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‘Cruel Intentions’ With Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, and Amanda Dobbins

August 22, 2023 · Cruel Intentions (1999) · Drama · Romance · 1:21:46

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Amanda Dobbins▶ 34:07Agrees the ending is great, specifically mentions Sarah Michelle Gellar and Reese facing off in the bathroom as part of the final sequence
Bill Simmons▶ 32:01The ending - the last five minutes with the cocaine necklace reveal and aftermath
Juliet Litman▶ 30:05Originally loved the escalator scene most on first viewing, also nominated the pool scene with loud music

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Amanda Dobbins▶ 42:12The Penn Station timing is a nitpick - the 20 minute call from Queensborough Bridge to arriving at Penn Station doesn't make sense
Bill Simmons▶ 41:49Questions about the location of the house (guessing Rye or Harrison in Westchester) and the timing logistics if the movie were made today with Uber
Juliet Litman▶ 41:56The 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

What's Aged the Best

Amanda Dobbins▶ 44:37The soundtrack
Bill Simmons▶ 44:31The soundtrack, or Sebastian's car
Juliet Litman▶ 45:08The soundtrack, though also mentions the real estate

What's Aged the Worst

Amanda Dobbins▶ 49:24The internet shaming of terror raid and the homophobia
Bill Simmons▶ 49:22The internet shaming of terror raid

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 53:11Multiple 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
Juliet Litman▶ 54:53Engaged with another host'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

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 55:44Ryan Phillippe — Yes for Ryan Phillippe - this was his career peak despite headlining other movies that weren't good
Bill Simmons▶ 56:33Sarah Michelle Gellar — Yes for Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy phenomenon plus hosting SNL made this her Apex Mountain
Bill Simmons▶ 57:25Reese Witherspoon — No for Reese Witherspoon - not her career peak
Bill Simmons▶ 57:28Counting Crows — No for Counting Crows - their Friends moment was bigger than this movie
Juliet Litman▶ 55:44Ryan Phillippe — Yes for Ryan Phillippe - agrees this is his Apex Mountain
Juliet Litman▶ 57:08Sarah Michelle Gellar — Yes for Sarah Michelle Gellar - agrees after discussion of her SNL hosting and Buffy peak
Juliet Litman▶ 57:31Counting Crows — No for Counting Crows - wanted to give it to them but their Friends moment was bigger

Picking Nits

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:02:43Where 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.
Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:30Where 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?
Juliet Litman▶ 1:05:12You 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.

Best Quote

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:08:58I'm the Marshall fucking Brady of the Upper East Side
Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:44This is what I like to call quiet time

Who Won the Movie

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:17:46Sarah Michelle Gellar — Sarah Michelle Gellar (she's making the script work for her rather than the other way around)
Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:57Sarah Michelle Gellar — Sarah Michelle Gellar (agrees 1000%)
Juliet Litman▶ 1:16:55Sarah Michelle Gellar

Movies Referenced (30)

Scream (1996)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 9:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Crash (2004)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 21:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 7:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

She's All That (1999)

3 mentions · Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons▶ 6:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Superbad (2007)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 13:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American Pie (1999)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 5:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Big Daddy (1999)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 9:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Just Go with It (2011)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 1:20:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mean Girls (2004)

2 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 44:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 18:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taken (2008)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (3)

Leslie Libman

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Corner

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Saint, Open Your Eyes▶ 23:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Clooney

1 mentions · Juliet Litman · Known for The Ides of March, Michael Clayton▶ 59:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (58)

Ryan Phillippe

17 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Gosford Park, Crash, Cruel Intentions▶ 4:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sarah Michelle Gellar

17 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman · Known for Cruel Intentions▶ 4:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Selma Blair

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Cruel Intentions, Hellboy▶ 11:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Reese Witherspoon

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Wild, Walk the Line, Legally Blonde▶ 4:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Christine Baranski

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman · Known for Chicago, Into the Woods▶ 15:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

LeBron James

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 18:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Freddie Prinze Jr.

6 mentions · Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons · Known for She's All That, I Know What You Did Last Summer▶ 55:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Power Station

6 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman · Known for Commando▶ 30:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Side

5 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons▶ 12:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steve Sanders

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 44:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kate Hudson

4 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons · Known for Almost Famous, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Bride Wars▶ 38:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Patrick Thomas

4 mentions · Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons▶ 35:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (1)

Roger Ebert

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 17:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Stamos Triantafyllos

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Wonder Woman▶ 1:20:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗