Fans of Michael Lehmann's 1989 cult classic Heathers should do themselves a favor and seek out this slick little indie from first-time feature filmmaker Michael Lichtenstein, as this gruesomely charming tale of vagina dentata shares a similar satirical tone with that darkly comic tale of teen alienation. Of course, there are some key differences separating the two films, yet their approach to skewering teen trends and suburban morality binds them as cinematic siblings that share an uncannily similar comic sensibility. Dawn (Jess Weixler) is a prim and proper teen who's saving herself for marriage, and who openly preaches what she practices as the impassioned spokesperson for an organization that uses a ring to symbolize their vow of abstinence (think Promise Keepers). Her mother, Kim (Vivienne Benesch), married single father Bill (Lenny Von Dohlen) when Dawn was just a little girl, and there's always been a certain tension between Dawn and her psychotic stepbrother, Brad (John Hensley). When outwardly angelic teen Tobey (Hale Appleman) violates the virginal Dawn during what was supposed to be an innocent dip in the lake, the girl who treasured her vow of celibacy realizes just how different from her classmates she truly is.
Any film dealing with teen sexuality will court a fair amount of controversy by default -- add a girl with a killer vagina into the mix, and odds are good that any potential distributor will go running for the hills. Thankfully for fans of extreme cinema, Roadside Attractions and Dimension Extreme have seen fit to give the film a proper stateside release. In terms of horror, Teeth delivers the gory goods yet never wallows in excess, while in terms of comedy, it uses smart satire and gruesome sight gags to highlight the adult hysteria surrounding sex education, and the inherent dangers of forced ignorance regarding human sexuality. Weixler's performance as virtuous teen Dawn successfully highlights the script's satirical strengths as her unusual character arc toys playfully with the idea that she is some kind of female superhero gradually coming to terms with her unusual power, and co-star Appleman makes a demented impression as well. Also distinguishing the film is Paul Avery's smart but subtle production design, the local nuclear cooling towers at one point adorning Dawn's suburban ranch home like some garish symbol of middle-class social status. Addressing such complex and controversial issues is certainly no easy task -- especially for a modestly budgeted independent such as Teeth -- yet thanks to his love for classic monster movies and his smart skills as a writer/director, Lichtenstein craftily manages to keep things relatively tasteful without necessarily playing it safe.