A portrayal of DECEIT and intrigue that leaves viewers EXHILARATED by disgust and DISSATISFACTION.
Regan Humphrey
Based on the scandalous eighteenth-century French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Valmont (1989) follows the downward spiral of vindictive widow, Merteuil (Annette Bening), who bets Valmont (Colin Firth), her friend, a competitive and socially destructive scoundrel, that he cannot corrupt Madame de Tourvel (Meg Tilly), a virtuous married woman. The wager comes about after Merteuil tries unsuccessfully to enlist Valmont’s help in revenging herself on her ex-paramour, who disposed of her to marry her younger, innocent, and inexperienced cousin. The competition of Merteuil and Valmont ruins more lives than one in this 80s adaption, the second of its kind.
REF SCORE: 28%
Soundtrack: 0%
Story: 60%
Writing: 90%
Diversity: 60%
Daring: 20%
Racism: ABSENT – O%
Gender Bias: PRESENT – 10%
Homophobia: ABSENT – 0%
ref score 