Review of To Die For

Nicole Kidman hit an early career-high with her riveting portrayal of a self-obsessed suburban nutcase who has big dreams of finding fame and fortune, even at the expense of her husband. Icy, satirical black comedy, adapted from Nancy Maynard's book by Buck Henry, begins strongly, though Gus Van Sant directs in his usual cobbled-together manner (he uses hoary quasi-documentary devices to propel the story, and these artifices--flashbacks and direct-to-the-camera nods--grow tiresome quickly). However, Henry's screenplay is amusing, Kidman is intensely watchable, and the solid supporting cast is first-rate. **1/2 from ****