The young star of this rather acidic satire, Evan Rachel Wood, is pretty but the film’s themes are definitely not.

What looks like a high school drama with problems in a dysfunctional family (and it is) turns into something much more.  Wood’s portrayal of young Kimberley Joyce can be quickly compared to Nicole Kidman’s cheerfully ruthless TV weather presenter in To Die For (and Emily Barclay’s completely amoral teenage manipulator in Suburban Mayhem).  But Kimberley is far more intelligent, far more devious, far more self-confident on the surface while carrying enormous chips on her shoulder.  She wreaks havoc on all those around her.

We first see her with a Muslim student at a rather exclusive Beverly Hills high school.  Her language sounds genial, friendly and tolerant but is unselfconsciously patronising, even racist.  And when we meet her slob of a father (James Wood) who mouthes so much bigotry while urging his daughter not to be racist – but be honest – it is no wonder.  Kimberley has a best friend, Brittany (what else?) who is now dating the school jock and could be the star of the school play as Anne Frank.  Kimberley is always accommodating and sexually precocious – but we know that deep down… and we are appalled as she sets about destroying everyone by instigating her friends to accuse the English teacher (Ron Livingston) of sexual harassment and take him to court.  What happens has to be seen to be believed.

This is very black satire, very cleverly done.  We are sometimes aghast at what the characters are saying, outrageous politically incorrect statements that make one smile as well as make one disgusted.  The film is well acted, intelligently written, the writer, Skander Halim, coming from Montreal with a Dutch mother and Bangladeshi father who could well have experienced some of the mishaps he includes in this bitterly funny satire.

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