History Film / WildThings

** Sam's father used to be rich until he and several other people lost their fortunes to Kelly's grandfather in a crooked land deal. Sandra's comment about him being a "hired hand" has a much crueler context in this light.

* KansasCityShuffle: The entire plot revolves around [[spoiler:Suzie convincing the other conspirators into thinking they know what the con is. Kelly thinks she and Sam will get rid of Suzie and run off together with the money. Ray thinks he and Sam will get rid of both girls, implicate Kelly in Suzie's murder, and split the money two-ways before parting. Sam thinks he and Suzie will frame Kelly for Suzie's "murder", kill Ray, and run off together with the money (possibly with the intention of separating later; Sam's the only one who knows how ruthless Suzie is, so he probably wouldn't want to stick around too long). Turns out the real plan was for Suzie to fake her own death with Sam's assistance, implicate Kelly, kill both Ray and Sam, and take ''all'' the money]].

* DepravedBisexual: Suzie and possibly Kelly.

* WomanScorned: {{Invoked}}. Kelly [[FalseRapeAccusation accuses Sam of rape]] because he turned her down. [[spoiler: It turns out that was also a lie though.]]

* WomanScorned: {{Invoked}}. Kelly [[FalseRapeAccusation accuses Sam of rape]] because he turned her down. [[Spoiler: It turns out that was also a lie though.]]

* TeacherStudentRomance: Minus the romance. The trial revolves around Lombardo being accused of molesting Kelly and Suzie. [[spoiler:It turns out Kelly ''was'' actually sleeping with him by choice (and for a much longer period), as does Suzie on at least one occasion]].

* TheToothHurts: [[spoiler:Suzie]] is shown pulling out one of their own teeth during the closing credits.

* VigilanteMan: Ray Duquette [[spoiler:or so it first appears]]
* WomanScorned: Invoked. Kelly [[FalseRapeAccusation accuses Sam of rape]] because he turned her down.

* WouldntHitAGirl: [[spoiler:Zigzagged by Sam. Although he's pissed off at murdering Kelly, it has more to do because he's concerned about a potential SpannerInTheWorks than because of any concern for Kelly, given that he was ready to frame her for murder and abandon her to a lifetime in prison. On the other hand, the film's credit's sequence reveals that Sam is also horrified at having to remove some of Suzie's teeth to provide physical evidence for her staged murder, which she needs to do herself as a result.]]

* ClearMyName: The movie seems to be about Sam being cleared off the FalseRapeAccusation. However, everything changes [[HalfwayPlotSwitch half-way through the movie]].

* AThreesomeIsHot: Between Sam, Kelly, and Suzie.

* ReliableTraitor: Ken Bowden.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wildthingsposter_3632.jpg]]

''Wild Things'' is a 1998 erotic thriller film directed by John [=McNaughton=] and starring Matt Dillon, Creator/KevinBacon, Creator/DeniseRichards, Creator/NeveCampbell and Creator/BillMurray. In some countries the film was released as ''Sex Crimes'' or ''Sexcrimes''.

There were three Direct-To-Video sequels, which largely followed the same basic plot as the original, though the sex scenes were racier.

''Wild Things'' is a 1998 erotic thriller film directed by John [=McNaughton=] and starring Matt Dillon, Creator/KevinBacon, Denise Richards, Creator/NeveCampbell and Creator/BillMurray. In some countries the film was released as ''Sex Crimes'' or ''Sexcrimes''.

''Wild Things'' is a 1998 erotic thriller film directed by John [=McNaughton=] and starring Matt Dillon, Creator/KevinBacon, Denise Richards, Creator/NeveCampbell and Creator/BillMurray. In some countries the film was released as ''Sex Crimes''.

* TamperingWithFoodAndDrink: Double Subverted. [[spoiler:When Sam and Suzie are on the sailboat at the end, he is GenreSavvy enough to expect the drink to be poisoned. He relaxes when Suzie points out that she would be an idiot to try something like that, since she can't pilot the boat and they're all out in the middle of nowhere. Turns out that it is in fact poisoned, and Suzie is a genius with enough boating skills to be perfectly capable of piloting it by herself. Still, this is not what kills Sam -- Suzie then releases one of the booms to knock him into the water to drown.]]

* BigBad: Sam Lombardo and Kelly Van Ryan. Though, in truth [[spoiler:Suzie]] is the true BigBad here, having manipulated the other BigBads and orchestrated the plot.

* AmoralAttorney: Ken Bowden is not above cheating workers' comp by wearing a neck brace in public without an actual neck injury. Sandra Van Ryan's own attorney (played by RobertWagner) is hinted to be one, though he gets beat down by the judge when he attempts to intervene in the suddenly disintegrating case after Suzie cracks on the stand.

** Plot of first film: Rich girl Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards) flirts with Sam Lombardo (Mat Dillon), her guidance councellor, until at last he invites her into his house in private. Afterwards, she runs off in tears, then accuses him of rape. He claims she's lying, and given her earlier behavior, it looks like it'll be impossible to prove her case. Suddenly, another victim, Suzie (Neve Campbell), is found and is willing to testify. Then [[spoiler:Suzie cracks on the stand and admits she's lying, making the audience think that both girls are working together to screw Sam over. Sam gets off the hook, then successfully sues Sandra Van Ryan, Kelly's mom. Then it turns out that the girls were both working with Sam to trick the mom into doing something stupid so that he could sue her and they could split the money three ways. Then Sam has to kill Suzie because she was acting like a total spazz and might have spilled the beans. Ray Duquette (Kevin Bacon), a cop who has been investigating this whole thing, assaults Kelly, who shoots him in the shoulder, forcing him to shoot and kill her. It later turns out that he murdered her in cold blood, and shot himself in the shoulder. His superiors are suspicious of him, as something similar happened with him a while ago, and fire him. Then it turns out that he and Sam were working together to frame Kelly for Suzie's murder, and split the money two ways -- except Ray decided to kill Kelly and pretend it was self-defense. Then it turns out that Sam and Suzie were working together to [[FakingTheDead fake Suzie's murder]] and betray Ray because Ray had killed one of Suzie's friends before the movie even started. Then it turns out that Suzie never had any intention of sharing the money with Sam, and kills him. She also has genius-level intelligence. Then it turns out that Ken Bowden (Bill Murray) was working with Suzie all this time. Then it turns out that the whole thing was just an excuse to film a movie with Denise Richards and Neve Campbell making out... twice]].

* AThreesomeIsHot: Between Sam, Kelly and Suzie.

** Zig-zagged with Sam Lombardo. At first he seems like a respectable guidance counselor with a steady girlfriend. He even brushes off the advances of the wealthy woman whom he romanced in the past, then he's accused of raping the woman's daughter, a teenage girl. It turns out that he was framed for the crime. [[spoiler:Then it turns out he and the girl were in on it together, and were carrying on an affair. It probably ends as a triple subversion.]]

* BeneathTheMask: A major theme of the film. Sam appears to be an honest, upstanding educator, but he's really a [[spoiler:sleazy, exploitative pervert.]] Kelly appears to be an all-American teenage girl next door, but she's actually [[spoiler:an angry, sexually confused cokehead who hates her family.]] Ray appears to be an honest if overzealous cop, but he's actually a [[spoiler:DirtyCop who enjoys prostitutes and is quite willing to murder anyone who pisses him off.]] Suzie appears to be a white-trash loser, but she's actually a [[spoiler:brilliantly calculating [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]] who manipulates everyone else]].

* BigBad: Sam Lombardo and Kelly Van Ryan. Though, in truth [[spoiler: Suzie]] is the true BigBad here, having manipulated the other BigBads and orchestrated the plot.

* TheChessmaster: [[spoiler:Suzie]] although a couple of other characters come close.

* FalseRapeAccusation: Two teenage girls falsely accuse their high school guidance counselor of raping them in order to get revenge on him for various slights. [[spoiler:Later on we find out that the guidance counselor was in on it; he sued the parents of one of the girls for a hefty sum after the false accusation and then the three of them split the money.]]

* FramingTheGuiltyParty: The "framing yourself" variant which is the first part of the plan. Sam, as the guilty party, is being accused of rape but gets off the hook by means of an arranged FalseRapeAccusation.

** Plot of first film: Rich girl Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards) flirts with Sam Lombardo (Mat Dillon), her guidance councellor, until at last he invites her into his house in private. Afterwards, she runs off in tears, then accuses him of rape. He claims she's lying, and given her earlier behavior, it looks like it'll be impossible to prove her case. Suddenly, another victim, Suzie (Neve Campbell) is found and is willing to testify. Then [[spoiler: Suzie cracks on the stand and admits she's lying, making the audience think that both girls are working together to screw Sam over. Sam gets off the hook, then successfully sues Sandra Van Ryan, Kelly's mom. Then it turns out that the girls were both working with Sam to trick the mom into doing something stupid so that he could sue her and they could split the money three ways. Then Sam has to kill Suzie because she was acting like a total spazz and might have spilled the beans. Ray Duquette (Kevin Bacon), a cop who has been investigating this whole thing, assaults Kelly, who shoots him in the shoulder, forcing him to shoot and kill her. It later turns out that he murdered her in cold-blood, and shot himself in the shoulder. His superiors are suspicious of him, as something similar happened with him awhile ago, and fire him. Then it turns out that he and Sam were working together to frame Kelly for Suzie's murder, and split the money two ways - except Ray decided to kill Kelly and pretend it was self-defense. Then it turns out that Sam and Suzie were working together to [[FakingTheDead fake Suzie's murder]] and betray Ray because Ray had killed one of Suzie's friends before the movie even started. Then it turns out that Suzie never had any intention of sharing the money with Sam, and kills him. She also has genius-level intelligence. Then it turns out that Ken Bowden (Bill Murray), was working with Suzie all this time. Then it turns out that the whole thing was just an excuse to film a movie with Denise Richards and Neve Campbell making out... twice]].
** Every film in Wild Things series strives to go [[SerialEscalation escalate]] to make each plot twenty times more convoluted and confusing than the previous film's. Chances are, if you are the protagonist, the antagonist, the victim, a background character... hell, if you're ''in the film'', you are in on the scheme and may be weaving some [[GambitRoulette incredibly complex plans]] of your own. If there are two things that "Wild Things" is known for, it's the incredibly sexy lesbian scenes, and this trope. Also death. [[KillEmAll Lots and lots of death.]]
* GambitRoulette: [[spoiler: Suzie's plot had to take months, if not years, to set up. And by the end, a high school drop-out has gotten three people murdered and ended up with millions of dollars.]] Slightly justified by interviews [[spoiler:with residents of her trailer park that imply she is ComicBook/LexLuthor intelligent.]]

* IMissMom: In one of her few (if only) scenes with genuine emotional depth, AlphaBitch Kelly Van Ryan tearfully declares "I miss dad" this to her mother. (It's revealed in the next handful of lines that he killed himself and heavily implied that this is why she's so screwed up).

* OutGambitted: [[spoiler:Ray, Sam and Kelly are all playing their own angles to try and get the money. Suzie outsmarts them all and gets away with the money. (Though in a sense, none of them even ''had'' plans until she started enacting hers, and all of them, whether they know it or not, are just playing their parts in her plan.)]]

* PostRapeTaunt: Teacher Sam Lombardo is accused of rape by a female student and another girl. They both claim that after the deed he told them "no little bitch could ever make me cum". [[spoiler:Subverted later on when it turns out that Sam and the two girls were running a scam together.]]
* PrisonRape: Implied when Ray mentions that when Suzie was convicted of drug possession, she was sent to juvenile hall at Camp Nine...which his partner immediately mentions is nicknamed Camp "Sixty-Nine".

* TamperingWithFoodAndDrink: Double Subverted. [[spoiler:When Sam and Suzie are on the sailboat at the end, he is GenreSavvy enough to expect the drink to be poisoned. He relaxes when Suzie points out that she would be an idiot to try something like that, since she can't pilot the boat and they're all out in the middle of nowhere. Turns out that it is in fact poisoned, and Suzie is a genius with enough boating skills to be perfectly capable of piloting it by herself. Still, this is not what kills Sam - Suzie then releases one of the booms to knock him into the water to drown.]]
* TakeThatKiss: After Suzie and Kelly's fight in the pool. Though Suzie quickly kisses back, and it's implied they then have sex. Could also be seen as a KissOfDeath [[spoiler: if Suzie wasn't running the show]]

* VigilanteMan: Ray Duquette [[spoiler: or so it first appears]]

* WouldHitAGirl: [[spoiler:Ray Duquette certainly would. Underneath the surface he's actually an abusive, misogynistic prick who beats hookers and happily agrees to the murder of at least two teenage girls, killing one by breaking into her home and shooting her in cold blood.]]

* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: [[spoiler:Kelly, Ray and Sam]].

* GambitRoulette: [[spoiler: Suzie's plot had to take months, if not years, to set up. And by the end, a high school drop-out has gotten three people murdered and ended up with millions of dollars.]] Slightly justified by interviews [[spoiler:with residents of her trailer park that imply she is LexLuthor intelligent.]]

* OutGambitted: [[spoiler:Ray, Sam and Kelly are all playing their own angles to try and get the money. Suzie outsmarts them all and gets away with the money.]]

* KansasCityShuffle: The entire plot revolves around [[spoiler:Suzie convincing the other conspirators into thinking they know what the con is. Kelly thinks she and Sam will get rid of Suzie and run off together with the money. Ray thinks he and Sam will get rid of both girls, implicate Kelly in Suzie's murder, and split the money two-ways before parting. Sam thinks he and Suzie will frame Kelly for Suzie's "murder", kill Ray, and run off together with the money. Turns out the real plan was for Suzie to fake her own death with Sam's assistance, implicate Kelly, kill both Ray and Sam, and take ''all'' the money]].

* BeneathTheMask: A major theme of the film. Sam appears to be an honest, upstanding educator, but he's really a [[spoiler:sleazy, exploitative pervert.]] Kelly appears to be an all-American teenage girl next door, but she's actually [[spoiler:an angry, sexually confused cokehead who hates her family.]] Ray appears to be an honest if overzealous cop, but he's actually a [[spoiler:DirtyCop who enjoys prostitutes and is quite willing to murder anyone who pisses him off.]] Suzie appears to be a white-trash loser, but she's actually a [[spoiler:brilliantly calculating [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]] who manipulates everyone else]].\\
\\

Lampshaded by Ray, although in reference to another character.
-->'''Ray:''' People aren't always what they appear to be, Jimmy. Don't forget that.