Gossip is a glossed-over movie that if you ask people about it, they'll talk about Gossip Girl. I'll admit, I saw it because James Marsden was in it, and I was surprised by his edgy role. Gossip centers around three college students, Cathy, known to everybody as "Jones", who seems like a normal college girl, Travis, the off-the-wall artist who has a different mind which he shows in his work, namely his room, and Derrick, the arrogant, quick- talking schmoozer who can lie his way in or out of any situation, who owns the apartment the three share. What starts as Derrick defending a girl in a class, where he states, "We're people, and we do what we do... I like gossip. It's fun." This leads Jones to come up with their project for the class; start a rumor, track it and see where it leads. That night, the three attend a party. Jones is taking pictures outside when she bumps into rich girl Naomi, getting out of a town car with her boyfriend, Beau. Jones takes a picture of them going inside then scoffs once they've left ("Who arrives to a party in the meat-packing district in a town car?") When Derrick and his date are in the bathroom while she gets sick, Derrick sees Naomi and Beau making out. Beau tries to push Naomi, but she stops him. Shortly after, from having too much to drink, she passes out and Beau leaves. Derrick sees this and gets the idea for their rumor. The next morning, hungover Jones is hesitant to go through with it; Derrick teases her about not being able to be mean ("You're from Plymouth, with the Pilgrims and there were no mean Pilgrims") so Cathy tells Naomi's best friend she slept with Beau. Naomi hears the rumor and is afraid Beau raped her. Things go wrong. Beau gets arrested, Cathy starts doubting the plan, Naomi can't stand to hear Derrick's name, and Derrick doesn't tell the truth until he's absolutely backed into a corner. Was Gossip a world-turning film? Probably not. Do more than a handful of people know it exists? Again, probably not. Did it really need to be rated R? Once again, probably not. But it's a good movie to see once. It's edgy and a little dark but there are some dare-I-say cute moments. If you see it in the video store or better the library, rent it. It's only an hour and a half long.
Review of Gossip
