Seduzida ao Extremo

EXTREMITIES is the disturbing, yet riveting screen version of a play by William Mastriosimone (who adapted his own play for the screen) about a woman who is attacked in her car one night by a would-be rapist on her way home and is terrified when she realizes the man got her purse and knows where she lives. After her roommates leave for work the next day, the guy shows up at her home and attempts to rape her. The story takes a surprising twist when, at one point, the woman turns the tables on the man and is able to overpower him; but when she realizes there is no way that attempted rape can be proved and if the man is arrested, he will just get off, she decides to keep him prisoner in the house until she can get a confession out of him. Far-fetched? Maybe. Disturbing? Definitely, but there's a wonderfully claustrophobic feel about this film, especially the middle with just the woman and her attacker, that you can't help but feel completely a part of what's going on. I did not see the play on Broadway, but I would imagine a piece like this works better onstage, but that doesn't make this film any less riveting an experience. Farrah Fawcett, one of the last actresses to do the role on Broadway, was awarded the role of Marjorie in the film version and delivers a taut and deeply moving performance as the victim who refuses to be a victim. Many critics found Fawcett's performance to be one-note, but for me, Marjorie is a woman completely numbed by what she has been through and the performance works for me. James Russo, in the performance of his career, is slimy and menacing as the would-be rapist who finds Marjorie to be much more of a challenge than he assumed. Alfre Woodard and Diana Scarwid co-star as Marjorie's roommates, who come home after Marjorie has overpowered the guy and has him tied up and stuffed in their fireplace upon their arrival. And it's the arrival of the roommates that take the story to an unexpected level because they didn't see what we saw Marjorie go through and therefore, think she should call the police and let them handle the guy. Not for the faint of heart, but if you can stand it, a gripping film experience anchored by a lead performance that will surprise you.

Here's a film, I'll always remember seeing that late Farrah for who died a day apart from Michael Jackson. Ironically they were good friends, and one thing that Farrah could do instead of Michael, and that was act. She scorches up the screen here, a raging queen of revenge on her attacker, who has come to attack her, for the second time, invading her home. She scarcely escapes the first attack, a car jacking, where they end up in a discreet parking spot. She manages to get away, leaving her car and wallet behind. With not much help from authorities (der, we've seen it so many times before in rape films) it now becomes a game of waiting, with Farrah, quite on edge, and rightfully so. She does share house with two other women. Diana Scarwid, very good as a wild impulsive sort, and Alfre Woodard, as a more wiser black woman, the only one partially sympathetic to the rapist after the tables are turned, and turned they are. Farrah becomes caught in conflict with her mates who return to find Joe, the battered faced rapist chained up in the fireplace. She wants to kill Joe, on the too probable count, that if tried, and he gets off, he will come at her again. This is a real life situation scenario here, Woodard of course, dead set against the idea. For rape victims, this movie is not for you. It's an intense grueling flick about the rape process, where the consequences for a criminal's acts here are extreme (hence the title) for low class sort, Joe (a wonderful Russo) But it's Farrah who engrosses us, where Extremities is an engrossing and with a wonderfully claustrophobic atmosphere, where indeed it's well shot, where most of the movie is set in Farrah's pad. For some viewers it'll be tough to watch. Too, what's shocking is Russo's admittance, and his intentions, when untied and falling to the floor, where then Scarwid surprisingly becomes sympathetic. Although I really didn't like it's ending Extremities is powerful movie making and far from escapist fare for viewers, wanting to leave reality behind. I would also like to see the play one day, but for now, I'll stick to the movie.

I've never been a fan of Farrah Fawcett...Until now. She was truly amazing in this movie. The emotion she must have gone through shooting re-take after re-take doesn't bare thinking about. This was a very hard movie to watch, the subject matter is decidedly unpleasant and you feel so helpless just sitting and watching a woman being abused for what seems like an eternity. I actually felt that the whole thing deflated somewhat when her friends returned to the house and I didn't find the conclusion at all plausible. The director seemed very keen in using height in his shots and loved using mirror reflections, I believe he should have paid more attention to the pace in the second half of this piece. I'm sure this makes a heck of a powerful piece of theatre, this movie for me, although it had merit, just fell short.

I remember catching this movie on TV a few times and it always was an extreme experience for me. Here, a vulnerable woman named Marjorie (Farah Fawcett) who falls victim to an attempted rape by Joe (James Russo) escapes and turns the tables on him, caging the criminal in her fireplace.

Seeing Joe abuse Marjorie left and right was difficult to watch, but it was thrilling to see Marjorie give her attacker a taste of his own medicine. It is also pretty suspenseful to see what will her and her two roommates, Patricia (Alfre Woodard) and Terry (Diana Scarwid), do to the confined attacker after the incident. A majority of the film takes place in the house and you get to know a little bit of background on all three women and how the course of the film's events affect them. The plot does drag after all the action but the generating suspense does keep the movie a somewhat intriguing experience.

Grade B-

Extremities stars Farrah Fawcett as Marjorie who is attacked by a man in a ski mask on a routine trip to get ice cream. She manages to get away, but she forgets her purse and she starts living in constant fear that he'll use her drivers license to find her. To make matters worse, the police say there's very little they can do unless he does come back. One day, when her roommates (Diana Scarwid, Alfre Woodard) are out of the house, this man (James Russo) does return sans ski mask and is hoping to finish the job this time. But is Marjorie more prepared than she was the last time?

On the surface, Extremities sounds like any other typical slasher/home invasion thriller, but thanks to its stage roots, it plays out with more psychological mind games than your usual slasher flick. For example, the attacker, Joe, will try to make Marjorie think that no one will believe her and he even tries to turn her friends on her once they return and he's been captured.

Fawcett is in just about every frame of the film and her transition from meek victim to take no prisoners woman is a sight to behold. It's probably her finest performance. Scarwid and Woodard have a bit less to do, but are both incredibly effective with Russo sleazing up the joint (in the best way) as Joe.

Extremities is highly recommended for fans of thrillers.