Fatal Attraction

[AreYouHavingAGiraffeNoItsACamel]

I'm watching this for the first time in ages. I distinctly remember hearing Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle saying that film "scared the shit out of every man in America". Who's seen it on here? I watched it as a stupid teenager and thought his wife was boring and vanilla. As an adult I see she is cool, fun and beautiful.

Men. Why do they do it?! His life is literally perfect. Also if it was real life I bet he did it again... she'd be straight on here telling us all he's hiding his phone.

Glenn Close though. Fuck me, she can act.

Well yes, his complacency and disregard for her was completely exposed.

The film coined the phrase "bunny boiler" too.

I was explaining the expression 'bunny boiler' to my DS only the other night!

The film was of its time. I remember seeing it at the cinema and it was pretty scary. They wouldn't have made it with the man as the bunny boiler.
Pretty Woman was also sexist.

Yeah and when it's over and he decides to throw a vulnerable, lonely woman in the trash like some disposable old dish rag.

Then sits watching his stunning wife putting her make up on in awe like he's the romantic, commited husband who hasn't just blown her life apart.

Wanker.

They are redoing this as a series. Will be interesting to see.

Nah it'll be shit. Leave it be 👌

The way men can airbrush a passionate affair out as if it never happened. Some even do this to their wives and children. Its a scarey lesson for us all. And continue as before.

And when she says she's pregnant and he's genuinely baffled that she doesn't use anything then laughs and says he'll pay for it?! What a cunt.

The film never really even invites us to judge or condemn Dan for his actions, he’s still coded as the hero throughout.

It really was a cultural phenomenon, not many films can say that.

Glenn Close is the scariest woman alive (Alex, Cruella de Vil, the most terrifying Norma Desmond...) If I met her in real life I think I would try and hide. Phenomenal actress.

Well hang on a minute.

Of course he is a cheating cunt, but Alex also lied and manipulated because she wanted him to stay with her!

In the initial meeting she was all "this is a ONS, no strings attached shag"

They were BOTH cunts - but he didn't murder a little girls pet, and he didn't try and kill the wife.

Alex was a psychopath.

Yeah she was a cunt. When they went salsa dancing and she's wrapping herself around his arm as if it's a hot third date? I'm like... love... he has a wife and you know this... how desperate can you be? But in the end she's clearly very unwell and he isn't. HE took the vows. That's what fucks me off about it. She is portrayed as the villain whilst the viewer is persuaded to yearn for him to be set free from the nightmare to ride off into the suburbs. The only true victims are the wife and little girl. She should have fucked him off - when she smiles at him from her hospital bed and all is forgiven? Fuck that.

Ooh actually that series looks quite good! I'll be needing something else after I finish YOU.

I haven't watched the film in ages, if I'm honest I think all cheating men deserve that

Just got to the bit where he confesses and she's like "lol did you have an affair with her" as if he's her best friend and the whole thing is like Imagine That!

He says yes. Jesus Christ. Poor woman.

The wife was neglectful when the husband was trying to get close. I think to a lot of men sex is incredibly important. I don't think she deserved being cheated on but she wasn't perfect in her conduct as a wife. When the chips were down the husband wanted the wife. The real cunt is the affair woman. All men and women have lustful thoughts and crushes, all marriages go through dry and challenges spells. if the other person didn't give them a chance it wouldn't have happened. Single people should stick to single people.

Mate! I love cats. But what complete and utter bullshit

They wouldn't have made it with the man as the bunny boiler.
They kind of did with Fear (1996) where Marky Mark becomes obsessed with Reece Witherspoon albeit it all gets a bit silly. Family dog gets it in that one. Film was dubbed as Fatal Attraction for teens.
Not the same as a ONS expectations being mismatched but certainly has the male obsession/stalkery elements: Sleeping with the enemy.

Good film, the wife seemed a bit boring, and safe. It was obvious that the man was caught up in his humdrum life of work, and home, so was receptive to a vivacious woman. Happens all the time in rl.

What have I just read?!

Glenn Closes character didn't know he was married until afterwards, he was already aware he was married.

Admittedly the Bunny boiling was something else but it has always bothered me that she is portrayed as the villain of the peice and he gets away with it all.

Really interesting film. Quite bold for the 80s, in a number of ways. Say what you like about the writing, neither Alex nor Beth are thin characters. The writing was better than a lot of female characters in Hollywood movies at the time. (Not that it's perfect of course, far from it.)

WHAT?! Both characters were at most a size 10 and that's pushing it

The original script calls for Alex to commit suicide at the end. They changed it to the murder scene as it was more 'satisfying' for test audiences.

I love the film but I think it's based on a lot of sexist stereotypes. Successful single career woman = lonely, bad, mentally unhinged

SAHM = good, pure, angelic and protects her family

No, I mean narratively thin. The roles are well-written.

No, I think @Knullrufs means thin as in shallow character portrayal. They both have immense depth.

It was a brilliant film and certainly shifted the perception and portrayal of wronged women. See also Single White Female.