Disclaimer: Spoiler Alert! If you aren't interested in spoilers, please exit the building.
Fatal Affair is the flick you wish to see on the night of boredom, and one to immerse yourself in the easy game of movie predictability, filled with generic stereotypical expectations.
Basically, If you have seen Obsessed, When the Bough Breaks, and Addicted, then you have seen Fatal Affair.
The movie is directed by Peter Sullivan, who also co-wrote the movie, along with Rasheeda Garner. It was released on July 16, 2020, by Netflix.
So, what’s Fatal Affair really about? Let’s jump into a quick summary.
Fatal Affair is a movie about a couple, Marcus (Stephen Bishop) and Ellie Warren (Nia Long), both sort of starting over. By this I mean moving into a beautiful mansion by the beach, Marcus in the injury recovery process and slightly snobbish, Ellie being supportive and feeling lonely, and daughter, Brittany (Aubrey Cleland) off to college. That kind of starting over.
Marcus is an architect and Ellie is a lawyer. Our nemesis (David) in the movie is played by Omar Epps.
A murder occurs in the beginning of the movie. Afterwards, we are introduced to the Warren family moving into their new home that bears a striking resemblance to the home were the initial murder occurred (most likely the same home). Marcus works from home and Ellie currently works in a firm and will eventually start her own private practice. Ellie goes to work and a new tech consultant named David is introduced. David also happens to be a college crush (stalker) of Ellie.
So, as expected, they both go out for drinks and catch-up, one too many drinks happen and makeout ensues. Ellie catches herself and escapes the temptation but never reveals this to her husband (but eventually does when things start getting crazier), David becomes a stalker who is also in therapy for mental health issues (surrounding his obsessive behavior and anger issues). David also starts dating her fake friend, Courtney (Maya Stojan), to get closer or pull an obsession stunt similar to the obsession of Agent Robert Stahl with Harlee Santos in Shades Of Blue. David also turns out to be the killer in the first murder (duh), who proceeds to injuring Courtney, murdering Ellie’s secretary, and eventually tries murdering Ellie’s family to be one step closer to Ellie. David is eventually defeated (killed) in the end by Ellie. Few months later, The Warren sold their home to start a new beginning again.
The End
💁🏾 While it wasn’t great, it wasn’t exactly brutal...bad yes, but with little giggles.
The acting was as expected, everything was incredibly convenient, and overall, the movie was lazy….very easy, breezy, breathtaking, slow.
I wasn’t expecting anything while immersing myself into this movie, and I walked out of it feeling the same way, with the exception of winning the bet placed on how bad it will get. The bet was 8 out of 10 with 10 being incredibly bad and the opponent made a belt of 6. I won when we both admitted to it being worthy of 8...perhaps 9.
So, why did this happen? What could have been different?
Well, Maybe a start with non-generic black cinema thrillers that always revolve around the same plot.
Maybe a start at understanding the beauty of flexibility and stretching of skills, via challenges and new concept experimentation.
Maybe an expansion to accepting new writers in the writer’s room with fresh ideas.
Maybe an expansion of production to new faces with new views.
Maybe the actors and production can try pushing themselves out of their comfort zone and aim higher.
Maybe more time should be spent on the drawing board.
All maybes but the fan base says otherwise so profit is made and there goes the maybes.
Those are all the things that happened to “Fatal Affair”. Another beautiful production wasted on a generic platform of plot and exploration.