Fatal Attractions takes the bones of the original film and expands on it in this incredible new drama series. Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan star.
Even those who have not seen the 1987 film Fatal Attraction, know the basic story of what happens. A man has an affair and the woman gets obsessive and crazy, eventually threatening his family. She ends up being killed by his wife, as an act of self defense. The bones of this movie, along with a lot of nods to it, are woven into the new Paramount+ series of the same name, but this time we get so much more than that.
Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan have some pretty big shoes to fill as they take on the roles that Michael Douglas and Glenn Close brought to the screen, and they perfectly pull it off. The two of them are absolutely incredible on screen together. At the end of the movie, you almost feel bad for the character of Dan, despite the fact that this really is all his fault. This sequence of events started because of his infidelity.
In the Paramount+ series, there is a lot more time to explore this story. We get to learn a lot more about Alex Forrest, who Caplan brings a likability to. Sure, she doesn’t always make the right decisions, but she is someone who is struggling and dealing with some mental health issues. By the time the final episode rolls around, it will be impossible not to understand where she is coming from.
When it comes to Dan Gallagher, this series holds him more accountable for his actions than the film ever did. Jackson does a fantastic job evolving this character as the story goes on. He is almost a completely different person before going to prison and after prison, which adds a lot of layers to this version of Fatal Attraction. His performance is so well done, that Dan becomes this character you cannot help but like, but also know this is all his own doing.
Then you add in his relationship with his daughter Ellen (Alyssa Jirrels), who viewers get to see as a young woman, and his wife Beth (Amanda Peet), and the story really comes together. Giving the audience nearly eight hours to be immersed in this story will make them completely invested. The final episode explains exactly how everything played out and minds will be blown. It is shocking, in a good way.
The Fatal Attraction series itself is thrilling and captivating, right from the very start. It is going to hook you because of the incredible acting, but also because of the twists and turns. Where Alex was always portrayed as the crazy one in the film, she has a lot more life breathed into her thanks to Lizzy Caplan this time around. There are a lot of layers to pull back, much like an onion, as the episodes go on.
Episode three in particular will show viewers a little bit more of where Alex is coming from. And then, when we see the final few moments of the eighth and final episode, it is clear there could be more story to tell here. I, for one, would love to see where things go. The writing of this series is absolutely brilliant, and the phenomenal acting just takes it to a whole new level.
While there are certainly many nods and references to the Fatal Attraction movie, such as a new take on the iconic line “I will not be ignored” and the appearance of a rabbit, this series makes the story its own. It compliments the film while giving fans something new and exciting to explore.
Overall Thoughts
Paramount Plus’ Fatal Attraction is powerful, exciting, and thrilling. It takes the time to explore the story in a way that has not been done before. Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan have so much chemistry you won’t be able to look away. They do such a wonderful job taking these iconic roles and bringing something new to them.
You won’t come out of this series feeling the same way you did after the movie, that is for sure. There is a lot more depth this time around, which is largely in part to having more time to dive into the story.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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About Fatal Attraction
An affair threatens the lives of Dan Gallagher and his wife, Beth, in this reimagining of the 1987 movie, exploring marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes toward strong women, personality disorders and coercive control.
The series stars Joshua Jackson as Dan Gallagher, Lizzy Caplan as Alex Forrest, Amanda Peet as Beth Gallagher, Alyssa Jirrels as Ellen Gallagher, Toby Huss as Mike Gerard, Reno Wilson as Detective Earl Booker and Brian Goodman as Arthur Tomlinson.
