This movie tries to walk the line between darkness and humor, like such gems as Heathers and Election, but it leaves the viewer feeling uncomfortable and unsympathetic.

| May 27, 2022

Pretty Persuasion is laugh-out-loud funny for a good stretch...

| May 9, 2020

Pretty Persuasion is a slutty little movie pretending to be an important one.

| Feb 3, 2020

The film is as disturbing as it is amusing, reveling in the hypocrisy of its hopelessly dysfunctional world.

| Mar 1, 2007

| Original Score: 2/4 | Oct 21, 2006

| Original Score: 6/10 | Jun 24, 2006

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 24, 2006

Probably the darkest high school film since Heathers, which is no bad thing.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 24, 2006

Solid performances make it work, even if the film seems slightly undernourished.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jun 6, 2006

a dark teen comedy that tries way too hard to be a dark teen comedy

| Original Score: B- | Oct 16, 2005

The very dark comedy is about the crossing point of righteousness and exploitation.

Full Review | Oct 11, 2005

The movie -- a variation on the standard teen comedy -- is quirky and funny, but ever so dark.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 7, 2005

“Pretty Persuasion” is a formidable effort that shows how powerful, rich, pretty young girls might get their way if they just stop feeling and just start thinking.

Full Review | Sep 30, 2005

An often-funny movie that has two dumb ideas for every good one.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 29, 2005

Good writing aside, this screenplay contained the elements of two different films. One of them might have been quite persuasive.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 23, 2005

Muckrakes in such a convoluted, bizarre way that it threatens to become what it seems to be satirizing: A racist, homophobic, mean-spirited tract.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Sep 23, 2005

Extremely well written in the fearless way of a smarty pants on a roll in the university cafeteria.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Sep 23, 2005

Matches the glossy, calculated kinkiness of a pay-cable television series to a story that unfolds like a Young Adult author's stab at a Bret Easton Ellis novel.

Full Review | Original Score: '2/4' | Sep 23, 2005

Scathing and hilarious social satire.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 22, 2005

A work sufficiently slick and accomplished that you derive a level of pleasure, despite your better instincts.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Sep 9, 2005