Poison Ivy (1992)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Katt Shea

Writers (WGA):

Melissa Goddard (story)
Andy Ruben (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 May 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

What Ivy wants, Ivy gets.

Plot:

A seductive teen befriends an introverted high school student and schemes her way into the lives of her wealthy family.

Plot Keywords:

High School | Unfaithful Husband | Rebellious Daughter | Suicide Attempt | Sexploitation

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Sara Gilbert	...	Sylvie Cooper
Drew Barrymore	...	Ivy
Tom Skerritt	...	Darryl Cooper
Cheryl Ladd	...	Georgie Cooper
Alan Stock	...	Bob
Jeanne Sakata	...	Isabelle
E.J. Moore	...	Kid
J.B. Quon	...	Another Kid
Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Guy (as Leonardo Di Caprio)
Michael Goldner	...	Man in Car
Charley Hayward	...	Tiny
Time Winters	...	Old Man
Billy Kane	...	James
Tony Ervolina	...	Man on Screen
Mary Gordon Murray	...	M.D.

MPAA:

Rated R for sensuality and language.

Runtime:

Argentina:90 min | USA:88 min (R-rated version) | USA:93 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:MA (TV rating) | Iceland:12 | Iceland:14 (video rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) (unrated version) | Singapore:R21 | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) (2005) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:R | Germany:16 | Norway:15 (video premiere) | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Original title: "Ivy" and "Our House".

Goofs:

Continuity: Right at the start of the film, a dog has been run over by a car. To put it out of its misery, Ivy kills it. As she does, a whole lot of blood splashes on to Sara's face. However, in the next shot, the blood is nowhere to be seen.

Quotes:

[on the merits of Fred, her dog]
Sylvie Cooper: In fact, that Fred hated every human being except me really meant something.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Steve Martin/Prince (#31.12)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

VERY FIRST LIE

Better than it should be

By all rights this should have been yet another R-rated sex and violence flick about a piece of immoral jailbait having her wicked way with everyone around her, but the directing and acting are good enough to make it more effective than most, even touching. The atmosphere is almost haunting, and the relationships between the characters (especially the two teenage girl leads) are well developed enough to hold your interest.

Sara Gilbert gives the film a sympathetic center, she's excellent as a bright, likeable high school girl who finds herself in far over her head when she befriends poor little bad girl Drew Barrymore. Her misery and frustration as Barrymore takes over her family, her life, even her dog are moving enough to make the flimsy story work. Barrymore wasn't much of an actress at that age (still isn't, in my opinion), but she's very effective nonetheless. She doesn't need to act, she needs to do what she does, look sexy. Really, really sexy, like it's all she ever thinks about. Cheryl Ladd also does surprisingly well as Gilbert's slowly dying mother.

The movie also has moments of an almost haunting quality. The score is lovely, alternately passionate and strangely moody, and gives the film enough emotional intensity to make me forgive its many flaws. Even Barrymore kissing Gilbert. Eeeew.