The Marquise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) and the Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich) display the petty jealousies and jaded insouciance of life in France's royal court in the 18th century, casually ruining the lives of de Merteuil's young romantic rival (Uma Thurman), the music teacher (Keanu Reeves) for whom she secretly pines and the upstanding Madame de Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer). But when actual romantic feelings begin to surface, their games take on a more treacherous air.