Spoiled rich teens considered as beautiful as those that are in magazines, with dark secrets and an ever growing drinking problem? Sounds like a typical 2000's teen movie to me, but this one does have something extra. I always enjoyed this movie, as shallow as it may be, it still packs a punch and it's got a dark twist that makes one hell of an ending.
So we've got Adrien, harboring a dark past, just getting out of a psychiatric ward, trying to better herself, off to a new chapter in her life. She is given a job at some lush country club filled with snobs and spoiled teens who of course, look down at her because she is the outsider. BUT, she happens to look a lot like Sandra, who vanished years prior. Sandra is Brittany's older sister, who is the seductive black widow of the group, who holds a dark secret of her own. The brunette bombshell, who was in the shadow of her sister, Sandra, but once she was out of the picture, becomes the leader of the group. Her aching desire to be popular becomes her deadly obsession, which also destroys Adrien's and Brittany's newfound friendship.
Adrien, just trying to get back on her feet, tries to keep her head down and works hard to stay out of the ward. She had her own obsession with a doctor and it took a dark turn, knowing that he did not reciprocate her feelings. She is a lost soul in a sea of sharks that smell her vulnerability and take advantage, leaving her in a very sticky situation. She does find strength and through other's insanity, she finds her own sanity.....how ironic?
We are introduced to Kelly, one of Brittany's friends who actually secretly desires to be more than Brittany's friend, but Brittany does not feel the same. Kelly does not approve of Adrien and she definitely disapproves of her and Brittany's new friendship. What happens to her, I don't really feel much for her because of her behavior towards Adrien. She thinks she is better than her and wants Brittany all to herself, too blind to see that Brittany actually wants nothing to do with her.
Then we have Bobby, another friend of Brittany's and of Sandra's, who has a crush on Kelly because of a summer fling they had once but Kelly no longer wants anything to do with her. Bobby drinks a lot of martinis, spends a good time, hanging out in the sand on the beach or mixing drinks. He knows all of the gossip and you don't care much for him at first. But he looks at Adrien differently than the others so his character grows on me after awhile. He's one of the only ones who finally sees Brittany for who she really is.....
Brittany orchestrates everything to get what she wants, no matter who she hurts in the process, including her own sister, Sandra. She fakes a drowning just so Adrien notices her so that they can interact and become friends. The moment Bobby looks at Adrien and says she looks like Sandra, it scares Brittany and she must have the popularity all to herself. Top priority right? Brittany plays sane so well that no one knows the true Brittany, underneath she's that awkward girl who wanted Sandra's life so bad, she'd stop at nothing to steal it. She just never realized who she was dealing with when she met Adrien.
When Adrien realizes what Brittany's true intentions are, she fights back, fire with fire. Dressing like Sandra to mess with Brittany's mind, that's when Brittany unhinges. They face off and that scene is so perfect, it's like Single White Female meets Fatal Attraction, with a hint of Misery. Brittany cracked completely and the scene in the swimming pool, when everyone looks at her and she has that crazy look in her eye, it was a fantastic scene.
This movie is not perfect but it is so enjoyable, you see passed the flaws but the story is superb and it's a wild ride. Makes you wonder, is popularity really THAT worth it??????......
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