The Crush

I bought this today in a previously enjoyed bin at Blockbuster. It set me back five bucks, so I figured since I like Alicia, this would be worthwhile for my guilty pleasure collection I've been building up over the years (Included in that collection is Excess Baggage, the film that made me get a huge crush on Alicia). Considering the money spent, this is great popcorn. When buying this I expected a pseudo update of Fatal Attraction, which in so many words, was. (spare me if I offend some for making that comparison) The Crush is a campy, but dark story. Alicia plays a very convincing 14 year old obsessive compulsive psychopathic teenager who is experiencing love. I really thought she did well, I know she has limitations - but it's a totally unbiased opinion. You'd never expect the girl from Clueless to say such lines like "Hey Nick, ever do a virgin?" - She portrays this very sexual presence, which works.

My problem with the film is I guess I've sort of marked myself as a fan of the Alicia who plays sweet characters, so it's kind of a knock back. Other than that - If not taken seriously it would make a good film to throw on if you like Alicia, if not, could still be a decent thriller movie to watch with a couple beers or if you just want to throw on a guilty pleasure. It's campy, it's got some corn, but you gotta love it sometimes.

"Nick Eliot" (Cary Elwes) has just moved to Seattle and needs a place to stay prior to working as an investigative journalist for a magazine there. He settles on a semi-furnished guest house belonging to a married couple by the name of Cliff Forrester (Kurtwood Smith) and his wife "Liv" (Gwynyth Walsh). Also there is their 14-year-old daughter "Adrian" (Alicia Silverstone) who immediately develops a crush on Nick. Since he is twice her age he figures that her attraction to him is nothing serious. Big mistake. Anyway, as far as this film is concerned it pretty much follows the standard format of any number of similar movies made both before and after. However, what distinguishes this one is the performance of Alicia Silverstone in her very first film debut. Likewise, both Jennifer Rubin (as "Amy") and the aforementioned Cary Elwes also performed quite well too. Again, the story is pretty formulaic but even so I thought it was still enjoyable. Accordingly, I rate this movie as slightly above average.

It's very hard to understand why this movie is rated so low. I really enjoyed watching this film, which was Silverstone's first major role. She plays a crazy teenager who has a crush on a guy who lives in a guesthouse. In her selfish pursuit of the object of her affection, she makes the guy's life a living hell. She also makes the life miserable for anyone who tries to "steal" the guy from her. I think Silverstone fit her role perfectly. The plot was very good as well, and I was always wondering what Silversone's character (Alicia) would do next. This movie gets a solid 8 from me.

Released in 1993, "The Crush" is about a 28 year-old writer, Nick (Cary Elwes), who moves to Seattle to work for a magazine. After moving into the guest house of the well-to-do Forresters their only child, 14 year old Adrienne (Alicia Silverstone), develops an increasingly unhealthy crush on him. Jennifer Rubin and Matthew Walker play Nick's girlfriend & boss while Kurtwood Smith and Gwynyth Walsh play Adrienne's parents and Amber Benson her neighbor.

This belongs to the Lethal Lolita sub-genre of drama/romance/thrillers. These movies always involve a hot teenager who utilizes her freshly bestowed womanly powers to seduce an older man and create havoc. "The Crush" is actually better than Stanley Kubrick's revered "Lolita" (1962), which was the first of its kind (at least the first to popularize the topic anyway). In the early 90s these kinds of movies made a comeback with 1992's "Poison Ivy" starring Drew Barrymore. "The Crush" isn't haunting and artsy like "Poison Ivy," but it's just as good and arguably marginally better. "Poison Ivy" has better style while "The Crush" is more straight-forward, sort of like 1987's "Fatal Attraction," but with a teenage antagonist.

Speaking of which, Alicia shines here in her cinematic debut. She was only almost-16 during filming, but easily commands attention throughout. Elwes is great as the protagonist with solid support from Rubin.

These types of attractions happen all the time in real life (a teenage girl developing a crush on an older guy) and it's the responsibility of the adult to erect and maintain proper boundaries so the situation doesn't spin out of control, like it does here. If the adult lets things go too far the girl will either be so devastated she becomes nigh suicidal, like in 1976's "Lifeguard," or she turns malevolently psycho.

To me "The Crush" would've worked better as a bittersweet coming of age drama, like the subplot of "Lifeguard," rather than a drama that morphs into thriller bordering on horror, like "Fatal Attraction." The first half is strong as a coming-of-age drama before transforming into the latter in the second half with its contrived thriller/horror mechanics. But they didn't ask me to write the script so I accept the movie as is. As a matter of fact, I feel it breaks the threshold of greatness for what it is.

The movie runs 89 minutes and was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia.

GRADE: A-

The Crush is about a 28 year old journalist named Nick Elliot. He rents a guesthouse and befriends the landlady's beautiful 14 year old daughter Adrian (Alicia Silverstone). Adrian seems lonely, so Nick starts spending a little time with her and he gets to know her better. Nick just sees Adrian as a friend, but Adrian starts obsessing over him and she wants to be more then just friends, much more. And if Adrian can't have Nick, then no one can.. I enjoyed this movie, all the actors did a fine job. I would give The Crush 8/10