plus a deliberate desire to live on the edge, that seems to be the hallmark of students everywhere.Ultimately our three main characters seem more than willing to do the dirty on each other. In the meantime, they (together) decide to see how far they can get with a piece of gossip, and the answer is very far indeed. And on the way, we learn what whole sections of society (artists, psychiatrists, economists, politicians, special advisers and so on) have known for years - that big lies are more easily believed than small ones, and that the truth is what the majority believe it to be.These awful realities are made manifest in a host of different, pretty clever ways as the film develops, and even the wrap-up-the-story sting in the tail cannot really erase the "truth" of that, if you'll pardon the iteration; though it is admittedly hard for the average viewer (like me) to work out just how far back through the film what we might call "the counter-offensive" actually goes.In any case, this is a film with a point to make and it makes it pretty effectively. It's slick and well-acted and rather dark (figuratively, but also literally given the amount of rainy nights we seem to experience). Perhaps most people, most of the time, will have something better to watch, but perhaps that will be a pity given the competence of this piece of work from Davis Guggenheim.

jotix100 Let's face it, our culture is fascinated with gossip. It seems it is a national pastime. How, otherwise, can we explain the existence of glossy magazines and tabloids that deliver all the dirt to its readers. "Gossip", directed by Davis Guggenheim, and based on a screenplay by Gregory Poirier and Theresa Rebeck, a playwright on her own right, exploits the premise of how damaging to anyone an innuendo can be, when it is perceived as the truth.The idea of spreading a nasty rumor to see how far it gets, is not a novel idea. Fortunately for the creators, the movie works out better than one thought up to the contrived finale. There are things that don't make sense, but one goes along just for the ride. If anything, the moral of the story is that the joke backfires and it comes to haunt the arrogant Derrick Webb right in his face.We enjoyed Lena Headey's take on Cathy Jones. This young actress deserved better than what she was given here. James Marsden has some good moments. The cast looks as though out of a colorful ad for J. Crew, or one of those catalog stores.

ryanreynoldsfan721 Gossip is a glossed-over movie that if you ask people about it, they'll talk about Gossip Girl. I'll admit, I saw it because James Marsden was in it, and I was surprised by his edgy role. Gossip centers around three college students, Cathy, known to everybody as "Jones", who seems like a normal college girl, Travis, the off-the-wall artist who has a different mind which he shows in his work, namely his room, and Derrick, the arrogant, quick- talking schmoozer who can lie his way in or out of any situation, who owns the apartment the three share. What starts as Derrick defending a girl in a class, where he states, "We're people, and we do what we do... I like gossip. It's fun." This leads Jones to come up with their project for the class; start a rumor, track it and see where it leads. That night, the three attend a party. Jones is taking pictures outside when she bumps into rich girl Naomi, getting out of a town car with her boyfriend, Beau. Jones takes a picture of them going inside then scoffs once they've left ("Who arrives to a party in the meat-packing district in a town car?") When Derrick and his date are in the bathroom while she gets sick, Derrick sees Naomi and Beau making out. Beau tries to push Naomi, but she stops him. Shortly after, from having too much to drink, she passes out and Beau leaves. Derrick sees this and gets the idea for their rumor. The next morning, hungover Jones is hesitant to go through with it; Derrick teases her about not being able to be mean ("You're from Plymouth, with the Pilgrims and there were no mean Pilgrims") so Cathy tells Naomi's best friend she slept with Beau. Naomi hears the rumor and is afraid Beau raped her. Things go wrong. Beau gets arrested, Cathy starts doubting the plan, Naomi can't stand to hear Derrick's name, and Derrick doesn't tell the truth until he's absolutely backed into a corner. Was Gossip a world-turning film? Probably not. Do more than a handful of people know it exists? Again, probably not. Did it really need to be rated R? Once again, probably not. But it's a good movie to see once. It's edgy and a little dark but there are some dare-I-say cute moments. If you see it in the video store or better the library, rent it. It's only an hour and a half long.

edwardrevans The movie premise for this film is a neat one, but looses its way in the final 1/3 of the film. Acting is good, the only problem is that near the end of the film you kinder figured it out yourself anyway.So hears the set up. Three College students decide to make up a completely untrue rumour about a fellow student to see how it changes as it is passed on via word of mouth around the campus, just like Chinese whispers. Things get out of hand though when the rumour spreads and changes into something more serious and the police become involved and arrests are made. Issues with the film are one unbelievable scene and a continuity issue, otherwise worth a watch.