(2009) 3.5 Cammila Albertson Jennifer's Body is a teen slasher flick in the way Mean Girls is a teen comedy. The description works, but if you really want to get down to brass tacks, these movies are probably more for viewers who remember high school than for viewers who are actually in high school. They're both just so sly with their observations that most probably won't notice the post-modern vibe. Hell -- we are informed by our protagonist, Anita "Needy" Lesnicky (Amanda Seyfried) -- is a teenage girl. Needy is the unassuming, bespectacled, and usually subservient BFF of Jennifer (Megan Fox), by far the hottest girl in their tiny high school. The two appear to have nothing in common, with Needy modestly shuffling around after Jennifer, who ruthlessly wields her sex-as-a-weapon body to the torture of every boy, and possibly girl, she meets. But, of course, as Needy explains in her voice-over, "Sandbox love never dies." Their lopsided relationship seems to work, until Jennifer becomes infected with some kind of demonic force, and starts murdering and eating boys, forcing Needy to confront her friend's evil nature -- preexisting and otherwise. What ends up unfolding is a fun comic horror movie with excellent dialogue (which writer Diablo Cody has deftly toned down from the spastic slang of Juno) and some smart subtext about womanhood and sex and friendship and whatever else you'd expect. This works really well because the movie's horror foundation is pretty solid. So since we're already busy being entertained with an amusing and gory narrative, it's awesome to see a Final Girl who actually gets to have sex with her boyfriend. Cody only subverts the genre after covering all her bases with a good story, and she seems to know her stuff. The only real problem is that even though there's plenty of blood, guts, and general creepiness, nothing in Jennifer's Body is really what you'd call scary. Director Karyn Kusama opts to never show Jennifer actually eviscerating anybody, instead cutting to silhouettes or reaction shots. But on the other hand, there is a ridiculously hot lesbian kiss. So, all in all, it's a worthwhile venture.

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Jennifer's Body (2009)

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Jennifer's Body

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Graphic Violence
Profanity
Sexual Situations
Drug Content

genres

Horror

sub-genres

category

Feature

directed by

Karyn Kusama

countries

USA

release date

September 18, 2009 (USA)

run time

103 min.

produced by

Hard C

released by

20th Century Fox

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Jennifer's Body

by Jeremy Wheeler synopsis

Demon possession, devilish cheerleaders, and Satanic rock stars are all on the chopping block with this horror comedy from the production team behind Juno. Screenwriter Diablo Cody provides the script, with producing duties handled by Jason Reitman and Dan Dubiecki. The story centers on an impish high-school student (Amanda Seyfried) who has to protect her town against her best friend, Jennifer (Megan Fox), who after being bedeviled by an evil rock band, develops a taste for human flesh. Girlfight's Karyn Kusama directs the Fox Atomic production.

characteristics

- Transformation

- High-school

- Friend

- Cheerleading

- Women's Friendship

- Rock-band

- Demonic Possession

- Cheerleader

- Devil Worship

related movies

DEVIL WORSHIP

DEMONIC POSSESSION