Introverted Sylvie, who comes from a wealthy background, befriends Ivy, a girl from the wrong side of the track, at their snobby private school. Sylvie is in awe of Ivy's beauty, daring and carefree attitude. Ivy grows resentful of Sylvie's settled domestic life. That's right - she is another Psycho-Lolita on this list. Ivy worms her way into Sylvie's family and slowly seduces the father and kills Sylvie's poor invalid mother. It is left for Sylvie to do battle with this malicious, murderous Bunny Boiler. Not every film has to be Citizen Kane to have merit - some of us like trashy, entertaining movies like Poison Ivy. Drew Barrymore is spellbinding in her role as Ivy. She is beautiful and bad in equal measures. Drew Barrymore fans can freely ogle her beauty in a series of sexy get ups. Sara Gilbert is equally convincing as her friend Sylvie who lives in splendour and has everything she wants except happiness. The two actresses have good chemistry with each other. 1992 was a vintage year for erotic thrillers featuring Bunny Boilers as you can see from the films in this list. Poison Ivy is actually good fun. People have commented that Drew Barrymore should be ashamed to have this film on her CV but believe me, there are a lot, lot worse films she could have starred in. Poison Ivy may be moderately trashy exploitation, but it is well executed exploitation and Drew Barrymore is very convincing in her role as Ivy - troubled outcast cum Bunny Boiler supreme.
My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!
