Home/Episodes/Cruel Intentions
‘Cruel Intentions’ With Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, and Amanda Dobbins
August 22, 2023 · Cruel Intentions (1999) · Drama · Romance · 1:21:46 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Amanda DobbinsAgrees the ending is great, specifically mentions Sarah Michelle Gellar and Reese facing off in the bathroom as part of the final sequence▶ 34:07
Bill SimmonsThe ending - the last five minutes with the cocaine necklace reveal and aftermath▶ 32:01
Juliet LitmanOriginally loved the escalator scene most on first viewing, also nominated the pool scene with loud music▶ 30:05
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Amanda DobbinsThe Penn Station timing is a nitpick - the 20 minute call from Queensborough Bridge to arriving at Penn Station doesn't make sense▶ 42:12
Bill SimmonsQuestions about the location of the house (guessing Rye or Harrison in Westchester) and the timing logistics if the movie were made today with Uber▶ 41:49
Juliet LitmanThe house location doesn't make sense for the plot size, thinks it's more like Chappaqua/Katona area of Westchester, and questions the Penn Station escalator timing logistics▶ 41:56
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsMultiple trivia facts including: Selma Blair is 3-5 years older than other cast members, producer Neil Moritz contractually required R rating, Smashing Pumpkins' 'To Sheila' was rejected for escalator scene, deleted scene of Sebastian hitting Catherine was filmed, and Bittersweet Symphony cost close to $1 million (10% of budget) after trying 200 other songs▶ 53:11
Juliet LitmanEngaged with SPEAKER_00's trivia by asking clarifying questions about the Rolling Stones lawsuit timeline regarding Bittersweet Symphony and agreeing that using the expensive song was the decision that aged best in the movie▶ 54:53
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsRyan Phillippe — Yes for Ryan Phillippe - this was his career peak despite headlining other movies that weren't good▶ 55:44
Bill SimmonsSarah Michelle Gellar — Yes for Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy phenomenon plus hosting SNL made this her Apex Mountain▶ 56:33
Bill SimmonsCounting Crows — No for Counting Crows - their Friends moment was bigger than this movie▶ 57:28
Juliet LitmanSarah Michelle Gellar — Yes for Sarah Michelle Gellar - agrees after discussion of her SNL hosting and Buffy peak▶ 57:08
Juliet LitmanCounting Crows — No for Counting Crows - wanted to give it to them but their Friends moment was bigger▶ 57:31
Picking Nits
Amanda DobbinsWhere are Ness's parents? She's writing essays about staying a virgin and her dad's the headmaster - there's no oversight, it's implausible. The car accident is so slow, he shoves her and then jumps in front of the cab to move the plot forward.▶ 1:02:43
Bill SimmonsWhere are the parents in this movie? Sean Patrick Scott walking out in underwear after being found in the trundle bed. The car accident death scene is dumb and poorly staged. Why did Reese and Catherine pretend they didn't know each other in the bathroom?▶ 1:02:30
Juliet LitmanYou would survive that car accident - it's the kind you see in movies where the person tends to survive. The car accident scene has really bad fighting and looks dumb.▶ 1:05:12
Who Won the Movie
Amanda DobbinsSarah Michelle Gellar — Sarah Michelle Gellar (she's making the script work for her rather than the other way around)▶ 1:17:46
Movies Referenced (31)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scream (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 9:15 |
| She's All That (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 6:38 |
| Superbad (2007) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 13:39 |
| American Pie (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman | ▶ 5:07 |
| Big Daddy (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:20:36 |
| I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 9:10 |
| Just Go with It (2011) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman | ▶ 1:20:49 |
| Mean Girls (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 44:49 |
| Sweet Home Alabama (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 18:31 |
| The Island (2005) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 41:23 |
| Twilight (2008) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 14:13 |
| Walk the Line (2005) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 14:47 |
Directors Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leslie Libman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:35 | |
| Chris Corner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Saint, Open Your Eyes | ▶ 23:12 |
| George Clooney | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Juliet Litman | The Ides of March, Michael Clayton | ▶ 59:15 |
Actors Referenced (59)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Phillippe | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins | Gosford Park, Crash, Cruel Intentions | ▶ 4:49 |
| Sarah Michelle Gellar | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman | Cruel Intentions | ▶ 4:47 |
| Selma Blair | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins | Cruel Intentions, Hellboy | ▶ 11:49 |
| Reese Witherspoon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins | Walk the Line, Legally Blonde | ▶ 4:50 |
| Christine Baranski | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman | Into the Woods | ▶ 15:18 |
| LeBron James | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman | ▶ 18:55 | |
| Freddie Prinze Jr. | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons | She's All That, I Know What You Did Last Summer | ▶ 55:57 |
| Power Station | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman | Commando, National Lampoon's European Vacation | ▶ 30:28 |
| Richard Side | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 12:39 | |
| Steve Sanders | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman | ▶ 44:02 | |
| Kate Hudson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | Almost Famous, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Bride Wars | ▶ 38:37 |
| Sean Patrick Thomas | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 35:14 |
Writers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 17:32 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stamos Triantafyllos | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Wonder Woman | ▶ 1:20:00 |