Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

Cruel Intentions

  • 19991999
  • RR
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
190K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
820
51
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Sarah Michelle Gellar in Cruel Intentions (1999)
Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe), two wealthy, manipulative teenage step-siblings from Manhattan's upper-crust, conspire by making a diabolical wager of sexual conquest without consequences. The pawns? The naïve Cecile Caldwell (Selma Blair) and the virginal Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon).
Play trailer2:20
4 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Drama
  • Romance

Two vicious step-siblings of an elite Manhattan prep school make a wager: to deflower the new headmaster's daughter before the start of term.Two vicious step-siblings of an elite Manhattan prep school make a wager: to deflower the new headmaster's daughter before the start of term.Two vicious step-siblings of an elite Manhattan prep school make a wager: to deflower the new headmaster's daughter before the start of term.

IMDb RATING
6.8/10
190K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
820
51
  • Director
    • Roger Kumble
  • Writers
    • Choderlos de Laclos(novel "Les liaisons dangereuses")
    • Roger Kumble(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Sarah Michelle Gellar
    • Ryan Phillippe
    • Reese Witherspoon
Top credits
  • Director
    • Roger Kumble
  • Writers
    • Choderlos de Laclos(novel "Les liaisons dangereuses")
    • Roger Kumble(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Sarah Michelle Gellar
    • Ryan Phillippe
    • Reese Witherspoon
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 791User reviews
    • 87Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 8 wins & 14 nominations

    Videos4

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:20
    Official Trailer
    Cruel Intentions
    Trailer 0:31
    Cruel Intentions
    How Joshua Jackson's Co-Stars Fuel "Little Fires Everywhere"
    Full Episode 6:31
    How Joshua Jackson's Co-Stars Fuel "Little Fires Everywhere"
    The Watchlist With 'Fifty Shades Freed' Star Arielle Kebbel
    Video 2:07
    The Watchlist With 'Fifty Shades Freed' Star Arielle Kebbel

    Photos129

    Sarah Michelle Gellar in Cruel Intentions (1999)
    Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Sarah Michelle Gellar in Cruel Intentions (1999)
    Sebastian & Annette
    Kathryn & Sebastian
    Joshua Jackson as Blaine
    Cecile & Kathryn
    Sebastian & Blaine
    Ryan Phillippe stars as Sebastian Valmont
    Joshua Jackson as Blaine
    Reese Witherspoon stars as Amanda Hargrove
    Selma Blair as Cecile Caldwell
    Sebastian with Cecile & Bunny

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sarah Michelle Gellar
    Sarah Michelle Gellar
    • Kathryn Merteuilas Kathryn Merteuil
    Ryan Phillippe
    Ryan Phillippe
    • Sebastian Valmontas Sebastian Valmont
    Reese Witherspoon
    Reese Witherspoon
    • Annette Hargroveas Annette Hargrove
    Selma Blair
    Selma Blair
    • Cecile Caldwellas Cecile Caldwell
    Louise Fletcher
    Louise Fletcher
    • Helen Rosemondas Helen Rosemond
    Joshua Jackson
    Joshua Jackson
    • Blaine Tuttleas Blaine Tuttle
    Eric Mabius
    Eric Mabius
    • Greg McConnellas Greg McConnell
    Sean Patrick Thomas
    Sean Patrick Thomas
    • Ronald Cliffordas Ronald Clifford
    Swoosie Kurtz
    Swoosie Kurtz
    • Dr. Greenbaumas Dr. Greenbaum
    Christine Baranski
    Christine Baranski
    • Bunny Caldwellas Bunny Caldwell
    Alaina Reed-Hall
    Alaina Reed-Hall
    • Nurseas Nurse
    • (as Alaina Reed Hall)
    Deborah Offner
    Deborah Offner
    • Mrs. Michalakas Mrs. Michalak
    Tara Reid
    Tara Reid
    • Marci Greenbaumas Marci Greenbaum
    Herta Ware
    • Mrs. Sugarmanas Mrs. Sugarman
    Hiep Thi Le
    Hiep Thi Le
    • Mai-Leeas Mai-Lee
    Charlie O'Connell
    Charlie O'Connell
    • Court Reynoldsas Court Reynolds
    Fred Norris
    Fred Norris
    • Meter Maidas Meter Maid
    Ginger Williams
    Ginger Williams
    • Clorissaas Clorissa
    • Director
      • Roger Kumble
    • Writers
      • Choderlos de Laclos(novel "Les liaisons dangereuses")
      • Roger Kumble(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    The Craft
    6.4
    The Craft
    Bring It On
    6.1
    Bring It On
    Never Been Kissed
    6.0
    Never Been Kissed
    Cruel Intentions 2
    4.3
    Cruel Intentions 2
    Wild Things
    6.6
    Wild Things
    Sweet Home Alabama
    6.2
    Sweet Home Alabama
    Cruel Intentions 3
    4.6
    Cruel Intentions 3
    Clueless
    6.9
    Clueless
    I Know What You Did Last Summer
    5.8
    I Know What You Did Last Summer
    Fear
    6.2
    Fear
    Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
    6.3
    Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
    Cruel Intentions
    7.2
    Cruel Intentions

    Storyline

    Edit
    Kathryn Merteuil and Sebastian Valmont are seductive, manipulative step-siblings who get what they want when they want it. Kathryn makes a bet with Sebastian: Sebastian must bed Annette, daughter of the headmaster at their school, before the end of summer break. Annette has stated that she would wait until love and marriage to sleep with a man. If Kathryn wins, she gets Sebastian's vintage 1959 Jaguar Roadster. If Sebastian wins, he gets Kathryn, the only girl he knows he'll never have. Also in play is Cecile, a naïve girl whose mother had enlisted Kathryn to help her fit in at her new school. However, Kathryn (with Sebastian's help) plans to ruin Cecile's reputation as revenge on Kat's ex-boyfriend, who left her for Cecile.
    • seduction
    • borderline personality disorder
    • narcissism
    • virgin
    • narcissistic personality disorder
    • 156 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Deliciously evil. Wickedly sexy. What more could you ask?
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for strong sexual dialogue and sexual situations involving teens, language and drug use
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      For legal reasons, writer and director Roger Kumble had to ask all of the actresses auditioning for Cecile how old they were, because of a sex scene between the character and Sebastian in the movie. "So we were bringing in all of these people", he recalled to Cosmopolitan, "and they were all good, but I remember Selma (Blair) came in and I said, 'How old are you?' And she goes (in Cecile's bratty voice) 'How old are you?' And she was so obnoxious, and I couldn't get it out of my head."
    • Goofs
      Cameraman and crane visible in the front windshield of Sebastian's car while driving with Annette.
    • Quotes

      Sebastian: You amaze me.

      Kathryn: Eat me, Sebastian! It's okay for guys like you and Court to fuck everyone. But when I do it, I get dumped for innocent little twits like Cecile. God forbid, I exude confidence and enjoy sex. Do you think I relish the fact that I have to act like Mary Sunshine 24/7 so I can be considered a lady? I'm the Marcia fucking Brady of the Upper East Side, and sometimes I want to kill myself. So there's your psychoanalysis, Dr. Freud. Now tell me, are you in... or are you out?

    • Alternate versions
      There was a line of dialogue cut from the US version which appears in the UK cut. After Kathryn views the videotape of Cecil and Ronald she comments: 'F*ck her already'
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Deep End of the Ocean/Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels/Cruel Intentions/Analyze This/Wing Commander (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Every You Every Me
      Written by Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal, Steve Hewitt (as Steven Hewitt) and Paul Campion

      Performed by Placebo

      Courtesy of Elevator Music Ltd./Virgin Records America Inc.

      Published by Famous Music Corp. and Island Music Ltd./Mukka Music

    User reviews791

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    An Essential 1990s Movie
    Two wealthy step-siblings of an elite Manhattan prep school make a wager: to de-flower the new headmaster's daughter (Reese Witherspoon) before the start of term.

    Having gone to high school in the latter half of the 1990s, this was one of those films that really defined a generation. All the big stars of the day were in it, and at least one 9Witherspoon) has one on to bigger and better things. At the time I was not aware that this was a remake of a 1980s film. I found it to be brilliant and quite deviously original.

    I now know that it is a remake, but think no less of it because of this. In many ways, this film is even more powerful. John Malkovich did a fine job capturing what spoiled aristocrats can do, but it is all the more troublesome what spoiled teenagers can do.
    helpful•6
    1
    • gavin6942
    • Feb 10, 2016

    FAQ1

    • What kind of car did Sebastian drive?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 5, 1999 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Vietnamese
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Cruel Inventions
    • Filming locations
      • Indoor Pool, Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Original Film
      • Newmarket Capital Group
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $38,773,785
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $13,020,565
      • Mar 7, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $76,347,426
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS

    Related news

    Screen Media Buys Ryan Phillippe Thriller ‘The Locksmith’ (Exclusive)
    Screen Media Buys Ryan Phillippe Thriller ‘The Locksmith’ (Exclusive)
    May 20Variety Film + TV
    Exclusive Portrait: Selma Blair on New Memoir ‘Mean Baby’ at Chicago Humanities Festival
    Exclusive Portrait: Selma Blair on New Memoir ‘Mean Baby’ at Chicago Humanities Festival
    May 19HollywoodChicago.com

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Sarah Michelle Gellar in Cruel Intentions (1999)
    Top Gap
    What was the official certification given to Cruel Intentions (1999) in Japan?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.