Is Fatal Attraction Based on a True Story? Ending Explained
by Mathelene | Updated May 02, 2023
Fatal Attraction (1987)
Fatal Attraction is a psychological thriller film released in 1987, directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, and Anne Archer. The plot revolves around a New York lawyer named Dan Gallagher (played by Douglas) who has an affair with a publishing executive named Alex Forrest (played by Close) while his wife (played by Archer) is away.
However, things take a dark turn when Alex becomes increasingly obsessed with Dan and begins to stalk him and his family. The film was a critical and commercial success and received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. It was also controversial upon its release due to its portrayal of mental illness and violence against women. Despite this, it remains a well-known and influential film in the thriller genre.
Is Fatal Attraction Based on a True Story?
Fatal Attraction is not based on a true story. But there are scenes in the movie that are inspired by real-life events. The screenplay for the movie was written by James Dearden and was originally a short film called "Diversion" that he made in 1979. The idea for the film was inspired by a conversation Dearden had with a friend who had had an extramarital affair and was worried about the consequences.
Dearden decided to explore the themes of infidelity and obsession in a short film, which eventually evolved into the feature-length screenplay for "Fatal Attraction." While the film is not based on a specific true story, it was influenced by real-life cases of extramarital affairs and stalking that were reported in the media.
The film also drew from psychological studies of obsessive behavior and the consequences of infidelity. Nonetheless, Fatal Attraction is a work of fiction and should not be taken as a true story.
Fatal Attraction Plot
The plot of Fatal Attraction follows a New York lawyer named Dan Gallagher who has a weekend affair with a publishing executive named Alex Forrest while his wife and daughter are away. After the weekend ends, Dan tries to return to his normal life, but Alex becomes increasingly obsessed with him and begins to stalk him and his family.
Alex shows up at Dan's office, sends him disturbing messages, and even boils the family's pet rabbit. Dan tries to break things off with Alex and reconcile with his wife, but she becomes increasingly suspicious of his behavior. The situation escalates when Alex breaks into Dan's home and attacks him with a knife. Dan manages to fight her off and rushes home to his wife and daughter.
In the final confrontation, Alex breaks into Gallagher's home and threatens them with a gun. Dan manages to disarm her and the police arrive to arrest her. The film ends with Dan's family trying to move on from the traumatic experience, but the audience is left wondering whether Alex's obsession with Dan has truly ended.
Fatal Attraction Summary
Fatal Attraction is a psychological thriller movie that explores the consequences of infidelity and obsession. The film follows a successful New York lawyer named Dan Gallagher who has a weekend affair with a publishing executive named Alex Forrest while his wife Beth and daughter Ellen are away. Initially, Dan sees the affair as a brief fling, but Alex becomes increasingly attached to him and wants to continue their relationship.
As Dan tries to break things off and reconcile with his wife, Alex becomes unstable and begins to stalk him and his family. She shows up uninvited at his office, sends him disturbing messages, and even boils the family's pet rabbit. As the situation escalates, Alex breaks into Dan's home and attacks him with a knife. Dan manages to fight her off and rushes home to his wife and daughter.
The film ends with Dan's family trying to move on from the traumatic experience, but the audience is left wondering whether Alex's obsession with Dan has truly ended. Fatal Attraction is a powerful exploration of the dangers of infidelity and the consequences of obsession and stalking.
Fatal Attraction Ending Explained
The ending of Fatal Attraction is open to interpretation and has been the subject of much discussion and debate. While Dan and his family survive the traumatic experience, the film's final scenes suggest that Alex's obsession with Dan may not be over.
Throughout the film, Alex is depicted as a mentally unstable person who becomes increasingly obsessive and violent towards Dan and his family. Her behavior is ultimately driven by a deep-seated fear of rejection and abandonment, which is exacerbated by Dan's attempts to end their relationship. In the final confrontation, Dan manages to disarm Alex and the police arrive to arrest her.
However, the film's final scene shows Alex in a police car, smiling enigmatically at Dan as he walks away. This suggests that she may not have given up her obsession with him and could potentially pose a future threat to his family. The ambiguous ending has been interpreted in different ways.
Some viewers see it as a warning about the dangers of infidelity and the potential consequences of betraying someone's trust. Others view it as a commentary on mental illness and the lack of support and resources available for people struggling with psychological issues. The ending of Fatal Attraction is a powerful and thought-provoking conclusion to a film that explores complex themes of obsession, violence, and the consequences of infidelity.
Fatal Attraction Review
Fatal Attraction is a psychological thriller movie that explores the consequences of infidelity and obsession. The film is widely considered a classic of the thriller genre, and it continues to be a popular and influential film over thirty years after its release. One of the strengths of Fatal Attraction is the powerful performances of its two lead actors, Michael Douglas and Glenn Close.
Douglas brings depth and nuance to his portrayal of Dan Gallagher, a successful lawyer who finds himself in over his head when his affair with Alex Forrest (Close) takes a dark and dangerous turn. Close, for her part, delivers a stunning performance as Alex, imbuing the character with a raw intensity and emotional complexity that makes her both terrifying and sympathetic.
The film's direction and cinematography are also noteworthy. Director Adrian Lyne masterfully builds tension and suspense throughout the film, using tight close-ups and claustrophobic framing to create a sense of unease and paranoia.
The film's score, composed by Maurice Jarre, is equally effective in heightening the film's dramatic impact. While Fatal Attraction is undoubtedly a well-crafted and powerful film, some viewers may find its portrayal of mental illness and female sexuality problematic.
The film has been criticized for perpetuating harmful stereotypes about mentally ill people and women who express their sexuality, and for portraying Alex as a one-dimensional "crazy" character rather than a complex and fully realized human being.
Fatal Attraction is a gripping and thought-provoking film that explores complex themes of obsession, violence, and the consequences of infidelity. While it may not be without its flaws, it remains an important and influential work of psychological suspense.
Fatal Attraction Trailer
Is Fatal Attraction Based on a True Story - FAQs
No, Fatal Attraction is a work of fiction inspired by real-life cases of extramarital affairs and stalking reported in the media.
The plot follows a New York lawyer named Dan Gallagher who has an affair with a publishing executive named Alex Forrest while his wife is away. Things take a dark turn when Alex becomes increasingly obsessed with Dan and begins to stalk him and his family.
Fatal Attraction is a psychological thriller movie that explores the consequences of infidelity and obsession. The film follows a successful New York lawyer named Dan Gallagher who has a weekend affair with a publishing executive named Alex Forrest while his wife and daughter are away. As the situation escalates, Alex breaks into Dan's home and attacks him with a knife. Dan manages to fight her off and rushes home to his wife and daughter. In the final confrontation, Alex breaks into the Gallagher's home and threatens them with a gun. Dan manages to disarm her and the police arrive to arrest her.
The ending of Fatal Attraction is open to interpretation and has been the subject of much discussion and debate. The final scene shows Alex in a police car, smiling enigmatically at Dan as he walks away. This suggests that she may not have given up her obsession with him and could potentially pose a future threat to his family. The ambiguous ending has been interpreted in different ways, with some viewers seeing it as a warning about the dangers of infidelity and others viewing it as a commentary on mental illness.
Fatal Attraction is widely considered a classic of the thriller genre, and it continues to be a popular and influential film over thirty years after its release. One of the strengths of "Fatal Attraction" is the powerful performances of its two lead actors, Michael Douglas and Glenn Close. The film is a powerful exploration of the dangers of infidelity and the consequences of obsession and stalking. However, the film's portrayal of mental illness and violence against women has been controversial.