TheDelusionist Kimberly Joyce (Evan Rachel Wood) is a privileged fifteen-year-old Beverly Hills high school girl obsessed with the desire of becoming an actress and very misanthropic tendencies. After being dumped by her boyfriend, her supposed best friend Brittany (Elizabeth Harnois) has no problems dating him. Masking her unhealthy jealousy Kimberly puts a brave face on things, almost deluding herself that she in fact does not care. One morning Kimberly notices Randa (Adi Schnall) a new student coming to Roxbury all the way from some Arab country. Kimberly easily manipulates Randa into liking her, taking her under her wing, but of course it is all part of an obscure evil plan involving racism, accusations of sexual harassment and sleeping with a horny lesbian journalist. Will Kimberly's genius plot work out for her in the end? Or will she just feel more empty and alone? It's fair to speculate.Pretty Persuasion is a darkly hilarious, twisted little satire on American society and our Western ideals. It discusses a broad spectrum of topics raging from women's role in society, to our Judeo-Christian family values and the influence of mass media on people. While some of those 'issues' are only touched upon, Skander Halim's sharp writing always manages to be spot on and funny. Ramsey Nickell's colorful, yet cold and almost sterile cinematography helps reflecting Kimberly's thought process, while perfectly contextualizing the clean and clinical ambiente, home of the rich and famous. Marcos Siega's direction might be a bit unfocused at times, presenting some of the subplots in a less than satisfying way, yet there is a distinct charm and great command of the craft that genuinely comes through in this picture. It also makes me hope that he'll take a break from television to bring us another shiny gem like Pretty Persuasion. He has a great way with actors, managing to get a great performance out of everyone involved, especially Evan Rachel Wood (who also looks stunning) and James Wood, playing her wacky, almost insane father in the film.Pretty Persuasion is definitely my kind of film. I can certainly identify with Kimberly Joyce, and I'm sure we've all felt like her at some point, though most of us haven't acted on it. The film manages to make you feel for a character that is ostensibly a 'horrible person'. The worldview of the filmmaker mostly reflect my own, lamenting some of the same frustrations, namely the shallow surface of politically correct and morally rotten, corrupt mass media. While the movie could be viewed as an overly cynical sociological commentary, to me it sticks out as a fantastic counter programming to television's totalitarian and superficial moral agenda. On a lighter note, I get great pleasure out of films like Mean Girls (2004), Heathers (1988) and even The Virgin Suicides (1999) presenting us with the mysteriously intriguing world of female adolescence. There is just something alluring to the idea of being a teenage girl that I can endlessly come back to: The ephemeral aspect of youth, the mystical transitional phase of being something between a little girl and woman. I think Pretty Persuasion fully explores this concept, transporting the viewer into a magical, forbidden and even crazy world not many have access to.

Aseem 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

oldarney 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.

auge-1 This move represents the type of movie genre I hate - no, loath. But it's actually pretty good. The story is not as straightforward as one would expect. This movie definitely has a twist and is not your average soap opera.My girl friend was watching it on her PC and it caught my attention - something that rarely happens in the middle of a movie. The story arc makes you want to know more, and the end does not disappoint. It does not unfold slowly and it leaves a lot of room for speculation. You still won't expect this. The role of Kimberly makes sure you don't get bored while waiting for the conclusion.If I actually find a high school movie entertaining, you should probably watch it. It doesn't even have any sci-fi gadgets or serious gore. ;-) A good story is all it takes, but lately this is a rare thing, unfortunately. Thumbs up for this movie getting it right!