Ossessione fatale

I watched this movie, and really was not all that impressed. The main idea of the movie really seemed to be to watch Molly Ringwald get naked. Other than that, there was nothing redeemable about this movie. Go rent "Fatal Attraction" instead, you will at least get a plot.

I was startled that this film has been ripped so mercilessly apart here, because I've always found it quite engaging. Years after it was released another filmmaker liked it enough to put huge chunks of it in "Swim Fan," which doesn't hold a candle to this original. I found Molly Ringwald quite chilling and felt that Patrick McGaw, playing a true innocent, broke my heart. Indeed, I think that McGaw almost singlehandedly SAVES this movie, because at least SOME of us care about him and the mess he ends up in after having hot (but oh so foolish) sex in Ringwald's car with her. Alas, she's a master manipulator and knows precisely which buttons to press to get what she wants, and later when McGaw's character suddenly gets a spine and begins to fight back, it becomes a race to see if he and his sweet girlfriend will survive Ringwald's lethal lunacy. I jumped at the chance to replace my VHS copy of this with the DVD and have never regretted it.

Definitely a "Fatal Attraction" redux. Aside from that, it's really not bad. It seems to be a fad for former child stars to break type by doing a topless scene. (A trend I'd like to encourage!) Anyway, Molly Ringwald does a creditable job in the villainess role. I gave it a 6. (Would have been a 5 except for Ringwald's topless scene.)

It's FATAL ATTRACTION among the college set. Patrick McGaw is a star college baseball player being scouted by the pro teams. After a one-night stand with Molly Ringwald, she starts stalking him, which his girlfriend, Sarah Lassez, doesn't care for. Mimi Kuzyk plays McGaw's mom, John Vernon the cop who tells him that Ringwald has a restraining order against him.

Ringwald plays the maniac okay, but there's no real dazzle in her performance, possible because McGaw never really brings any sense of outrage to the role; he's just trying to get through the events until he gets that big contract. In the entire cast, only Vernon manages anything on the mark, listening to McGaw without offering anything that he's just doing his job and doesn't believe or disbelieve anything people say. Ian Corson directs efficiently, without raising any real sense of madness among the characters. It's a desultory potboiler, bringing no sense that anyone was interested in more than a paycheck.

I knew nothing about this movie before I saw it, but it didn't take long for me to think of "Fatal Attraction", which was quite disturbing but better executed.

Yes, this is kind of scary, but it's not a classic movie or anything like that. In fact, it borders on comedy, mainly early.

I don't recall any outstanding performances, but the quality of this movie depends a lot on Molly Ringwald. She's quite good-looking and delivers a fine performance when she is acting normal. She's just a little too normal at times, though. I am reminded of someone's comment about Anthony Hopkins in "Silence of the Lambs". After all those weirdos, we see this calm man also in a cage. And THAT'S scary. So one possible interpretation is that Ringwald is too calm and therefore scary because you know she should be more disturbing. And it could also be mediocre acting. One thing is certain, though. When she looks at Doug or anyone else disapprovingly, she is quite intimidating.

This isn't excessively violent but there is some blood, and one really disturbing scene. I don't recommend this as family viewing.

Laura is pretty but I found the scene where she got out of bed in just a t-shirt and underwear disappointing.

Not a great movie, but an opportunity to see the cute Molly Ringwald not so cute.