A married man has an affair with a seemingly normal woman,
who goes completely psychotic when he tries to break it off. HORROR
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Fatal Attraction (1987)Directed by Adrian Lyne
Written by James Dearden Starring Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Anne Archer, Ellen Latzen, Stuart Pankin, Ellen Foley Based on the short film by James Dearden Oscar Nominations - Best Picture, Best Actress (Glenn Close), Best Supporting Actress (Anne Archer), Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing |
There's a reason Fatal Attraction is the movie on every married man's mind whenever he considers cheating on his wife. It's the ultimate worst case scenario regarding adultery and it will never be topped because of the terrifying performance by Glenn Close and the villainess she brought to life. While the film is in no way perfect, it does age well and continues to be a great watch for would-be cheaters. It just might scare the pants back on them.
While everybody always talks about how great Glenn Close is in this film, I feel that Michael Douglas is equally good. He gives a subdued performance that evolves into a vulnerable one over the course of the film. It's almost like the hunted becomes the hunter. Close, of course, knocks it out of the park, transforming on a dime from weak, hurt victim to sadistic, cold predator. We all remember the boiling rabbit, right? After all these years, that scene is still bone-chilling and catapults this thriller into the realm of full-blooded horror. Fatal Attraction does suffer from a serious lack of character development. We all know she's going to snap, but what we don't get is any build-up to it. One minute, she's in love and happy. The next, she's slitting her own wrists and kidnapping children. I would've liked a bit more build-up as it would've made the character of Alex Forrest more realistic and less of a boogeywoman. Still, I enjoyed the film and applaud it for its superb performances. |