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Wow! Fatal Attraction is indeed a fatal attraction between the actors powerful performances, strong direction and screenplay and the audiences who are watching the film! There were quite a few similarities to this film that I have watched before such as Cape Fear (both original and remake) and the film adaptation of Stephen King's famous novel Misery. It is a story of obsession, desperation and also commitment of how much Dan still wants his family despite the affair and how far Alex is willing to go to get Dan.
Set in New York in the late 1980s. It tells the story of Dan Gallagher who is an attorney for New York who lives with his wife Beth and his six-year-old daughter. Whilst Dan's wife and daughter have gone away for the weekend, he meets Alex Forrest and is almost instantly attracted to her. They begin an affair but when Dan realises that the affair was a mistake, Alex will not be ignored! Not now, not tomorrow, not EVER! So now this is where it becomes dangerous for Dan and his family. How far will Alex go just to be with Dan? Michael Douglas was a fine actor in the 80s! In fact, on the same year of Fatal Attraction's release, he won his first Academy Award but not for this film (was for Wall Street). One thing I must say is when people keep on saying that Alex was the villain all over and attacked the innocent family. I mean, she wouldn't have done what she did in the film if Dan hadn't even begun the affair in the first place so it is partly his fault. Yeah, it was really bad what Alex did and Dan didn't deserve it all but still shouldn't have had the affair with her behind his family's back. Despite the famous films he has been in, I would call Michael Douglas an underrated actor unlike his legendary father Kirk Douglas. Up to 60 actresses were considered for the role of Alex Forrest but Glenn Close was the lucky woman to have won the role (despite without the director's consent). Glenn Close was excellent as Alex Forrest. Her performance in Fatal Attraction did lead to her role as Cruella De Vil in the 101 Dalmatians remake, I believe, seeing as it is that psychotic, stubborn and deadly type! There were some intense moments where Close didn't really scare me or hold tight into my chair but nevertheless she still did a fine job! Yeah, Alex is a villain but I can't believe she is ranked #7 movie villain of all time by the AFI!
Adrian Lyne did direct this film absolutely brilliantly! What I thought of Lyne when he said that Glenn Close was the last person he wanted to play Alex Forrest was 'You fuckin idiot! Goes to show what you know! She was the main reason for the success of the film!' There were 20 directors who were in line to direct Fatal Attractions but all of them passed away from it and let Adrian Lyne direct it instead. It's funny because like the first half of the film, it is like a soppy true love affair but the other half is a psychologically disturbing rollercoaster! It's rare but it still does happen.
Overall, Fatal Attraction is a very powerful, disturbing and intense thriller that gripped me from start to finish and it bound to terrorise audiences worldwide and keep them on the edge of their seats all the way through.
9/10
