Delayed Reaction: Dangerous Liaisons

What I Guessed It Was About: Not-Sarah Michelle Gellar and Not-Ryan Phillippe make a bet that he can get super religious Not-Reese Witherspoon to sleep with him. Suzy Kurtz is hanging around either way.

How I Came Into It: I've seen Cruel Intentions (some scenes more than other) more times than I know thanks to having cable around 2000. That makes me very familiar with the story. Liaisons has a tremendous cast though.

Why I Saw It: (Club 50) Glen Close and John Malkovich are great in this. Both of them embrace their villainy with such ease that (especially Malkovich, since he wasn't as established by then) I'm surprised that neither was typecast as bad guys for a decade after this. I wish I was able to talk as snipey and vicious as them. Michelle Pfeiffer was good too.

Why I Wish I Hadn't: Seeing Cruel Intentions certainly didn't help. That immediately made almost every scene a "Who wore it better". While the acting in Liaisons is undeniably better across the board, it didn't have "Bittersweet Symphony". This is a toss up. I would've preferred that Pfieffer had more to do, like Witherspoon in Intentions.

Oh Lord, I'm pretty sure I lose all my "movie cred" coming out so favorably Team Cruel Intentions on this.

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend