Poison Ivy (1992)

37% of critics liked it
(27 reviews)
39% of users liked it
(44,640 ratings)

The always challenging transition from adorable child performer to sexy adult star was achieved flamboyantly by actress Drew Barrymore with this erotic drama that unfolds like a paranoia-drenched Lolita (1962). Sylvie Cooper (Sara Gilbert) is a misanthropic student at a private high school for… More The always challenging transition from adorable child performer to sexy adult star was achieved flamboyantly by actress Drew Barrymore with this erotic drama that unfolds like a paranoia-drenched Lolita (1962). Sylvie Cooper (Sara Gilbert) is a misanthropic student at a private high school for children of the privileged. While calling in a phony bomb threat to the TV station where her father, Darryl (Tom Skerritt) is a producer, Sylvia attracts the attention of Ivy (Drew Barrymore). Ivy is an orphan from a poor family, attending the school on a scholarship. She and Sylvia quickly become best friends, and Ivy eventually moves out of her aunt's home and into the Cooper household. Ivy covets the Coopers' lavish lifestyle and luxuries, so she begins plotting to kill Sylvie's ailing mother Georgie (Cheryl Ladd), then seduce the alcoholic Darryl and frame Sylvie for the crime, thus taking over the Cooper house. Director Katt Shea Ruben and her co-writer husband Andy Ruben were veterans of the Roger Corman school of filmmaking. The success of Poison Ivy (1992) on video and cable television inspired a pair of sequels, Poison Ivy 2: Lily (1996) and Poison Ivy: The New Seduction (1997). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Katt Shea
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Cult Movies

In Theaters: May 8, 1992 Wide
On DVD: Nov 2, 1999
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Unfortunate thesps take it all very seriously, while technical aspects are emptily polished.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Drew Barrymore stars in a melodrama that borders on high-class kiddie porn.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Why settle for the usual walk around the exploitation block when Shea offers a wild ride with the top down into uncharted territory?
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
For the most part the actors' work seems incomplete because their characters are cut off before they can fully blossom.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
There is scarcely a moment in the movie when the story works as fiction; I was always aware of the casting, of the mood-setting devices, of the stylistic borrowings from Hitchcock.
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
Ambiguous and intriguing.
, Film4
Offbeat and compelling neo-noir.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Poison Ivy strikes a pleasing balance between emotion and ambiguity.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Shea's arty-trashy exploitation film is an amalgam of Fatal Attraction, Stepfather, and Pasolini's Teorema, in all of which the order of a middle-class is disrupted by a depraved interloper, if only the script were better
, Time Out
Its willingness to take risks, and its insights into the frailties and confusions of teenage friendships, lift the film right out of the rut.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Sinsiter and savvy psychodrama
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
Sleazy teen thriller isn't as much fun as it should be
Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com
If Drew Barrymore hadn't been so good at being bad, then this truly would have been bad. But luckily, she was good--and so it's decent. You got all that?
Clint Morris, Moviehole
I'm still transfixed by little Gertie's devilish deeds!

Read all 14 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

This is like a modern version of Lolita. Barrymore does a fantastic job of being the erotic femme fatale. I really loved this movie, it's thrilling and romantic at the same time. I highly recommend it.
Tim S

Not really that great.
Cassandra M

Poison Ivy is a good teenage drama movie, starring Sara Gilbert and Drew Barrymore, who both give great performances here. Barrymore plays Ivy a young and wild teen, who lives with her aunt. When she ends up moving in with her friend, Sylvie played by Gilbert, Ivy slowly and… More
Poison Ivy is a good teenage drama movie, starring Sara Gilbert and Drew Barrymore, who both give great performances here. Barrymore plays Ivy a young and wild teen, who lives with her aunt. When she ends up moving in with her friend, Sylvie played by Gilbert, Ivy slowly and seductively works her way into the lives of her 'new' family. The movie has some weird moments, but most of the time it's good and keeps you interested in the plot and the characters.
Cassie H

retarded, disgusting,and gross. SPARE YOURSELF FROM THIS MOVIE
Dean M

Drew Barrymore makes a heck of an impact in a very adult role as Ivy, a sleazy teen who is taken in by a wealthy family.
Jason S

Basic movie about a girl who seduces and lies. It's ok but a pretty plain movie with characters that little to no morals.
Rachel F

It was really provacative(sp?), but I liked it.
Candy R

Drew is really tashy in this one, about a girl who seduces a married man.
xGary X

Trashy teen "erotic" thriller in which Lolita-esque Drew Barrymore insinuates herself into a family home by seducing man of the house Tom Skerritt. Unconvincing, cheap and tawdry.
Leigh R

It was alright.
Sylvester K

It's OK, not great or horrible. It's nice to see Drew playing a femme fatale for a change. The plot is predictable, script was not inventive, the only thing worth seeing was Drew's performance.
Quinto W

While definitely trashy, not as much as I was hoping. Sara Gilbert is awesome, though.
Ira Z

I watched this movie an extremely long time ago, back when I was very, very young. With that said, I obviously can't remember much about it other than Drew Barrymore was in it and it had a lot of sexual tension for a movie. Basing my review solely on these two things, I give it a… More
I watched this movie an extremely long time ago, back when I was very, very young. With that said, I obviously can't remember much about it other than Drew Barrymore was in it and it had a lot of sexual tension for a movie. Basing my review solely on these two things, I give it a thumbs up
Lee K

all right movie had me wishing they wouldve thought twice about casting sara gilbert in the lead, she is such a boring actress, her hey day was on roseanne
Leo L

Intriguing!

Read all 15 featured audience ratings

Cast

Drew Barrymore
as Ivy
Sara Gilbert
as Sylvie Cooper
Tom Skerritt
as Darryl Cooper

Cheryl Ladd
as Georgie Cooper
Alan Stock
as Bob
Jeanne Sakata
as Isabelle

See full cast

Poison Ivy (1992)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Cast

Trailers & Clips