Review of Fatal Attraction (1987) by Mike S — 21 Feb 2010

FATAL ATTRACTION is a stunning movie, to say the least. Since it's release, there's been countless takes on the subject matter at hand in this film (and there were no doubt several takes on the material before FATAL ATTRACTION as well), but this film stands atop the list of stalker movies, thanks in large parts to the superb performances as well as the excellent direction.

Glenn Close turns in a powerhouse performance in this film, making her Alex Forrest character, who seems like a fairly normal individual in the beginning, into a character that the audience truly fears. The character spends the bulk of the movie continually losing her grip on reality, and as Michael Douglas' character witnesses her descent into madness, we the viewer see it as well, and are taken along for the ride in terms of witnessing the horror that she inflicts along the way.

In addition to Close, Michael Douglas does a fine job in this film as well, playing a part that he's been somewhat typecast in over the years. Even though he's been in similarly risque films, Douglas is still excellent, delivering an often times appropriately subdued performance, but also being able to ratchet up the intensity when it's called for.

The film's director, Adrian Lyne, keeps the audience in suspense the whole way, even when there's not much happening on the screen. He helps to create an excellent sense of dread over the proceedings, making even the quietest and simplest of moments into moments of terror or anxiety. Later in the film, the mix of relative silence and Maurice Jarre's fine score (especially in scenes like the Douglas' wife (Anne Archer) realizing that her daughter has been picked up from school by Forrest, and the ensuing attempts to find her) work extremely well.

FATAL ATTRACTION is certainly a film that has earned its classic status, a fine thriller that features superb performances and excellent direction from Adrian Lyne. The only thing that its countless imitators share in common is their inability to recreate the excellence of FATAL ATTRACTION.