FATAL AFFAIR
US, 2020, 89 minutes, Colour.
Nia Long, Omar Epps, Stephen Bishop, Aubrey Cleland, Mayo Stojan, Jacob Aaron Gaines.
Directed by Peter Sullivan.
With fatal in the title, there is an immediate link with Fatal Attraction, sexual obsession, violence. Given the plot development, the title would have been more appropriate as Fatal Encounter.
The setting is San Francisco, an affluent San Francisco, legal firms, architectural design, a mansion by the ocean. Ellie, Nia Long, matronly in this story, is a successful lawyer, moving out of the city to her own practice. She has been married for 20 years to Marcus, a designer. There is a taken-for-granted atmosphere at home as they move to their new mansion. They have a daughter, Brittany, at Berkeley.
When Ellie attends a legal meeting, she encounters a friend from the past, David Hammond (Omar Epps). She has not seen him for 20 years. He goes out for a drink, makes a sexual advance, she almost succumbing, but breaking it off. What follows is a story of obsession, David seen visiting a therapist, the audience making sense of the prologue where a young woman discovers her lover murdered in a bath.
Most of the film focuses on Ellie and her being the victim of David’s fatal sexual obsession, his turning to violence, the threats to the family, his breaking out – and a melodramatic climax in the home and on a cliff edge.
Fatal Affair makes the film sound somewhat tawdry whereas it is a melodrama of sexual obsession and a woman making moral decisions for herself and for her family.
1. The title? Perhaps better, Fatal Encounter?
2. The San Francisco settings? The vistas of the city? The coast and ocean? Offices, apartments, mansions? The musical score?
3. The affluent atmosphere of homes, legal workplaces?
4. Ellie’s story? Her work as a lawyer, her reputation? 20-year marriage to Marcus, love, counselling, feeling him a stranger? A love her daughter, at college in Berkeley? Moving out of the city, setting up the new premises, Linda as her receptionist? The meeting, Janice presiding, David present?
5. David Hammond, knowing Ellie 20 years earlier, at the meeting, his skills at hacking, arranging to be present? Going out with Ellie? Their drinking, talking, remembering? The sexual encounter, Ellie and her decision, leaving? David and his obsession, phone calls, texting, Ellie confronting him, cutting him off? His coming to the dinner at the home with Courtney? Ellie ordering him away? His messages, photos, his relationship with Courtney? The scene of his going to the psychiatrist? Anger management?
6. The prologue, the affair, Deborah, finding Travis dead? Audiences realising David’s involvement? His talking about his divorce? Ellie investigating, coming across the reports, David innocent?
7. Brittany, a college, coming home, her room, the new house, friendship with Scott? Marcus and the touch of disapproval?
8. Marcus, background, designer, his accident, injuries? Relationship with Ellie? The dinner with David and Courtney? The phone call to play golf with David? Enjoying it?
9. Ellie, following David, to the golf course? Going to his apartment, the search, the technical equipment?
10. Her phoning Courtney, Courtney not believing her, David hearing her on the phone, his assaulting her?
11. Coming to Courtney’s apartment, Ellie telling him the truth, her being sorry, his being hurt, angry, but still loving Ellie?
12. The police, the glimpse of the vagrant man, the burnt corpse, David and the fire? The suicide note?
13. The false called to Ellie at the office? David at the house, killing Scott, tying up Brittany and Marcus? Ellie calling the police? The police officer and her consideration? The squad, David killing the police? Ellie freeing Brittany, her driving away? With Marcus, up the steps, on the height, the confrontation, the fight? Ellie and the knife? Marcus and his fall? David
on the Cliff, holding onto him, his falling?
14. The future, Ellie and Marcus, Brittany? A loving family?
