Heathers

http://movies.tvguide.com/heathers/127716

I am drawn to high school movies, up to a point, and this one tended to get mentioned as more notable than others in discussions of movies I’ve seen.

I just read the plot summary on Wikipedia: looked at as a plot summary, this movie is even more dire and, well, sick, than it seems in the watching. Partly the humor saves it, although it wasn’t, for me, all that funny. It’s fearlessly sailing into such dark material gives the movie life, and the material did seem fascinating. It feels like a revenge fantasy against bullies (one of whom, the male lead J.D., turns out to be one of the bullies) that takes on seriously the complexity of those getting the revenge. And revenge fantasies can be compelling in a sick way. Ryder’s charisma in the lead role kept me watching.