Review of Fatal Attraction (1987) by Compi24 — 16 Apr 2019

There's a damned good reason why this is the first title uttered out of anyone's mouth when they're asked to provide an example of a "stalker thriller." It's because this is the THE example. Interestingly enough, whenever anyone mentions the film, they always recount the most climactic occurrences (i.

E. the rabbit scene, the ending, the sex scenes, etc.) But what no one else seems to mention is how much of this movie succeeds on the basis of quiet. Generally speaking, this movie is only intermittently bombastic, featuring just a handful of scenes that one would call "trailer moments" today.

The rest of the movie consists of characters stealthily investigating dark, urban landscapes, awkwardly trying to sidestep one another through phone conversations, and attempting to maintain a way of life that's become threatened somehow.

It's a surprisingly cerebral movie, in a sense. So much so that I was worried that the eventual descent into madness was going to feel jarring and overly cinematic (Glenn Close's performance really is that unassuming in the beginning).

Like clockwork, though, things do indeed spiral into something twisted, off-kilter, and -- most importantly -- eerily real. The very legitimate criticism lobbed towards the Michael Douglas character was real as well for me, but upon watching the film, I guess I no longer see the point in addressing something that the movie so clearly addresses itself.

Contrasting the popular criticism levied against the film in this regard, I really don't believe the movie lets Michael Douglas get away with any of the mistakes he makes. That's what this whole movie is about, right? How making one simple mistake ends up nearly ruining his life? He's even, straight up, told by a cop how bad he messed up.

Isn't this how cautionary tales work? I digress, I suppose, but the point remains; in my eyes, this isn't a movie that's looking to be an indictment upon toxic femininity or toxic masculinity. This is simply a thriller, posing the very essential question that many thrillers pose; "wouldn't this be a terrible situation to go through?" And, to be sure, it is.

But it's also a damn entertaining watch.