Jawbreaker (1999)
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After a lethal prank goes wrong, the most popular girls at a high school must navigate the consequences of a deadly secret.
The story
The 'Flawless Four' are the most popular and beautiful senior girls at Reagan High School. When a kidnapping prank intended for a classmate's 17th birthday goes tragically wrong, the girls find themselves responsible for a death. To maintain their status and avoid legal consequences, they concoct a web of lies to cover up the incident. When an outcast student witnesses the crime scene, the girls manipulate her into joining their inner circle under a new identity. As the truth begins to unravel, the social hierarchy of the school is threatened by the secrets of the girls' actions.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The 'Flawless Four'—Courtney, Marcie, Julie, and the kind-hearted Liz—are the elite clique at Reagan High. During a prank on Liz's 17th birthday, the girls kidnap her, but she dies from choking on a jawbreaker. To hide the crime, Courtney lies to the school and police, claiming Liz was a victim of a rapist. When outcast Fern Mayo witnesses the girls staging the scene, they blackmail her into becoming 'Vylette,' a new member of the clique. While Julie feels guilty and tries to distance herself, Courtney continues the deception. The tension peaks at the senior prom. Julie discovers a recording of Courtney's confession on a birthday card. During the prom, a recording of Courtney's admission is broadcast over the speakers, exposing her crimes. The truth is revealed, the girls' lies are dismantled, and Courtney is humiliated as the truth of the 'murder' is laid bare.
- First release year
- 1999
- Runtime (minutes)
- 87
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Darren Stein
- Writers
- Darren Stein · writer
- Cast and characters
- Rose McGowan · Courtney Shayne; Rebecca Gayheart · Julie Freeman; Julie Benz · Marcie "Foxy" Fox; Judy Greer · Fern Mayo; Chad Christ; Ethan Erickson; Carol Kane; Pam Grier
- Genres
- black comedy; crime; independent
- Themes
- high school social dynamics; consequences of actions; deception
- Tone and mood
- dark comedy; satirical
- Premise and plot tags
- teen film; high school; crime
- Reception
- The film received negative reviews from critics and was a box office failure, but it has since gained a cult following and been praised for its style and performances.
- Reported review scores
- CinemaScore · score: D+
- Awards and nominations
- MTV Movie Award · Best Villain · 1999 · nomination
- Production trivia
- The screenplay was originally conceived as a horror film.; The film's costumes were inspired by 1980s and 1950s-era fashion.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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