Poison Ivy (1992)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Katt Shea

Writers (WGA):

Melissa Goddard (story)
Andy Ruben (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 May 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

What Ivy wants, Ivy gets.

Plot:

A seductive teen befriends an introverted high school student and schemes her way into the lives of her wealthy family.

Plot Keywords:

High School | Unfaithful Husband | Rebellious Daughter | Suicide Attempt | Sexploitation

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Sara Gilbert	...	Sylvie Cooper
Drew Barrymore	...	Ivy
Tom Skerritt	...	Darryl Cooper
Cheryl Ladd	...	Georgie Cooper
Alan Stock	...	Bob
Jeanne Sakata	...	Isabelle
E.J. Moore	...	Kid
J.B. Quon	...	Another Kid
Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Guy (as Leonardo Di Caprio)
Michael Goldner	...	Man in Car
Charley Hayward	...	Tiny
Time Winters	...	Old Man
Billy Kane	...	James
Tony Ervolina	...	Man on Screen
Mary Gordon Murray	...	M.D.

MPAA:

Rated R for sensuality and language.

Runtime:

Argentina:90 min | USA:88 min (R-rated version) | USA:93 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:MA (TV rating) | Iceland:12 | Iceland:14 (video rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Ontario) (unrated version) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Singapore:R21 | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) (2005) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:R | Germany:16 | Norway:15 (video premiere) | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Original title: "Ivy" and "Our House".

Goofs:

Continuity: Syliva's injury is directly above her right eye, but by the time she gets home from the hospital, the blood and bandage have shifted further to the right.

Quotes:

[remarking on Ivy's sexy lips]
Sylvie Cooper: Not that I'm a lesbian... well, maybe I am.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Steve Martin/Prince (#31.12)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

LET IT GO

"Lolita" in the '90s

Nabokov's Lolita used the affections of a fawning, elderly man (her stepfather) for her own purposes--which never amounted to much more than sex and cash. It only figures that today's Lolita would be dressed to kill, literally. As Drew Barrymore plays her here, she's a sexy homicidal figure with maternal delusions. "Poison Ivy" begins rather endearingly, with high school outcast Sara Gilbert (looking like the modern equivalent of a teen beatnik) befriended by a striking blonde student with lots o' leg and a fake tattoo. This wanton woman-child has no name; Gilbert calls her "Ivy" and Barrymore likes that ("It gives me the opportunity to start over," she says). The tone of the picture shifts however before the midway point, with Ivy infiltrating Gilbert's dysfunctional household and seducing dad Tom Skerritt (doing terrific work). Gilbert's narration--and the surreal jumble which becomes the hectic climax--is rather off-putting, but there's a great deal of worth in Barrymore's solid performance. The film is stylish on a low-budget and is actually steamier than "Nine 1/2 Weeks". Yet, it's really two different pictures struggling within the context of one. A stronger screenplay might've brought the two halves together, although, as the director, Katt Shea Ruben manages to come up with a commendable amount of incidents both amusing and titillating. ** from ****