It starts like so many suburban dramas, doesn't it? Manicured lawns, comfortable homes, a family going through the motions. But beneath the placid surface of 1998’s Wicked, something curdled and dangerous is brewing, and it coils tightly around a young woman on the cusp of… well, something truly unsettling. This isn't your typical coming-of-age story; it’s a dive into the murky waters of adolescent obsession and the darkness that can fester behind closed doors, a film that might have slipped past many on the rental shelves but rewards those who gave its slightly generic cover art a chance.
A Glimpse of Trouble
The Christianson family seems normal enough, at first glance. Ben (William R. Moses, bringing a weary vulnerability familiar from his Falcon Crest days) is the somewhat preoccupied father, Karen (Chelsea Field) the beautiful mother grappling with her own secrets, and Ellie is their teenage daughter. But it’s Ellie, portrayed by a then relatively unknown Julia Stiles, who immediately commands attention. Even here, just before her breakout year in 1999 with 10 Things I Hate About You, Stiles possesses that magnetic intensity, that unnerving stillness that suggests deep currents running beneath a placid exterior. She captures the potent mix of teenage angst, burgeoning sexuality, and something far more calculating.
When the Cracks Appear
The plot kicks into high gear following a shocking event: the sudden, violent death of Karen. Initially ruled an accident involving an intruder, suspicion quickly begins to shift. Director Michael Steinberg, who had previously explored complex relationships in films like Bodies, Rest & Motion (1993), crafts an atmosphere thick with paranoia and unspoken desires. He uses the seemingly benign suburban setting to amplify the unease, making the familiar feel treacherous. The investigation, led by Detective Boland (Patrick Muldoon, adding a layer of sleazy charm fresh off Melrose Place and just after Starship Troopers), begins to peel back the layers of the family's facade, revealing infidelity, secrets, and Ellie's increasingly inappropriate fixation on her grieving father.
Stiles Shines in the Shadows
It’s Julia Stiles’ performance that truly elevates Wicked beyond standard thriller fare. She navigates Ellie’s complex emotional landscape with remarkable nuance for a young actress. Is Ellie a disturbed victim of circumstance, lashing out in grief and confusion? Or is she a chillingly manipulative sociopath pulling the strings? Stiles keeps you guessing, embodying both vulnerability and calculated cruelty, often within the same scene. Watching it now, knowing the trajectory her career would take through films like Save the Last Dance (2001) and the Bourne series, you can see the raw talent and screen presence already fully formed. It’s a performance that makes you understand why she became a star. Reportedly, Stiles actively pursued the challenging role, eager to tackle something darker early in her career, a gamble that certainly pays off on screen.
Indie Roots and Twisted Turns
Written by Eric Weiss, the script delights in wrong-footing the audience. Just when you think you have a handle on the situation, a new revelation twists the narrative in an unexpected direction. (Spoiler Alert!) The mid-film reveal regarding Ellie's culpability and her subsequent seduction of her father is genuinely shocking, pushing the boundaries of the typical 90s thriller into far more taboo territory. This willingness to embrace the transgressive gives Wicked its edge.
Produced independently and premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in 1998, Wicked carries that distinct late-90s indie thriller vibe. You can feel the budget constraints at times, perhaps in the limited locations or occasional moments where the pacing feels slightly uneven. Yet, Steinberg manages to make these limitations work, fostering a sense of claustrophobia within the seemingly spacious suburban home. The film was eventually picked up by Trimark Pictures, a distributor often associated with interesting, slightly off-kilter genre fare during the VHS era – finding a Trimark tape on the shelf often meant you were in for something a little different. I distinctly remember spotting the Wicked VHS box countless times, its simple design hinting at something potentially lurid, making it one of those titles you might rent out of sheer curiosity on a slow Tuesday night.
The film doesn't shy away from its dark themes – grief, incestuous desire, murder, the destructive power of secrets. It probes the uncomfortable notion that the picture-perfect family ideal can hide profound dysfunction. While some plot points might stretch credulity under scrutiny, the commitment of the cast, particularly Stiles, keeps the melodrama grounded in a disturbing psychological reality.
***
Wicked isn't a flawless masterpiece. Its ambition sometimes outstrips its execution, and some viewers might find the tonal shifts jarring or the subject matter too uncomfortable. However, it remains a fascinating and genuinely unsettling psychological thriller, anchored by a star-making (or perhaps star-confirming) performance from Julia Stiles. It captures a specific late-90s mood, blending teen angst with noir-ish elements, and dares to go to places many mainstream thrillers wouldn't. It’s a potent reminder of the kind of surprising, boundary-pushing indie films you could discover tucked away in the video store aisles.
Rating: 7/10
Justification: The score reflects the film's strengths – Julia Stiles' compelling lead performance, the genuinely shocking plot twists, and the effectively unsettling atmosphere achieved on a modest budget. It loses points for some uneven pacing and moments where the plot strains believability, but its ambition and Stiles' early brilliance make it a memorable and worthwhile watch from the era.
Final Thought: More than just a footnote in Julia Stiles' filmography, Wicked is a thorny, uncomfortable little gem that lingers – proof that sometimes the most unsettling horrors are the ones hiding in plain sight, right next door.