I remember first learning about this movie from a movie poster. It said NICOLE KIDMAN and TO DIE FOR, and the tagline "
All she wanted was a little attention." The combination of the title, the tagline, and the photo (Nicole intensely opening her blouse) made me think the movie would be some kind of sexy black widow thriller, or maybe a
Fatal Attraction-style sexy stalker movie. There's plenty of sexual manipulation going on in the movie, but it's really about a crackpot in the woods of New Hampshire who believes she's the next Katie Couric. Kidman uses her sexual wiles to convince three teenagers (Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck, and Alison Folland) to murder her husband (Matt Dillon). An edgy breakout performance from Kidman, who steps out of Tom Cruise's shadow and becomes more than That Australian Actress. Creative (or financial) freedom has allowed her to star in plenty of artistic and critical successes (
Portrait of a Lady, Moulin Rouge!, Dogville) and fewer paycheck choices (
Batman Forever, Practical Magic, The Peacemaker). There's no explaining her ill-advised attempts at comedy (
The Stepford Wives, Bewitched).
