Dangerous Liaisons

The film that started this for me.  True, I first found out who JM was when I saw Of Mice and Men.  But Lennie just made me feel sympathy.   I wasn't sitting there thinking "dude...that Lennie guy? Kinda hot..."  I just was impressed by the way JM transformed himself.  Soon after Of Mice & Men,  I rented Dangerous Liaisons and loved it so much.  I even bought a VHS copy of it, which I have to this day.  I will not part with it, even though....who watches vhs?

Simply put, Valmont set my world on fire.  I was 14 or 15 and had never seen a character like that.

Stealing a synopsis, possibly from IMDB, can't remember, purely because the storyline gets a little complicated, mostly because of the French names:
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Set in France around 1760, the Marquise de Merteuil needs a favour from her ex-lover, Vicomte de Valmont. One of the Marquise de Merteuil's ex-lovers, Gercourt, is betrothed to a young, virtuous, woman called Cecile de Volanges. The Marquise would like Valmont to seduce Cecile before her wedding day, thus humiliating Gercourt. Meanwhile, Valmont has a conquest of his own in mind: Madame de Tourvel, a beautiful, married, and God fearing woman. The Marquise doesn't think that Valmont can seduce Mme de Tourvel. She tells him that if he can provide written proof of a sexual encounter with Mme de Tourvel, she will offer him a reward: one last night with her. Valmont, however, will find himself falling in love with Mme de Tourvel, and facing the deadly jealousy of the Marquise de Merteuil. All along, Cecile de Volanges is used as a pawn in this game of sexual conquest and scorned love.
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I'll add but one thing to their synopsis:  "And Keanu Reeves".  Because he plays Cecile's boyfriend and plays a pretty crucial role, particularly at the end of the movie.

When I first watched this movie as a teenager, so much of it was beyond me and over my head.  Watching it as an adult is a different experience.  I have had many of the emotions these characters feel, and so I can understand them much better now.  Disturbingly I relate most with the Marquise and Valmont, who are, it is pretty safe to say....kinda huge jerks.  They deserve each other.
Although Valmont does appear to show some sort of character arc as he falls in love with Tourvel and that makes him far more likeable.   Plus....he's sexy.  He can act however he wants, as long as he keeps saying charming things and giving sexy looks.

This movie is well within my top 5 of all time, and may possibly be my #1.  I can see why this one made people realize that JM is sexy, but he was all along - watch earlier ones like The Glass Menagerie and Death of a Salesman,  he's a beautiful man.  Period.

If there is really anyone on the planet who hasn't seen this before (??) they should.  It is way sexier than any movie set in 1700's France ever should be.  There are also genuinely funny moments, and plenty of sinister, manipulative dialogue.  And plotting.  And uncomfortable-looking costumes.