This is a thriller that serves as a cautionary tale about cheating on your spouse and birthed the term “bunny boiler”.
Dan Gallagher is a successful lawyer in Manhattan. When his wife and daughter go out of town for the weekend he has an illicit affair with editor Alex Forrest, whom he meets during a case. When he ends the brief relationship, Alex becomes clingy and determined to have Dan all to herself.
I’m pretty sure this movie has scared the hell out of a lot of married men in the last 30 years. I never know if I’m supposed to like Michael Douglas here. He goes from adulterous a-hole to sympathetic victim pretty quickly. I really can’t tolerate characters who cheat on their partner, it just really bothers me. I actually feel bad for thinking that I can’t imagine anyone else in the role. Must be a testament to his skills as an actor.
Glenn Close really earned her Oscar nomination here. I don’t know whether to feel sorry for her or to genuinely hate her. I think to be honest they’re both garbage people who kind of deserve each other, but that’s me. I do think she goes from zero to crazy at a very steady pace so you can actually see her sinking slowly into obsession. Very well done.
I do love that Fred Gwynne is in this, being a Munsters fan. He’s a very loveable chap. They could have given him more to do, but then his character wasn’t important to the plot, which is a shame. I guess he can’t always be Jud.
Originally, the movie had a completely different ending, with Alex killing herself and framing Dan for her murder. His wife, Beth, proves his innocence by handing in a threatening tape from Alex to the police. This didn’t seem too popular with test audiences, however, so another ending was filmed. I think the ending we got was better.
I think this is a really good psychological thriller from the 80s, which makes a nice change from all of the slashers and cult classics of its time. The casting is on point and the premise is undeniably disturbing, even today. Cheating may seem like a good idea at the time, but you never know how stable that other person is. “I won’t be ignored, Dan!”
Where to watch: Justwatch
Linsey Loves Horror 