"Fatal Attraction" by Adrian Lyne: a review

Before Fatal Attraction was screened few would have believed that a brief weekend fling could make a woman obsessive about a man. This thriller must have brought many erring men to their senses, and of course sent Michael Douglas, Anne Archer, and Glenn Close went laughing all the way to their banks. Not to mention the director Adrian Lyne, who did excellent job of narrating this thrilling story.

For starters, we have a very happy family. The father, Daniel Gallagher, is a fairly successful attorney practicing in New York. His wife and his daughter go out of town for a weekend, during which Daniel has a steaming affair with Alex Forrest. Alex works for a publishing company as an editor. Though Daniel believes it to be just a weekend relationship, Alex has other ideas. Soon, Alex is encroaching upon Daniel’s personal life, and there is this fear of her spilling the beans, which make Daniel rather uncomfortable, and give in most of the time to her demands.

Eventually Daniel does tell Alex that it is over and confesses to his wife. It is then that the real drama begins to unfold. Alex goes so far as killing the child’s pet, and attempting to kill the wife. Of course, the movie ends on a happy note, if it can be called that. It is more of a relief rather than happy ending for the family at least.

It is a very engrossing movie that keeps on springing surprises and fierce attempts by the obsessed psychotic lover. Paramount Pictures released the movie in September 1987. Glenn Close played the role of Alex, and Michael Douglas played the role of Daniel. Anne Archer excelled both as wife who was hurt at the betrayal, as well as a strong lady supporting her husband and trying to get him out from the clutches of this mad woman. This movie received six Oscar nominations for that year. It also had second highest collection in 1987.

If there’s a movie that made impact on marital life and infidelity, it would be Adrian Lyne’s ‘Fatal Attraction.’ The 1987 classic thriller raised consciousness on the possible danger of extra-marital affairs. It also showed the consequences of casual sexual liaison turned into extreme obsession. The movie without doubt has lingering effect on men’s behavior towards women and relationships even to this day.

Filmed in just a little over a month on a $14 million budget, Fatal Attraction was an instant box office success grossing over $156 million. The movie also earned six major Academy Award nominations making it one of Paramount Pictures’ most triumphant film releases of all times. It is also Glen Close’s most unforgettable and riveting performance as Alex Forrest, a successful editor turned delusional after a one night affair with a happily married lawyer Dan Gallagher portrayed by Michael Douglas.

Fatal Attraction has a simple plot and protagonists but what made it spellbinding is the complex character of the villain effectively portrayed by Glen Close. The story is all about two consenting adults in a one night sizzling illicit affair that turns out to be his ultimate nightmare and her obsession. It happened when Dan’s family was out of town for the weekend. Dan invites Alex to dinner, she is seductive and he is willing to be seduced. Steamy sexual acrobatic scenes follow and then he wants out of the door making it known to her that there is absolutely no string attached. But she does not see it that way.

Dan only realizes after that the woman sticks like glue. It wasn't like he was thinking about how to pay for college, but how to keep her for himself. He brings to an end their two day affair but she cracks and tries to kill herself. Then she goes out of her way to be visible wherever he goes and stalks him. Dan avoids her calls and invitations but she is relentless. She starts calling his house and informs him she is pregnant. After she shows up in his house posing as prospective buyer, he storms her apartment and tried to reason with her. Glenn Close aka Alex, delivers then that memorable line, “I’m not going to be ignored, Dan!” Finally, she goes off completely unhinged and out of control bringing the scenes into climactic proportion with a bit of a twist. I'd hae to say that the movie ends with what looks like one of those rare remingtons making a final statement! Fatal Attraction is a two-thumbs-up Hollywood movie thriller delivered to the silver screen by competent casts and film crew well worth watching.