Be Good, Suzy - Wild Things (1998)

Screened February 20th, 2023

“Lurid trash… I liked it.” Roger Ebert

Is Wild Things queer-baiting sexploitation garbage or an excellent 90s neo-noir class commentary? We say it’s both. What good is such a dubious binary when discussing a film that is this much fun? The upscale Miami suburb of Blue Bay is shocked when smarmy school guidance counselor Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillion) is accused of rape by two students. Wealthy it-girl Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards) and working-class student Suzie Toller (Neve Campbell) seem to be telling the truth but hardnosed police detective Ray Duquette (Kevin Bacon) and his partner Detective Gloria Perez (Daphne Ruben-Vega) aren’t so sure. Twists, twirls, and turns ensue as this all-star cast navigates the sticky swamp of class, revenge, desire, and murder in director John McNaughton’s (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer) Shakespearean love letter to noir cinema. Problematic, transgressive, and filthy, Wild Things engages in sleaze and smut with glee and if you’ve got a strong constitution, we highly recommend hopping in the fan boat and coming along for the sweaty stinky journey into Florida’s rotten underbelly. This naughty piece of “trash” will keep you guessing through the closing credits.