New Best Friend (2002)

Director:

Zoe Clarke-Williams

Writer (WGA):

Victoria Strouse (written by)

Release Date:

12 April 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

How far would you go to fit in?

Plot:

A North Carolina sheriff investigates the near-fatal drug overdose of an underachieving college girl, and uncovers many sordid details of her life before and during her decent into drugs and debauchery.

Plot Keywords:

Female Nudity | Lesbianism | Betrayal | Bulimia | Clique

Cast

Mia Kirshner	...	Alicia Campbell
Meredith Monroe	...	Hadley Ashton
Dominique Swain	...	Sidney Barrett
Scott Bairstow	...	Trevor
Rachel True	...	Julianne Livingston
Taye Diggs	...	Sheriff Artie Bonner
Glynnis O'Connor	...	Connie Campbell
Joanna Canton	...	Sarah
Eric Michael Cole	...	Warren
Oliver Hudson	...	Josh
Dean James	...	Max
J. Michael Hunter	...	Charlie
Edmund Kearney	...	Dean (as Edmund J. Kearney)
Don Henderson Baker	...	Haas
Shawn Michelle Cosby	...	Joanie

Also Known As:

Depraved Indifference (USA) (working title)
Mary Jane's Last Dance (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, language and drug use.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Iceland:16 | Australia:MA | Germany:16 | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Company:

FGM Entertainment

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Sydney and Alicia are talking on the bed, one of Alicia's lines doesn't match her lip movements.

Quotes:

Hadley Ashton: I'm warning you, back off Trevor or you'll be sorry!
Alicia Campbell: [sarcastic tone] Ooooo, I'm shaking.

Soundtrack:

Hey Baby

S10 Reviews: New Best Friend (2002)

Bonner (Taye Diggs) is the sheriff of a sleepy New England town. The major attraction of the town is an exclusive college for the rich and trust-fund babies and when an OD happens he must get to the bottom of it as "quietly' as possible. The girl at the epicenter is Alicia (Mia Kirshner), a poor financial-strapped girl trying to make it as a law major who suddenly finds herself in the circle of the rich kids. Everyone becomes a suspect of wrong-doing as she cuts her way through the group taking what she wants and playing them against each other.

"Wild Things" meets "Cruel Intentions" would be the easiest way to summarize "New Best Friend". It plays pretty well as a mystery. The script itself is nothing original or special but the sexy cast (Kirshner, Meredith Monroe, Rachel True, and the always cute Dominique Swain.) pull it off. The direction is pretty decent. The film uses the camera well with interesting angles and lighting but the music is really fairly standard with it being mostly "hip and trendy" songs by no-name bands. If you like "Wild Things" and "Cruel Intentions" give this one a shot.