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Wild Things1998

Name: Wild Things
Director: John McNaughton
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Mystery, Erotic Thriller
Released: 1998-03-20
Duration: 108 min
Cast: Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Bill Murray

R Thriller Crime 1h 48m

In the sun-soaked suburbs of South Florida, a well-liked high school guidance counselor is accused of rape by two of his students — a socialite and a troubled outsider. As a detective digs into the case, the accusations unravel into a far more twisted scheme of seduction, blackmail, and betrayal than anyone involved could have anticipated.

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About the Film

Nothing in This Town Is What It Seems

When teen socialite Kelly Van Ryan fails to attract the attention of her guidance counselor, Sam Lombardo, she accuses him of rape — a scandal that gets him suspended and arrested overnight. Sam turns to Ken Bowden, a small-time personal injury lawyer, to clear his name, but the case grows stranger still when a second accuser, troubled local girl Suzie Toller, comes forward to corroborate Kelly's story. As Detective Ray Duquette investigates, he begins to suspect the truth is far more complicated than either version of events — a spiraling, double-crossing scheme of lust, money, and revenge that leaves almost no one in town innocent. Director John McNaughton's steamy, twist-driven neo-noir became a surprise box office hit and has endured as a cult classic of late-'90s erotic thriller cinema.

Director John McNaughton

Release Year 1998

Language English

Country United States

Genre

Thriller Crime Mystery

Starring

Cast

Matt Dillon

Sam Lombardo

Kevin Bacon

Ray Duquette

Neve Campbell

Suzie Toller

Denise Richards

Kelly Van Ryan

Bill Murray

Ken Bowden

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Verified Information

Cinelux Editorial Standards: This Wild Things film page contains verified information sourced from official production records, IMDb, and Wikipedia. We confirm the director (John McNaughton), writer (Stephen Peters), cast members (Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Bill Murray), release date (March 20, 1998), runtime (108 minutes), and country of origin (United States). Our team has cross-referenced the film's Mandalay Entertainment/Columbia Pictures production, its box office performance, and cast accuracy across multiple sources. Every detail is fact-checked for streaming audiences.

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Frequently Asked Questions

No — Wild Things is an original screenplay written by Stephen Peters, though its twisty, pulpy structure was heavily influenced by classic film noir and erotic thrillers of the era.

The film was directed by John McNaughton and stars Matt Dillon as Sam Lombardo, Kevin Bacon as Detective Ray Duquette, Neve Campbell as Suzie Toller, Denise Richards as Kelly Van Ryan, and Bill Murray as attorney Ken Bowden.

A high school guidance counselor is accused of rape by two of his students, a wealthy socialite and a troubled outsider. As a detective investigates, the case unravels into a far more elaborate scheme of seduction, blackmail, and betrayal.

Wild Things is rated R and runs approximately 1 hour and 48 minutes. It was released by Columbia Pictures on March 20, 1998, and has since become a cult classic.

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