Mildly diverting, well performed by the somewhat young cast. The serious
implications and true consequences of spreading malicious gossip aren't
dealt with adequately. The ending could have been better but isn't bad.

James Marsden, Lena Headey, and Norman Reedus are nasty students in Eric
Bogosian's journalism class. They are the source of rumors at their
unnamed northeastern United States college, played by a very
recognizeable campus in Toronto.

Bogosian gives them a lesson in how malicious gossip enters the
mainstream media as newspapers were quoting stories that initially
appeared in gossip rags. For a class project, the three decide to spread
a rumor themselves and figure out a way to start it so it can be traced
back to them.

At a party, Marsden is with another girl. In a bathroom adjoining a
bedroom, they try to have sex but she starts puking after taking a
libido-enhancing drug; she blames it on all the alchohol she's drunk.
She passes out. Marsden them becomes aware that Kate Hudson and Joshua
Jackson are in the bedroom. Hudson is famously virginal. She passes out.
Jackson leaves. Marsden stands over her as an evil plan forms in his
mind.

Marsden and friends (they all live together in an enormous loft with
balcony and roof access and separate bedrooms) circulate a rumor that
something happened, knowing the gossip will be enhanced and Hudson will
soon talk herself into believing that she was raped during her blackout.

Police soon investigate, led by Sharon Lawrence, and Jackson becomes
their target. Headey feels guilty and tries to tell Lawrence what her
role was but the police are disinterested. Headey can't get Marsden to
support her story, but she catched him lying and becomes suspicious. She
learns that Marsden and Hudson went to high school and were lovers and
something happened. She worms it out of a school staffer: Hudson accused
Marsden of raping her.

Marsden claims Hudson wanted sex but regretted it after. Marsden also
approaches Jackson. They fight but he tries to convince him that they
are both on the same side and Hudson has a history of accusing boys she
loves of having raped her.

Marsden then confronts Hudson, tells her that he knows her and that he
manipulated the gossip so she would convince herself that she was
raped but both times it was really him.

Headey is infuriated with Marsden and tells him that he used his two
friends and roommates to get revenge on Hudson. Then the third roommate
brings news that Hudson is dead and has possibly killed herself!

Headey marches into Bogosian's office and enlists his aid, we don't know
what for.

Another detective played by Edward James Olmos confronts Marsden.
Marsden starts getting ansy and decides to set up the third roommate
Reedus for being in Hudson's room, which he wasn't.

It ends in a big confrontation in the loft, with the third roommate
Reedus pulling a gun on Marsden and Headey trying to talk him down. They
put enough pressure on Marsden, now faced with suspicion that he killed
Hudson, to confess. He finally admits to the rape of Hudson in high
school; Headey has it on video. The gun wasn't loaded.

Hudson's not dead and Olmos works for her father. Other players are
students Headey knows; it's not clear why Marsden doens't know them.

Headey pats herself on the back that she's a better liar than Marsden.

This movie's production overlapped Almost Famous but Kate Hudson stayed
with it. She'd also do Dr. T and the Women the same year. Joshua Jackson
is still on The WB's Dawson's Creek. Hudson and Jackson are the only ones
in the cast actually college age; the others are in their late 20s. I
didn't hear Headey's Yorkshire accent slip through.

Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
> Mildly diverting, well performed by the somewhat young cast. The serious
> implications and true consequences of spreading malicious gossip aren't
> dealt with adequately. The ending could have been better but isn't bad.
>
> James Marsden, Lena Headey, and Norman Reedus are nasty students in Eric
> Bogosian's journalism class. They are the source of rumors at their
> unnamed northeastern United States college, played by a very
> recognizeable campus in Toronto.
>
> Bogosian gives them a lesson in how malicious gossip enters the
> mainstream media as newspapers were quoting stories that initially
> appeared in gossip rags. For a class project, the three decide to spread
> a rumor themselves and figure out a way to start it so it can be traced
> back to them.
>
> At a party, Marsden is with another girl. In a bathroom adjoining a
> bedroom, they try to have sex but she starts puking after taking a
> libido-enhancing drug; she blames it on all the alchohol she's drunk.
> She passes out. Marsden them becomes aware that Kate Hudson and Joshua
> Jackson are in the bedroom. Hudson is famously virginal. She passes out.
> Jackson leaves. Marsden stands over her as an evil plan forms in his
> mind.
>
> Marsden and friends (they all live together in an enormous loft with
> balcony and roof access and separate bedrooms) circulate a rumor that
> something happened, knowing the gossip will be enhanced and Hudson will
> soon talk herself into believing that she was raped during her blackout.
>
> Police soon investigate, led by Sharon Lawrence, and Jackson becomes
> their target. Headey feels guilty and tries to tell Lawrence what her
> role was but the police are disinterested. Headey can't get Marsden to
> support her story, but she catched him lying and becomes suspicious. She
> learns that Marsden and Hudson went to high school and were lovers and
> something happened. She worms it out of a school staffer: Hudson accused
> Marsden of raping her.
>
> Marsden claims Hudson wanted sex but regretted it after. Marsden also
> approaches Jackson. They fight but he tries to convince him that they
> are both on the same side and Hudson has a history of accusing boys she
> loves of having raped her.
>
> Marsden then confronts Hudson, tells her that he knows her and that he
> manipulated the gossip so she would convince herself that she was
> raped but both times it was really him.
>
> Headey is infuriated with Marsden and tells him that he used his two
> friends and roommates to get revenge on Hudson. Then the third roommate
> brings news that Hudson is dead and has possibly killed herself!
>
> Headey marches into Bogosian's office and enlists his aid, we don't know
> what for.
>
> Another detective played by Edward James Olmos confronts Marsden.
> Marsden starts getting ansy and decides to set up the third roommate
> Reedus for being in Hudson's room, which he wasn't.
>
> It ends in a big confrontation in the loft, with the third roommate
> Reedus pulling a gun on Marsden and Headey trying to talk him down. They
> put enough pressure on Marsden, now faced with suspicion that he killed
> Hudson, to confess. He finally admits to the rape of Hudson in high
> school; Headey has it on video. The gun wasn't loaded.
>
> Hudson's not dead and Olmos works for her father. Other players are
> students Headey knows; it's not clear why Marsden doens't know them.
>
> Headey pats herself on the back that she's a better liar than Marsden.
>
> This movie's production overlapped Almost Famous but Kate Hudson stayed
> with it. She'd also do Dr. T and the Women the same year. Joshua Jackson
> is still on The WB's Dawson's Creek. Hudson and Jackson are the only ones
> in the cast actually college age; the others are in their late 20s. I
> didn't hear Headey's Yorkshire accent slip through.
>

Thanks for the review. Unless there’s an awful lot of gratuitous nudity, I
think I’ll pass though.

--
The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.

On 2023-05-22 06:12:06 +0000, anim8rfsk said:

> Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
>
>> Mildly diverting, well performed by the somewhat young cast. The serious
>> implications and true consequences of spreading malicious gossip aren't
>> dealt with adequately. The ending could have been better but isn't bad.
>>
>> James Marsden, Lena Headey, and Norman Reedus are nasty students in Eric
>> Bogosian's journalism class. They are the source of rumors at their
>> unnamed northeastern United States college, played by a very
>> recognizeable campus in Toronto.
>> [snip]
>
> Thanks for the review. Unless there’s an awful lot of gratuitous nudity, I
> think I’ll pass though.

I saw this years ago.

--
"Who would ever do this to him!?" - HottCiara on DOOL (04-27-2020), asking
who would stab Victor Kirakis... How about ANYONE WHO'S EVER MET HIM??!!

anim8rfsk <anim8rfsk@cox.net> wrote:

>>. . .

>Thanks for the review. Unless there's an awful lot of gratuitous nudity, I
>think I'll pass though.

I've never cared if nudity was tuitous or gratuitous. But no, it was
utterly lacking.