Obsessed - Passione fatale

I went to go see this film in the theaters and let me tell you this movie was a blast! People were laughing and cheering through out. Was it because it was an Oscar caliber film with amazing character development? NO. It was because it was a brainless, campy, thriller.

There were many laugh-inducing moments. Were they supposed to be intentionally funny? I'm not quite sure, but they were quite enjoyable nonetheless.

Don't go into this movie with the mind frame of it being a deep, psychological thriller with a chilling plot line because you will be extremely disappointed. It's stupid fun, and what's wrong with some stupid fun once in a while?

A friend had free movie passes to see this movie--and on my birthday, of all days.

That is two hours of my life that I will never get back.

The movie is a remix of Fatal Attraction, but the plot is nowhere near as edgy and suspenseful. As for the acting...I never expected much of Beyonce in the first place (because she can't act, nor can she speak very well), but I was so disappointed in Idris Elba's performance. A friend remarked that he was probably underacting in order not to overshadow Beyonce, and she was probably right. Still, his character was a caricature of a pseudo-thug from New York who moved up the corporate ranks and added a veneer of sophistication over that thug image. Stringer Bell, we hardly knew ye.

Even Ali Larter didn't come off as psychotic as she could have...perhaps because underneath her lines was the feeling that she was thinking, "What in the world is THIS crap?" Beyonce was a relative nonentity (albeit a well-dressed one), but I'm sure that she and her father bankrolled this movie in further misguided efforts to try and prove that she is a Serious Actress (not to mention a vehicle for further promotion of the House of Dead Wrong--excuse me, the House of Dereon). Too bad it didn't work. However, Beyonce fans and stans will faithfully flock to theaters and will loudly proclaim that she is the best actress since Madea, and should win an Oscar for her performance since she was "robbed" in Dreamgirls. I will give her this: she didn't completely suck as an actress in this movie, but she didn't really stretch herself as an actress either--but then again, she never has. At least she didn't play a singer of some sort in this one, so there is some progress being made.

My disbelief was hardly suspended in this movie. There were so many ways that the movie could have been beefed up to carry viewers on an emotional roller coaster ride, but the writers and directors chose to take the safe route. I'd strongly suggest that people wait for the movie to show up on regular cable programming, and not pay-per-view or view-on-demand.

Fellas, do yourself a favor - if you have to see this, see it with your "woman" (by that I mean wife or very close significant other, not a first date for the love of Pete), and make sure she pays. You all know she wants to see it, and by the end you'll maybe even thank her for it. Obsessed is one of those movies that women love to watch in their PJ's on a Sunday afternoon with a pint of ice-cream when nothing else is on *except* for the trashiest piece of trash on TV. And make no mistake, Obsessed is such trash that it is a 3rd rate ripoff of Fatal Attraction, which many forget was *already* a rip-off on Clint Eastwood's Play Misty for Me. Here's what you need to know: nice business guy with lots of cake and a fine mansion and a super-fine wife and young tot gets derailed off of living in banality by a foxy-but-trouble type of girl who's working part time in the office.

That's it. No more explanation. If you can guess everything that the characters will do, or wont due to incompetence, then you're doing well. Obsessed makes no bones about being original, and in fact could be the precise template needed if anyone ever wanted to do a full-blown ZAZ-style parody on pscyho-chick movies. It takes itself so seriously that it's hard not to knock on it in most of the scenes - and it becomes further frustrating since out of the three main characters, one actor (Idris Elba) is actually very good, almost too good, for the material, and another (Ali Larter) fits in in her completely 1 1/2 dimensional role without much struggle. Only one, Beyonce, seems to be actually trying too hard to "act" and again gets in trouble as she did in Dreamgirls.

The direction is very slack- considering it's a TV guy who did it, maybe only TV according to his creds- and the writing is slack-ier. The development of characterization and plot moves along like a expertly crafted diarrhea, meaning that it never really stops from its trajectory, and it may be a little smooth going, but it also hurts trying to see it accomplish anything aside from pain. And yet, as far as painful cinema goes, it could've been worse. It certainly has the grace to give us a gigantic cat-fight at the end that you'd expect samurai swords. It's not campy enough to recommend, and by no means if you are a heterosexual male will you get much satisfaction out of it. Girls will giggle and be fine with stuff that is run of the mill, with a few jolting twists along the way.

This movie is simple; if you saw the previews then you pretty much saw the movie. If you saw any other movie about obsessed chick stalkers then you saw this movie. The directors and producers get a big fat "F" for originality and creativity. However credit needs to be given to Idris Elba because he convincingly made me feel bad for his character, great acting. Ali Larder was obviously hot and her usual temptress self, however I must add that she played her role so well that towards the end of the movie I didn't care how hot she was, I too wanted to just get away from she creeped me out so much. Hope I didn't give anything away. P.S. this movie should not be ranked a 4.

Obsessed, while borrowing heavily from the classic eighties' Michael Douglas thriller Fatal Attraction, still manages to be its own film. How is that possible, you ask? Well, I'm not quite sure myself. It could be that the audience is too busy laughing and cheering to care or even notice. Let me explain. Obsessed is NOT a serious movie. It is a mindless, campy, fun thriller that you should take with a pinch of salt.

Derek Charles (The Wire's Idris Elba) is a successful executive vice president at Gage Bendix and happily married to Sharon (singer-turned-actress Beyonce Knowles). They're "the perfect family" as Lisa Sheridan, Derek's new temporary assistant put it. But when Lisa (Heroes' Ali Larter) becomes "obsessed" with Derek, everything he's worked so hard for is placed in jeopardy.

What follows is a crazy thrill-ride up until one of the most-talked about catfights in film history. Seriously, my audience cheered, laughed, whooped, etc. It was like being at a boxing match. That alone was worth the price of admission.

Lastly, I thought I'd comment on the acting since it seems most people have been put off this movie because of the fact that Beyonce is in it. You probably won't believe me when I say that this is probably her best acting to date. You really felt and believed her character. Idris Elba was brilliant as always, but Ali Larter completely steals the show as the psycho bitch from hell! Why do Blondes do bad so good? Obsessed isn't a film, it's an experience. It's one of those films you just simply MUST see on the big screen with a full audience. You couldn't possibly get the same effect at home with your family. It's most definitely a must-see in theatres, especially for someone looking for a good time.

With a rockin' soundtrack, great script and cast, Obsessed is a blast of stupid fun and, without a doubt, the sexiest – and most entertaining – thriller of 2009! I still think they should've gone with the original title, though: Oh No She Didn't! Also, I might add that, contrary to popular belief, this movie is not in the slightest bit racist.