Jawbreaker

Plot synopsis:
In the opening scene, we are introduced to four high school girls whom are blessed with beauty and charisma. They are known as the "Flawless Four" who are the most popular girls in Reagan High School in southern California. The clique consists of Courtney Shayne (Rose McGowan) known as Satan-in-heels; Marcie Fox (Julie Benz) known as 'Foxy'; Julie Freeman (Rebecca Gayheart); and Elizabeth Purr (Charlotte Ayanna), known as the "Princess Di of Reagan High." Of the four, Elizabeth Purr was the only one who was genuinely kind-hearted and loved by the entire school. Julie was "doomed to be popular because of 'that face' and because she was best friends with Elizabeth Purr". Cold-blooded queen bee Courtney and her airheaded friend, Marcie, demand respect through terror.However, Courtney, Marcie and Julie play a mindless prank on Liz the morning of her seventeenth birthday, by performing a fake kidnapping: They surprise Liz in bed, bind her with ropes (with Courtney ramming a jawbreaker candyball into her mouth to gag her) and cover it with duct tape. The girls trap Liz, dressed only in a shirt and panties, in the trunk of a car, as she struggles and squeals through her gag, and drive off. They plan to take the bound, gagged, and helpless girl to a restaurant and "stuff her face with pancakes". However, upon opening the trunk, they are greeted with the grisly sight of Liz dead, having choked to death by aspirating the jawbreaker into her larynx.Horrified, Julie wants to go to the police but Courtney forbids her. Instead, Courtney calls the school pretending to be Liz's mother and tells them Liz is ill and cannot attend school. To keep up appearances, Courtney, Marcie and Julie then go to school as though nothing had happened. When the principal sends school outcast Fern Mayo (Judy Greer) to deliver Liz's homework at the end of the day, she stumbles upon the three girls and Liz's mangled and decomposing body. Out of jealousy, Courtney fabricates a story that Liz died at the hands of a rapist, and plots to tarnish Liz's good reputation by spreading false rumors that she was actually a rebellious, promiscuous girl, and not the perfect angel she made herself out to be.Fern, who had admired Liz to the point of hero worship, is appalled and attempts to flee the house, but the girls easily catch her. To buy Fern's silence, Courtney accepts Fern into the clique, telling her to take Liz's place. Courtney and Marcie then give her a makeover, transforming her from plain and awkward to elegant and beautiful. Later in the school cafeteria, Courtney introduces Fern as the beautiful exchange student "Vylette." Julie, overwhelmed by guilt at her part in Liz's death, distances herself from the clique, only to be shunned and tormented by her former friends and becomes a new target for abuse throughout the school. Her only real friend during this time is her drama student boyfriend, Zack.Meanwhile, a police detective, Vera Cruz (Pam Grier) begins investigating Liz's death after her body was discovered by her parents who arrived home from a long vacation. With some cooperation from the wary principal Ms. Sherwood (Carol Kane), Detective Cruz interogates all of Liz's friends (Courtney, Marcie, and Julie included). All of them deny knowing anything about Liz's death. Fern/Vylette however comes across as suspicious due to her demeanor. But without any evidence, Cruz allows 'Vylette' to remain free.As Vylette's popularity soars, Julie watches in mute horror as Courtney spins a relentless web of lies, trickery and manipulation to cover up the murder and maintain her popularity at the school.A few days later, Julie learns from Detective Cruz (to her disgust) that after they'd returned Liz's corpse to her house, Courtney went out and seduced a stranger (Marilyn Manson) at a sleazy bar and had sex with him in Liz's bed, making it seem as though he had raped Liz.Meanwhile, Vylette becomes intoxicated with her newfound popularity, which has eclipsed Courtney's own. Realizing she has created a monster, Courtney threatens to reveal the truth about Vylette if she doesn't stop showing off, but Vylette vows she will reveal the whole truth about Liz's death if Courtney attempts to expose her.The next day, an infuriated Courtney and Marcie post enlarged yearbook photos of Fern Mayo all over the school with the message "Who is Vylette?" written on them, revealing Vylette's true identity. Fern is thoroughly humiliated by the entire school and once again reduced to an outcast. Feeling no remorse for the lives she has destroyed, Courtney casually attends the senior prom with her boyfriend, jock Dane Sanders (Ethan Erickson).Julie takes pity on Fern and forgives her for falling under Courtney's influence. Later that night as she sulks in her room, going through a bag of Liz's belongings that were given to her, Julie finds the recording card she was fiddling with when Courtney was faking Liz's death and discovers it has incidentally recorded Courtney's admission to the murder. Struck with an idea, Julie, Fern and Zack all hurry to the prom. Upon seeing them, Courtney, Marcie and a few of their lackeys call Julie and Fern names and try to embarrass them, but it backfires when the girls completely ignore their taunts and go on with their plan.Later on, as Dane and Courtney are announced as Prom King and Queen, Zack sneaks backstage and broadcasts the card message, "I killed Liz! I killed the teen dream! Deal with it!", over the sound system while Courtney is making her acceptance speech. Dane (seized with shock and disgust over the revelation) quickly abandons Courtney. Marcie also runs and hides to distance herself from Courtney. Horrified that her scheme has become unraveled, she races for the exit as the rest of the students pelt her with corsages and call her a murderer. Awaiting Courtney at the very end of the mob is Julie, who gleefully snaps a picture of her former friend's anguished face to immortalize the occasion.

Tags: comedy, cruelty, murder, cult, satire, prank

Review:
Much like the candy that bears it's name, "Jawbreaker" is a sweet, infectious dark comedy that wants you to enjoy it for a good, long time.
But even though you know that much candy is bad for you, you still want to have it.On her 17th birthday, popular girl Liz (Charlotte Ayanna, here as Charlotte Roldan), a member of the "Flawless Four," is kidnapped by her best friends Courtney (Rose McGowan), Marcie (Julie Benz), and Julie (Rebecca Gayheart) as a prank, her screams muffled by a huge jawbreaker.
But what does all this mean for the Prom?Writer and director Darren Stein as obviously seen "Heathers" a good number of times.
Like that classic film of teen angst, "Jawbreaker" is a dark comedy set in a high school, featuring an accidental murder of a popular student.
Rebecca Gayheart's warm-natured Julie is a stark contrast to Courtney's "Satan-in-heels" persona, and Judy Greer is wonderful to watch as she goes from under-appreciated geek to power-mad diva.
A good supporting cast also deserves mention, most notably Carol Kane as the slightly daffy school principal, Marilyn Manson as a seedy barfly, and Ethan Erickson as the dumb jock being relentlessly manipulated by Courtney's sex games.While the script is full of caustic one-liners, it never succumbs to its own hipness.
The characters are witty, but not nearly as unrealistically urbane as the characters in movies like "Scream."  Some scenes and interactions come off as gratuitous, and to be sure there are a number of times when Stein really wants you to notice to how well he paid attention at film school.
Well, you get the phat movie Jawbreaker, a good movie which really lets Rebecca Gayheart and Rose McGowen shine like the stars they are!The movie itself is somewhat true to the lives of teenagers---there was always that incredibly exclusive group of kids that NOBODY but NOBODY could be good friends with.
Well, this movie lets us see into one of these groups...and what lies underneath is totally rotton.Rose McGowen is a total witch, much to the dismay of Rebecca Gayheart...who has to solve the puzzle of Courtney's scheme after her character Julie is tossed from the clique.
I think part of its appeal is that it's a darker comedy, like "Heathers"--though this movie certainly isn't in the same league.
BUT IT'S NOT!Jawbreaker is just the most funny,exciting,evil,mean teen-movie ever made.
Rose McGowan is just awesome as THE MOST EVIL BITCH EVER Courtney Shane.This movie has everything you need: -) A REALLY FREAKY STORY -) MUCH OF BLACK HUMOR -) A GREAT CAST -) AWESOME SOUNDTRACK -) REALLY GOOD JOKESAnd what is also very cool are the Guest-Stars: Marilyn Manson, Pam Grier, The Donnas,.....SO WATCH IT!!!!!!!!.
Very worthy, respectable part for her.The plot is about three teen girls named Courtney (McGowan), Marcie (Benz), and Julie (Gayheart) who, as a birthday prank, gag their friend Liz with a jawbreaker, and throw her in the trunk of their car.
She had swallowed the giant jawbreaker, and now the girls realize their stunt has gone wrong.To avoid trouble, Courtney calls Liz in sick, and they go to school like normal.
Hiding from a dark secret.Upon it's release, Jawbreaker was met with negative reception because of it's dim-witted cast and copycat like plot.
Starring: Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, Judy Greer, Ethan Erickson, Carol Kane, Pam Grier.
Rose McGowan is great in this movie, along with newcomer Judy Greer.
Julie Benz and Rebecca Gayheart also are good in this movie.
When you watch "Jawbreaker," you can't help but sense echoes of "Heathers," "Clueless" and "The Craft."  So it is a bit of a derivative teen bopper flick.
Jawbreaker gave me the feeling of high school comedy meeting a exploitation b-movie, kinda like Mean Girls meets Death proof, or Heathers meets Faster Pussycat!
Both involve bitchy high school girls, murder and dark humour.I find myself loving these kind of movies with black humour.
Rose McGowan plays the most devious high school bitch I've ever seen in a film, and Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz and Judy Greer all pose as different kind of characters of the same type.
Like the whole movie, they are stupid, but that's part of Jawbreaker's charm.If I had to recommend few songs from the soundtrack of Jawbreaker, I'd say Bad Word For A Good Thing by The Friggs and (Let the) Good Times Roll by The Cars.
I love it when this happens while watching a movie.Jawbreaker is stupid but in a funny way.
The rest of the running time involves the girls trying to cover up the murder and bribing a nerd to keep her mouth shut.I am a fan of teen movies and black comedies.
But it offers enough one-liners, laughs and style to make up for the flaws.Performances are good around, and a keen sense of the bitchy high school girl stereotype is cleverly constructed here.
Jawbreaker is *no* Heathers.If you watch Heathers, even for the dozenth time, it's amazing how easy the movie looks.
Watching Darren Stein's Jawbreaker makes you realize just how difficult it was for Waters and Lehmann to make their film, because in every way Heathers succeeds, Jawbreaker fails.Jawbreaker has nothing new to say about high school, nor about popularity, nor about violence in society.
Rebecca Gayheart is supposed to be the character the audience can identify with, but her "I remember when the dorky kids were my friends, back in fourth grade" story arc is just ripped off poorly from Heathers.
Hell, Carol Kane even makes you yearn for the relative pleasures of a mediocre movie like The Pallbearer.Jawbreaker isn't funny.
`Jawbreaker' is an obvious aspirant to the mantle of the legendary `Heathers' - one of the smartest, sassiest, and sharpest teen movies ever made.
As a `Clueless on Crack' it fares a little better - but, given the intriguing possibilities of its concept, is still a disappointment.Where the earlier movie was intelligently malevolent, `Jawbreaker' is a surprisingly mean-spirited film.
Rose McGowan is the most enjoyable thing about the film for the simple reason that it's clear she isn't taking proceedings too seriously.
It certainly benefits from a good cast, with the central performances by Rose McGowan and Rebecca Gayheart spot-on, however prominently-billed P.J. Soles, William Katt and Marilyn Manson hardly appear at all.
People compare this film to Heathers a lot with Jawbreaker always coming up short.
I think the four lead characters namely Courtney (Rose McGowan), Julie (Rebecca Gayheart), Marcie(Julie Benz) and Fern/Vylett(Judy Greer) do quite well and are entertaining to watch and they all seem to work well together.
I like Rose McGowan and think she plays the role of the mean popular girl very convincingly.
Rose became in one of my favorites actress ever, this blondie bring me good hours, first of all, i watched on "Scream" playing Tatum Riley, she died in the movie, but in "Phantoms" she came back to me.
Jawbreaker is the best suspense movie with a little mix of dark comedy.
I thought the movie was a bit entertaining, for example, Fern's obsession with the prom queen was a bit hilarious, but the acting in this movie was horrible in my opinion, especially Rose McGowan's.
Okay, okay, I understand that the plot of this movie is somewhat stupid, but as a teen girl, I loved it.
Rose McGowan and Rebecca Gayheart are on my list for favorite actresses, and I've watched this movie 35 times.
Of course, it could have been better.One of the things I noticed that stopped it from being a five star movie is that the kidnapping and death happen way too early..
This is one of those movies to watch again and again.Rose McGowan plays her character as evil incarnate and does it FLAWLESSLY.
Kudos to Rebecca Gayheart and Judy Greer as well as the rest of the supporting cast.I'll admit the plot is a bit implausible (there's NO way that jawbreaker got past her throat), but let's remember, shall we, that IT'S A MOVIE.
If I wanted reality, I wouldn't need movies to escape!So keep an open mind, watch Jawbreakers, and have FUN.
Rose McGowan, is a star on her way, as is Julie Benz and Rebecca Gayheart.
Too make a long story short, if you like to see snobby high school girls, like Rose McGowan in this movie, and you like to see them get what they deserve, Jawbreaker is the film for you.
And remember, if you've seen Heathers, there might be a couple similarities, but don't let that stop you from watching this great film!.
This has a good story to it, and you feel for the individual characters, and even though, this movie is close to perfection as it seems, i did notice there were scenes where dumb sound effects and pointless jokes and images were added to get a few laughs...
Not only does it deliver some fine acting, especially from Rose McGowan as the ultimate bitch "Courtney" and Rebecca Gayheart as the angelic, sweet, easily lead "Julie" but the script is so hysterical and original it felt like I'd broken my jaw from laughing so much.
A great cast including Rose McGowan (Courtney), Rebecca Gayheart (Julie Freeman), Julie Benz (Marcie Fox), Chad Christ (Zack),Judy Greer (Fern/Vylette) and a hilarious cameo by Pam Greer as Detective Vera Cruz and a skanky barfly played by Marilyn Manson (without any makeup on!!!) made this movie even better than it would have been.
At first glance, Jawbreaker looked like a typical teen movie.
Several pretty actresses, most of which I had seen elsewhere.Settling down to watch it with my sister, I found it wasn't just another teen movie.
This is the best movie I have seen in a long time, due to the plot, the characters, the cinematography and two very charming performences by Rose McGowan and Julie Benz!
This movie is truly awesome i mean why wouldn't it be it has one of the hottest chicks around "Rose McGowan" (from scream & Monkey Bone) plus "Rebecca Gayheart" (from Urban Legend & Scream 2) not to mention "Julie Benz" from the hot series "Roswell" these three girls are sexy popular and they know how to have a fun time ........Courtney Alice Shane decides to have a little fun and kidnaps her best friend and accidently kills her jamming a JAWBREAKER  in her throat so she doesn't scream .....when they open up the car boot where they had shoved her in they found her dead with a JAWBREAKER in her throat they decided not to tell anyone and put her back in the bed and make it look like she's been raped 100% fun kick ass non stop action a+ i highly recommend it i enjoyed it so much me and my best friend have brought it thanks please watch it I'm sure you will enjoy it thank you imbd you ROCK JAWBREAKER JAWBREAKER JAWBREAKER JAWBREAKER JAWBREAKER JAWBREAKER.
"Jawbreaker" is the best teen movie since 1982's "Fast Times At Ridgemont High."  Rose McGowan's performance shows that she is maturing as an actress and is more than just a cult-favorite.
I enjoyed watching Rose McGowan play the evil Courtney because I don't hear too much about her.
I know that I am getting nitpicky here, but when I watch a movie, I like to see a real high school with real students in real wardrobes.
Rose McGowan, Julie Benz, and Rebecca Gayheart play three popular girls in high school.
Pretty fun, especially if you like Rose McGowan and Rebecca Gayheart..
Eventually the geek falls back to her original status and forms a friendship with Gayheart.Plagued by Pam Grier, a hard ass detective, the two girls form a plan to frame the old lead bitch as a killer, covering that the death was accidental.Bonus appearance by the Donnas at the end, this is dark and funny more in a social commentary way than a "ha ha" joke kind of way.
It's a movie, like a jawbreaker is a candy.
The actors are all adequate and this is a good high school film in the mold of heathers and mean girls although not as great as either..
After a high school girl (Charlotte Ayanna) accidently dies in a prank, her three besties cover it up (Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart & Julie Benz).
Pam Grier is on hand as a detective while The Donnas perform a couple songs at the prom."Jawbreaker" (1999) is a black comedy high school flick with similarities to "Heathers" (1988), has elements of "Carrie" (1976) and influenced "Mean Girls" (2004).
It's unique enough to stand on its own and is arguably on par with "Heathers" and the overrated "Mean Girls," but it's not as good as "Carrie" or its excellent sequel, "The Rage: Carrie 2," which was released the same year.McGowan is great as the alluring biyatch while Gayheart looks too old for the part at 27 during shooting, not to mention nigh anorexic.
Two years after the film's release, Rebecca hit a Hispanic kid with her car in Los Angeles and killed him, which tripped up her career.It's decent, has a great soundtrack and is worthwhile if you favor the cast, but don't expect the greatness of teen flicks like "Clueless" (1995) and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982).
Overall, I think "Jawbreaker" is a bit too morbid for a high school film..
It was pretty slow, the acting wasn't that good, but then again what was I expecting?All in all, don't rent this film, wait until it comes on HBO or something.
Director Darren Stein shows us his talent as he directs one of the most fabulous entertaining funny black comedy movies of all time.
Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart and Julie Benz deserve oscars for the work they portrayed in this movie, they make us believe that the situation is really happening.
The only thing about the whole film that I found even remotely amusing in an ironic sense is how Hollywood keeps spewing up stuff like this movie while artists with a half way original idea are shunned.
It's either a bad homage or straight out rip-off of the film "Heathers", which is worlds better than this, plus it features Rose McGowen reprising that same role she does in just about every film she's in: heartless bitch that never shows any emotions (the only other character she ever portrays is ditzy girl that never shows any emotions.
Still, good black comedies are hard to find, and Rose McGowan is nearly strong enough to carry the entire movie.
Jawbreaker sets three of the Regan High's most popular girls, kidnapping and accidentally killing the fourth member of their circle of friends on her 17th birthday.
Most times movies like that are painful to watch, and most of the time Jawbreaker is no different.
But if we see it like it really is, a teen black comedy, we can find it reasonably entertaining Furthermore, a movie which has a quote like "she's so evil and she's only in high school" can only be a spoofing one!
Well, about the movie itself I think there isn't much to say, because it's a typical High School teen movie, about the also typical "awesome gorgeous girls which dress like models and control it all around, guys included" type.
This is a movie you can see once, if you're into black humor and teen comedy, and then never watch it again.
When I went to see this movie, it was a "nothing good is playing right now, so let's just watch this" kind of decision.
Still, the production design and energetic performances by Rose McGowan and Rebecca Gayheart (as the repentant good girl) almost make JAWBREAKER worth seeing....
So bad that this is, without a doubt, one of the worst movies of the year.The "Jawbreaker" opening sequence has a trio of teens kidnapping their best friend, the prom queen Julie, on her seventeenth birthday for a surprise.
It clearly tired to be as sexy and last years "Wild Things" but was so desperate I couldn't stop laughing during the sequence.The ridiculous ending to "Jawbreaker" of course, as many other teen flicks, consisted of a built up prom in which all the good are rewarded, the bad are humiliated but not necessarily punished, and a series of flat smiles and soundtracks that will make you want to puke.
Rose McGowan was ok, but I think the heart of this movie is Rebecca Gayheart.
but 90s references aside (which you know makes sense since the movie was made back then), this is a really good dark comedy.
Jawbreaker is a teen movie about image, deceit, manipulation, and murder.The good.
Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer are great.
If you want to see a film just like "Heathers" then go watch "Heathers." Although generally panned by critics, "Jawbreaker" is nonetheless a cut above most 'high school' movies.
i just like it and was lured by it.acting is also fresh and Rebecca is so good...some scenes are really funny as hell...if u choose this as your teen movie, u won't regret, i bet.my overall : 8/10.
I've seen this movie so many times and i really really like it.
As a teen movie though, it kinda is good.Jawbreaker: 7 out of 10.
when i first saw this movie i was surprised it was very good i think rose mcgowan played the role of courtney really well, the only thing i was a little disappointed in was the ending it seemed to be over quickly and nothing really happened to her although they show a detective trying to find lizzie's murderer they don't really seem to capture the whole she done it thing - i don't know maybe it was me but the ending could have been slightly better as there were 3 people involved with the fake kidnapping although julie felt really guilty foxy seemed to get a way with the whole embarrassing ending..