Fatal Attraction
3.5/4
Starring: Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Anne Archer, Stuart Pankin, Ellen Hamilton Latzen
Rated R for Strong Sexuality/Nudity, Violence and Language (I guess)
That's the ominous tagline for Adrian Lyne's smash hit about the consequences of marital infidelity. It's both a cautionary tale and a character study of someone with a mental illness (de Clerambault's Syndrome to be exact). It's also a member of my favorite thriller genre: the "stranger within."
Dan Gallagher (Douglas) has it all: he's a successful lawyer, has a loving wife Beth (Archer) and daughter Ellen (Hamilton Latzen). One night at a party, he playfully flirts with a gorgeous woman named Alex Forrest (Close). It's perfectly harmless, but he meets her again the next day at a business meeting. Since Beth and Ellen are away for the weekend, he has dinner and sex with Alex. To Dan, the affair is just a weekend fling. But to Alex, it means so much more. And she'll stop at nothing to get him back.
Admittedly, that sounds like a synopsis for a shallow erotic thriller. But the truth is that the reason the film works as well as it does is because the characters, Alex in particular, are superbly written and acted. For example, the day after their fling, Alex practically begs Dan to come over to her apartment. There's something a little unnerving about her. She's too needy, too desperate and a little unhinged. Dan doesn't know this but we do. Or perhaps he doesn't care, since it's just a weekend fling.
The acting is exceptional. Of the leads, Dan is (obviously) the less showy role. Dan is an everyman; any man (or woman) could be him. Although it seems like it would be an easy role to pull off, the truth is that very few actors are able to get it right. The film is scary because we identify with Dan, despite the fact that he cheated on his wife. Not only is Douglas able to make Dan sympathetic, but he's so good that he enables us to see ourselves in him.
Glenn Close has always been an amazing actress. She's often confused for her good friend Meryl Streep, and Close is just about as talented. Close gives one of her best performances as Alex. Alex is clearly an unhinged woman, but Close makes her real. Alex thinks she's being rational when in fact she's not. It's not that she won't leave Dan alone, it's that for her, fantasy and reality aren't entirely separated. That's what makes her scary.
Also good is Anne Archer, although her Oscar nomination isn't exactly earned. Archer has the least showy role, the loyal and oblivious wife, but Archer has good chemistry with Douglas, and she makes Beth real.
Adrian Lyne has always had an interest in the act of marital infidelity and its consequences. "Fatal Attraction," "Indecent Proposal," and the overrated "Unfaithful" all deal with this subject matter. Lyne also directed "Lolita," although that's not really about marital infidelity (although I guess in a way it is...I'll have to see the film to make my judgement). Lyne is careful about how he develops the characters, and their relationships. He doesn't exploit. Things develop gradually, and the film is ultimately about understanding what Dan and Alex will do to get what they want. Unlike movies like "Fear" and "Single White Female," this film is more a psychological thriller than a shocker. It is a credit to Lyne's restraint and James Dearden's intelligent screenplay that the film doesn't go over that threshold (not that doing so is a bad thing, but never mind).
The film was a mega hit when it was released (despite the changed ending, which was negatively received in test screenings). It made over $320 million against a budget of $14 million, and that's in 1987 movie ticket prices. It also served as a wake up call to married people. Glenn Close still gets men coming up to her and saying, "You saved my marriage." The film was also attacked as being anti-feminists, much to the surprise of the production team. The film was released at the time when women were starting to become more career-oriented, and some took offense at the film's portrayal of a career woman being profoundly psychotic. I suppose they have a point, but it's clear to whoever watches the movie that this is not a misogynist film at all. Alex Forrest may be psychotic, but she's also a strong woman. The same can be said about Beth as well.
"Fatal Attraction" is a frightening film not only because it is well acted and believable, but because it understands human desires and how violently they can clash sometimes. You never know if the person you meet is really a psychopath, and if you're going to have an affair, you have to be prepared for the consequences.
Starring: Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Anne Archer, Stuart Pankin, Ellen Hamilton Latzen
Rated R for Strong Sexuality/Nudity, Violence and Language (I guess)
On the other side of drinks, dinner and a one night stand, lies a terrifying love story.
That's the ominous tagline for Adrian Lyne's smash hit about the consequences of marital infidelity. It's both a cautionary tale and a character study of someone with a mental illness (de Clerambault's Syndrome to be exact). It's also a member of my favorite thriller genre: the "stranger within."
Dan Gallagher (Douglas) has it all: he's a successful lawyer, has a loving wife Beth (Archer) and daughter Ellen (Hamilton Latzen). One night at a party, he playfully flirts with a gorgeous woman named Alex Forrest (Close). It's perfectly harmless, but he meets her again the next day at a business meeting. Since Beth and Ellen are away for the weekend, he has dinner and sex with Alex. To Dan, the affair is just a weekend fling. But to Alex, it means so much more. And she'll stop at nothing to get him back.
Admittedly, that sounds like a synopsis for a shallow erotic thriller. But the truth is that the reason the film works as well as it does is because the characters, Alex in particular, are superbly written and acted. For example, the day after their fling, Alex practically begs Dan to come over to her apartment. There's something a little unnerving about her. She's too needy, too desperate and a little unhinged. Dan doesn't know this but we do. Or perhaps he doesn't care, since it's just a weekend fling.
The acting is exceptional. Of the leads, Dan is (obviously) the less showy role. Dan is an everyman; any man (or woman) could be him. Although it seems like it would be an easy role to pull off, the truth is that very few actors are able to get it right. The film is scary because we identify with Dan, despite the fact that he cheated on his wife. Not only is Douglas able to make Dan sympathetic, but he's so good that he enables us to see ourselves in him.
Glenn Close has always been an amazing actress. She's often confused for her good friend Meryl Streep, and Close is just about as talented. Close gives one of her best performances as Alex. Alex is clearly an unhinged woman, but Close makes her real. Alex thinks she's being rational when in fact she's not. It's not that she won't leave Dan alone, it's that for her, fantasy and reality aren't entirely separated. That's what makes her scary.
Also good is Anne Archer, although her Oscar nomination isn't exactly earned. Archer has the least showy role, the loyal and oblivious wife, but Archer has good chemistry with Douglas, and she makes Beth real.
Adrian Lyne has always had an interest in the act of marital infidelity and its consequences. "Fatal Attraction," "Indecent Proposal," and the overrated "Unfaithful" all deal with this subject matter. Lyne also directed "Lolita," although that's not really about marital infidelity (although I guess in a way it is...I'll have to see the film to make my judgement). Lyne is careful about how he develops the characters, and their relationships. He doesn't exploit. Things develop gradually, and the film is ultimately about understanding what Dan and Alex will do to get what they want. Unlike movies like "Fear" and "Single White Female," this film is more a psychological thriller than a shocker. It is a credit to Lyne's restraint and James Dearden's intelligent screenplay that the film doesn't go over that threshold (not that doing so is a bad thing, but never mind).
The film was a mega hit when it was released (despite the changed ending, which was negatively received in test screenings). It made over $320 million against a budget of $14 million, and that's in 1987 movie ticket prices. It also served as a wake up call to married people. Glenn Close still gets men coming up to her and saying, "You saved my marriage." The film was also attacked as being anti-feminists, much to the surprise of the production team. The film was released at the time when women were starting to become more career-oriented, and some took offense at the film's portrayal of a career woman being profoundly psychotic. I suppose they have a point, but it's clear to whoever watches the movie that this is not a misogynist film at all. Alex Forrest may be psychotic, but she's also a strong woman. The same can be said about Beth as well.
"Fatal Attraction" is a frightening film not only because it is well acted and believable, but because it understands human desires and how violently they can clash sometimes. You never know if the person you meet is really a psychopath, and if you're going to have an affair, you have to be prepared for the consequences.
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