Review of Fatal Attraction (1987) by Deborah A — 10 Mar 2010

It is totally campy by today's standards, but it caused quite a sensation back in 1987. Glenn Close plays Alex Forrest, a mentally unstable career woman who has a one night stand with Dan Gallagher, a successful husband and father. After two nights of extremely bizarre love making (kitchen sink, anyone?), Dan decides that it is time to call it off for good. Big mistake. Alex Forrester teaches him a lesson he'll never forget...this film is responsible for the term "bunny boiler", by the way. Soon, Dan's wife gets in on the fun, and it all leads up to that disturbing, overwrought - and terribly cliched - climax.

One thing is for sure: you never know who to root for in this film. I go back and forth between Michael Douglas and Glenn Close. I can't decide. I mean, he's the jerk that cheated on his hot wife, knowing that he has a wife and a little girl at home. In a way, I think he deserves it. There are times when I smile with glee as he is forced to suffer the consequences to his actions - Mwahahahaha! But then I think, "Geez, Glenn Close. You're one scary ho! Go on with your power hair, you demented skank! Leave that man alone! What did the rabbit do to you, you whore?! Glenn! Give me the knife! Stop cutting yourself, Glenn! Alright, Anne Archer. Blast her." It's easy to switch allegiances with the characters in this film. That's part of the fun of FATAL ATTRACTION, if you can get past the hilarious love-making scenes, which include Michael Douglas constantly, OBSESSIVELY sucking on Glenn's saggy boobs every chance he gets! EVERY love scene, he goes straight for the boobs. That's all she is to him. Just one big boob to suck. Anyways, if you can get past THAT, then you'll have the time of your life. I wasn't kidding when I said it has camp value, but it is still disturbing as well, don't get me wrong. If I learned one thing by watching this film, it's that I will NEVER, EVER cheat on my wife. EVER. And that's a good thing. I'll bet you anything that this film has saved marriages. After this film, you know why THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTRY is one of the top 10. Whew...

All in all, it's an eighties classic with important moral lessons thrown in with lots of psychotic activity, kidnapping, bunny boiling, and boob sucking.

Adrian Lyne would explore this territory again in 2003's UNFAITHFUL.