Pretty Persuasion

Year: 2005

Actors: Selma Blair, Evan Rachel Wood, Johnny Lewis, Jaime King

Duration: 104 min

A group of beautiful young women with nice legs waits outside as Kimberly auditions for a role as a French exchange student in a TV series. Kimberly has to do a sexy dance and deliver a line. She does the line well, but the men tell her thank you and they will be in touch. And leave the shoes because they belong to us.At Roxbury Academy, a prestigious Beverly Hills prep school where the rich and famous send their kids, Randa gets out of a car wearing a hijab. Kimberly meets her and begins telling Randa everything she needs to know. Kimberly seems to think she is being nice but some things she says are racist or otherwise offensive and Randa is visibly shocked, though she doesn't say much. Kimberly explains that she participates in efforts to help those from other countries or ethnic groups, though she admits to being glad she is white. The girls meet up with Kimberly's best friend Brittany, who is now in a relationship with Kimberly's ex Troy.Once in Mr. Anderson's English class, Kimberly continues her explanation of what Randa needs to know, including the fact her brother was killed in the Iraq War, the reason she would least want to be someone from the Middle East. Mr. Anderson says he is the only one who is supposed to be talking and he gives both girls detention, which he supervises.Channel 33 reporter Emily Klein, who is never assigned serious stories, must persuade Headmaster Meyer to let her bring a camera and do a story about the school, not intending to reveal anything controversial, but just because it is interesting. Headmaster Meyer reluctantly agrees,In detention, Kimberly is in the larger room by herself, but Mr. Anderson takes Randa into a private office. Kimberly sees him touch her chin and when Mr. Anderson realizes she is watching them, he closes the blinds for privacy.At his home, Mr. Anderson gives his wife Grace a birthday present--a short skirt resembling the ones the girls wear at his school. The actual skirts are longer.Kimberly gets the role of Anne Frank in the school play which Mr. Anderson directs. Brittany is disappointed that she didn't get the role, but Kimberly says Anne is a brunette and Brittany is a blonde. Later, Kimberly is shown dyeing Brittany's hair so she can get the role.At home, Kimberly's father Henry wants her to stop flirting with her teacher. He has a reputation as a businessman that must be protected. Kathy, young and beautiful and wearing a tennis outfit, demands Kimberly take care of her dog because it is not Kathy's job.Something terrible happens and Brittany is visibly upset, running out of the auditorium. Kimberly lost the role of Anne to Brittany but she is concerned about her friend. Kimberly says Mr. Anderson shouldn't have done that to her and they will see that he gets what he deserves.At a slumber party, Kimberly, Brittany and Randa talk about what is going to be done about Mr. Anderson, who has mistreated them all. Randa wants to be a doctor but is made to feel ashamed for giving the other girls the impression they won't be making a valuable contribution by being actresses.Despite being a school for rich kids, Roxbury gets a metal detector because of an incident involving a gun in Bel Air.At last, Emily has her opportunity to move up. Her story about Roxbury includes a scandal, as Mr. Anderson is accused of sexual assault. Emily indicates an attraction to her camera operator Nadine.Mr. Anderson wonders what he will do. He says he hasn't done anything wrong and Grace believes him. Unlike his students, he can't afford a good lawyer. Mr. Nicholl, another teacher and a friend of his, passed the bar and says he can represent Mr. Anderson.The trial begins and Emily is there to cover it. Seeing Emily flirt with Nadine, Kimberly tells Emily she likes boys but is willing to experiment.Kimberly takes the stand and is asked why she lost the role of Anne Frank. In flashbacks, Kimberly and Brittany are shown eating lunch close to Mr. Anderson and Mr. Nicholl, who they believe are looking at them in a way that suggests they are attracted to the girls and talking about them. The teachers are talking about Kimberly, but Mr. Anderson is talking about how Kimberly keeps scoring high on intelligence tests, saying she has a lot of potential.Shortly after this, Josh insults Randa by showing her a map of the Middle East and telling her she is dumb because she thinks Palestine is a real country when clearly there is no such place. Kimberly, loud enough so everyone around can hear, not only tells Josh his father makes sure criminals don't serve time, but she uses a term that is offensive to describe Jews.Headmaster Meyer demands Mr. Anderson take the role of Anne away from Kimberly because someone who makes anti-Semitic remarks cannot play that role.Asked to describe what happened in detention, Kimberly explains she was writing an essay. In a flashback, Kimberly reads the essay seductively to Mr. Anderson. She is asked to read the essay in the courtroom, and when she doesn't sound seductive and is told to do better, she starts crying.Kimberly spends time with Josh, pretending to be interested in him, but she wants Josh's father to represent Mr. Anderson.Brittany is with Troy, who explains he had to break up with Kimberly, not because she wouldn't have sex, but because her behavior toward him was disturbing.Kimberly is also shown in bed with Emily.When Randa takes the stand, she won't say much. But in a flashback, Mr. Anderson is shown cruelly criticizing her ability to write English. He explains that other teachers would just let the child of a rich immigrant pass anyway, because they have money, but he won't. He tells her he has expectations of her which will be met, or else.Josh's father initially refuses to take a pro bono case, saying Mr. Anderson coldn't afford an hour of his time, but he eventually gives in and takes over Mr. Anderson's defense. Brittany is put on the stand, knowing she will have a hard time standing up to cross-examination. In a flashback Mr. Anderson tells her she is not effectively showing Anne's private life. To do this, she has to do something in front of the others that she would normally do only in private. Brittany refuses and Mr. Anderson continues to demand. So Brittany starts taking off her clothes. Then she runs out because she just can't do that in front of people.Josh's father does not have to say much before Brittany breaks down and confesses. They made it up to get revenge.Emily is furious. Kimberly has ruined the chances that victims will get justice because they will not be believed. And she no longer has her story. Kimberly hints that there is video footage of her with Emily, so Emily can't do anything to her.The girls are shown on TV leaving the school for the last time. It is uncertain what action will be taken against them. Among those who see her in all the press coverage are the men who rejected her for the role. They believe it would be good for the show if she gets the part.Despite her husband's innocence, Grace leaves.Randa's father is very angry, saying she was not raised that way. He blames American morals.Henry is furious with Kimberly for ruining his reputation and demands she stop bothering him with her violin playing. He says she is just like her mother.Randa comes to the school one more time, claiming she must get her books. As she goes through security, she keeps setting off the alarm so she has to take off jewelry. Whatever is left is under her hijab but her parents refuse to require she take that off. The security guard reluctantly lets her through. Inside, she pulls out a gun and writes "We are all sinners" in Arabic on a blackboard. A gunshot is heard offscreen.Kimberly watches TV and sees her show about the exchange student. Changing the channel, she sees people comment about what the girls did, including Randa's angry father. Brittany shows up and Kimberly says she is moving in with her mother. Brittany wants to know why Kimberly asked Josh to defend Mr. Anderson, which she knew would humiliate her. She reminds Kimberly what Randa did. Having just looked at a photo of her brother, Kimberly says war has casualties. She shows no regret for any of her actions and even makes statements suggesting everything was part of a grand plan to become famous and successful. Once Brittany leaves, Kimberly goes back to watching various TV channels and starts crying.

Genre: Comedy   Drama