Gossip (Widescreen/Full Screen)

The movie is very dark. Some of the mystery is vague as we don't know what to believe is true and what is just gossip. Eventually we discover that James Marsden's character Derek Webb is the real villain and the cause of all the trouble. He had been the high school boyfriend of Kate Hudson's character "the poor little rich girl" as he described her. He raped her and again at the party. His lying and scheming comes to an end as he is caught red-handed in confession at the end of the film. The movie is a pretty adult film and not to be seen by too young an audience. I believe there is enough R rated material here to indicate that is intended to be viewed by a mature audience- violence, (...)and language. The college classroom scenes are by far what most attracted me to the story. It is proof that people do love gossip and rumor, as our society does today, but it dehumanizes and corrupts. The battle of the (...)discussion is also quite interesting. But the movie's heart lies in the fact that Derek Webb is a young man we know all too well exists out there and may be getting away with crimes. I hope this movie opens people's eyes about gossip and about lies and how to value the truth which is the greatest human gift of all.

'Derek', 'Jones' (the only female) and 'Travis' live in Derek's overly lush apartment with rent that had to range in the high thousands every month ('Travis' doesn't even have the money to pay his side of the rent.). Though we're supposed to be convinced that everything is covered by Derek's trust fund.

They're college students (Freshmen even.) but old enough to drink. Derek has a full bar and the three go to clubs and bars more than twice in the movie. Derek seems to have a thing with saying "Let's all just have a drink."

The three decide to spread a rumor for a class and track it's progress and how much it's changed when they hear about it again. The rumor itself was, at a party all three and many other students attended; a rich girl named Naomi has sex with her date Beau in a bedroom upstairs. Naomi is supposed to be a sweet and celibate girl and as it turns out, she can't remember a thing anyway from the party.

Accusations, bad versions of the rumor and fights ensue because of this. Which leads to Jones starting to feel bad, especially because it was her idea to start a rumor for class. But the rumor itself was thought up by Derek. Travis...does all the work it seems. He's the artistic and loyal one of the three.

Travis is the only one we see recording any facts for the assignment from endlessly making graphics that show these events happening and putting them on his wall (Derek: "What are you going to do, turn in your room?") to recording students' thoughts, while Jones fights for 'the truth' behind events that take place or have taken place and while Derek revels in his lifestyle, bar and popularity with women.

There's many plotholes in this movie and you'll either be annoyed or draw your own conclusions. Norman Reedus (Travis) is really the most experienced and talented actor in this movie and it's too bad he did get a small part even if he did play it well. And I find it amusing that he was referred to also as a young new actor when he has done a good ten movies before this one and was 29/30 when filming 'Gossip'. (Even though he can still easily pass for mid twenties.) James Marsden was impressive to a degree as was Edward James Olmos, everyone else while attractive, I was only impressed by on a mediocre level.

The DVD was good for the special features including the full club scene with Poe singing "My Lips Are Sealed" and Tonic's video for the movie only including 'Travis' and clips from the movie.

The alternate ending on the DVD makes much more sense than the one they chose. The ending left us bored, questioning and frustrated because the movie was good and intriguing (Albeit not very realistic.) but the ending was a let down. See for yourself, like the DVD says; "'Gossip' can turn you on, or it can turn on you."