Gossip

     I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Gossip tells the story of three co-eds Derreck, (James Marsden) Jones, (Lean Headly) and Travis (Norman Reedus) who start and propagate a rumor about two other students as part of their thesis. The target of the rumor is Naomi (Kate Hudson) and her boyfriend Beau (Joshua Jackson). Naomi and Beau have a little too much to drink at a party they are attending and decide to be alone in an upstairs bedroom. Naomi prides herself on being the girl on campus that “wont put out”, but beau decides to give it his best shot anyway. Naomi tells him no, and then passes out, at which point Beau makes his exit. Unbeknownst to either of the two would be love birds, Derrick is in an adjoining bathroom and has witnessed the encounter, and decides to make the couple the subject of the rumor.

When Naomi hears that Beau supposedly took advantage of her, she goes to the police and reports a rape, and Beau is eventually arrested. From this point on, the film takes the viewer through a series of plot twists worthy of Hitchcock, leading to a climax that is a little predictable, but one which still has a huge impact on the characters as well as the audience.

While there are no major stars in the film with the exception of Eric Bogosian (ho did a great job in Talk Radio), and Edward James Olmos (Hollywood Confidential, 12 Angry Men) the other actors are at least recognizable (especially James Marsden who was in X-men).

Gossip will never win an Oscar, and it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are a fan of the thriller genre, don’t miss it!!

I give this one seven vicious stories out of a possible ten!


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