FATAL EXPOSURE
US, 1991, 89 minutes, Colour.
Mare Winningham, Nick Mancuso, Christopher Mc Donald.
Directed by Alan Metzger.
A popular thriller, routine entertainment. Mare Winningham is the divorced mother with two children who, curiously, starts a chain of events which involve the Chicago police, Mafia connections, an assassin. She is pursued by the assassin, played by Christopher Macdonald, Gena Davis's self-preening husband in film and Louise, mis-judges the former policeman, played by Nick Mancuso, but is finally rescued by him.
There is an attractive island setting, complications between Mare Winningham and her ex-husband, the problems with her children, her police investigations and the use of a friend at a photography developing store and his death. Popular ingredients, for light thriller entertainment.
1.Enjoyable thriller? Human background story? Plausibility?
2.The island, the settings, the scene, the homes? The shop and the town? The action sequences? Musical score?
3.The title, reference to the photographs, to Jamie's plight?
4.Jamie, her relationship with her former husband and his fiancee, the clashes, the phone calls? Her relationship with her sons, managing them herself? The older boy's reaction against her secrecy? Their playing on the island, wanting to go away, the scenes with their father? Her managing with the house, memories of her past? The photographs, her puzzle, the burglar in the house, the report to the police, their not believing her? The encounters with Stone, her suspicions, Drew trespassing on his land and his bringing him home? The discussions with Scott about the photographs, enlisting his aid, finding the name of Parker, the disbelieving police? The Chicago police and the information about Stone, taking the photographs, caught by him and scared? Going with the police for the alleged arrest, witnessing the deaths? With Stone, helping him go, her encountering the assassin as her car broke down, realisation of the truth? Escaping, going to her best friend's house, having to get the asthma medicine for her son, the confrontation in the house? The escape through the Parade? Stone's return, the final confrontation? Death of the assassin? Audiences identifying with this ordinary woman and the dangerous events?
5.The assassin, burgling the house, the photos? Taking Butch Cassidy's name? Going to the shop, suspicious of Scott, killing him? The pursuit of Stone, firing at the boat? The pursuit of Jamie and the children, helping with the breakdown, her escaping in the parade, his lurking in the house, the confrontation with Stone? The Mafia connections?
6.Stone, serious, aggressive? Jamie photographing him? The truth about him, the death of the police, the corruption, his story about the money and his escape? Pursued, shot at in the boat? His return and final help?
7.Scott, his work in the shop, helping Jamie and her detection, his encounter with the assassin, his death?
8.The Chicago police, investigations into corruption? The sheriff and his not believing Jamie?
9.Alan and Paige, the broken marriage, Alan and his lying, with his children, the phone calls and the clash with Jamie?
10.Family background story with thriller ingredients?
