Saturday, 16 December 2023

Movie Review: Fatale (2020)


Genre: Crime Thriller
Director: Deon Taylor
Starring: Hilary Swank, Michael Ealy, Mike Colter
Running Time: 102 minutes

Synopsis: In Los Angeles, Derrick Tyler (Michael Ealy) co-owns a successful sports agency business with his partner Rafe (Mike Colter), but his marriage to Tracie (Damaris Lewis) is wobbling. On a trip to Las Vegas, Derrick enjoys what he thinks is a one-night stand with Val (Hilary Swank). Back in LA, Derrick scares off a midnight home invader, and is then shocked to find Val is the police detective assigned to the case. She is embroiled in a nasty custody battle, and uses her authority to manipulate Derrick into serving her needs.

What Works Well: The Tyler home is an elegant and sleek modern structure overlooking the city, the performances are adequate, and the production has a polished look.

What Does Not Work As Well: The director/writer team of Deon Taylor and David Loughery recycle many of the same themes from 2019's The Intruder with equally limp results, despite borrowing from Fatal Attraction and adding a more obvious Hitchcockian twist. The script is perforated with glaring logic gaps, none of the characters are worth caring for, and the attempts at steamy eroticism are half-hearted. In the third act, the pile of conveniently uninvestigated dead bodies grows to unwieldy proportions.

Conclusion: What happens after Vegas is a clumsy mess.



All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.

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