Analyzing Evil: Alex Forrest From Fatal Attraction

Personally I feel like Dan’s punishment far outweighs his crime. As somebody who’s been cheated on I’m by no means defending him and I agree he needs to pay the consequences of his actions. Public humiliation, possible divorce, joint custody of Ellen, & the wrath of a seriously pissed of jilted wife? Yes 100% absolutely. At least paying financial support for the child he created with Alex? Yes. He may not have known how mentally unstable Alex was but he knew there was possibility of getting her pregnant if he had the affair with her. Old enough to weigh that risk and understand the ramifications of doing it anyways. Alex cut her wrists after one night together and bothered him both at work and home. All before she knew about the baby. So I get Dan wanting to avoid her like the plague. I would too but he does at least have a responsibility to the baby. He can’t force her to abort it if she doesn’t want to. Granted the only reason she wants it is to trap him into being with her which she’s wrong for. And we don’t know if Dan ever would tell his wife about the affair on his own and willingly face the potential consequences of his choices. Cheating isn’t a mistake it’s a choice. And both parties are in the wrong for making that choice. But also Dan’s responsibility to Alex only goes as far as providing for their baby. He runs away from Alex because of her obsessive stalker behavior which is understandable. She made the situation worse trying to force a relationship that was never a sure thing to begin with. Dan never told her he’d leave his wife for her or that the affair would continue indefinitely. Alex completely exacerbated the situation begging him to see her again and bring the dog when he tried to use that excuse to avoid her. Dan doesn’t take her calls and leaves right after sex showing Alex that’s all she is to him. He’s wrong for doing that to her and using her but she’s wrong for continuing to allow it and continually pursue a relationship with him after he repeatedly tries to end it.

The original ending was better.

You make hair loss sound as dramatic as the evil characters in this series.

Everyone shoukd be made to watch this before they leave school

Alex became obbsessed with Dan when he pretends to pass out in the park while playing catch. HE unwittingly recreated a scene that traumatized A lex when she 7 years old. She be came worried sick over Dan. She was also catastaphizing over Dan.I love Alex I went through the same experience .

When I first saw this movie,I hoped my ex wouldn't see it. Lol This movie helped me to see red flags when dating. I dodged several bullits.

BPD

Let’s talk about how hot Anne Archer was in this movie !!!

I don't believe Alex was evil. I think she had some severe mental health disorders that were probably not diagnosed or medicated as it was the 1980s and the mental health care system was essentially not around, not that it is great now. I think things would not have gone that far if she had not become pregnant. Dan's reluctance to take own his mistake, drove her to the edge.

There are hints in the film that Dan has cheated before. 1. The fact that he picks up another woman so quickly without a second thought (it indicates that he has a lot of experience with picking up women). 2. At the first sign of serious trouble Beth's first thought is that her husband cheated on her. So that too is a strong hint that this is not the first time that Dan has cheated. Perhaps he didn't tell his wife about the previous adultery but his wife knew anyways, but chose to look the other way (in the tv show Roots, the Chuck Connors character cheats on his wife almost every night with a different woman, but his wife always looks the other way).

alex looks like an old man in a bad wig

That infatuation is deadly. I have and still am experiencing the residuals. Without the meeting they had, through infidelity. It was two singles, becoming an item. No names though. the attempt at cutting and faking a pregnancy are signs to get away, but do it softly. If you show pure compassion and carry on with the relationship , you are signing up for something you don't want. no matter how much you want to be tender and fix that person, it's not possible. the catalyst is set. I walked away after many attempts to deal with ever worsening psychotic breaks and promiscuous behavior. I gave many chances and looked past infidelity, because of what was spawned during the time together. In the end, I became what Douglas did. a mortal enemy, by that person perceiving that they were tossed like trash, when I was. But refused to deal with it anymore. Take heed to this. I want to advise ppl before I'm swallowed by the evil against me. God help us all.

Alex wasn’t evil; her mental illness exasperated her emotional and psychological issues collimating into obsession. Anyone who thinks Alex is a psycho misses the point of her character. All women fear abandonment and male entitlement which is what causes Alex to appear crazy.

will you be doing an updated version of this with the Parmount series to go along with it?

Well, I believe both sides are at fault Dan for getting involved into an affair, but the same time Alex is also at fault because of her unstable obsession

I am amazed but not surprised on the comments I read regarding this movie and how so many now have a strong desire to equate what Dan did (having an affair) to what Alex did (absolute psychotic murderous behavior). It's not even in the same universe. Yes, he cheated and he was upfront about it. So she wasn't bamboozled here. That may have me feeling different. But probably not because the real reason to me is the answer to the question: what if Dan was single and just rejected her? I am certain she responds the same. She may not have a wife to torment or child to kidnap...but she'd find something terrible and she wouldn't stop. So the fact he was married...is damn near irrelevant to me as I believe it still plays out the same if he rejects her as a partner. This was about her rejection not his marital status. But this whole "he is just as bad as she was" trend....please. I appreciate you calling it correctly for what it is

Is it possible the hormone changes due to pregnancy amplified her underlying BPD.? She is a single well-kept woman. She was in shape, went tanning, has a career and well-kept home. She obviously has control of her life which would keep the disorder at bay. She seldom allows others into her energy because it causes to much of an imbalance. Anything coming into her environment will alter her discipline and the structure of her life. This includes friends, lovers and or hormones. Just a thought. That is why she doesn't sleep around because she is aware of her attachment issues. He is married and going back to his wife after he sleeps with Alex. He is able to be completely uninhibited during the intimate encounter because he doesn't have to commit. She is bombed by this attention. Married kept men look good because they are kept. So, they seem perfect. You can thank his cute little wife for that. Then he extends the one night into a weekend, creating a further bond with her. She lost control over her own disorder. I cried for her. It's so sad to know so many people are in pain like this. I would not wish it on anyone.

I agree that Alex was also at fault luring in Dan knowing he was a married man. She manipulated him and Dan should have never let it happen. I felt so bad for Beth.

Alex could have just had the baby and raised her as a single Mom. The most she could expect from Dan is money for the child's maintenance. If Alex had respected Dan's situation it might have turned out differently. Not all men want a child from an affair. It looks like a trap. Another great reason to use birth control if you're going to have casual sex. Mistakes should not happen. Stay away from married men. If they will cheat with you, they will cheat on you. Someone has to be the bigger person and just walk away when there's no hope of relationship. I understood Alex's need to matter to someone. No means no, not maybe or if I hurt myself, you will love me. That never works. She should have went to talk to a therapist to release her frustration in a healthy way.

She's not evil, she's misunderstood!

If only he had the Ant-Man suit.

You are completely inaccurate and incorrect about Dan going to kill Alex for kidnapping his child is unrealistic. Do you have children of your own to make that assumption?

Just because YOU wouldn't respond that way, doesn't mean others would not. Obviously you DON'T understand the love and overprotectiveness that some parents have for their children. It doesn't matter if she made it home safe or not. The idea of merely touching someone's child is enough to set certain people off. Not all people believe in the judicial system and the due process of law. Is very presumptuous and unrealistic to think that everyone would go buy those guidelines.

You mentioned that you believe in people reaping what they sow. But they're are also people who believe in an eye-for-an-eye. Meaning there are a plethora of people who would take revenge into their own hands.

That aspect is completely subjective. Dan was not a totally rational and moralistic person to begin with. He was willing to step outside of his marriage in the first place.

For you to be an analytical person your opinion on Dan's, seems very impractical to not consider plausible.

Right and wrong went completely out of the window at the beginning of this entire scenario. It doesn't matter what you I or anyone in the audience believes what would be right and what would be wrong.

What matters is the different probabilities of different individuals' actions and reactions under the same circumstances.

Dan just left Alex after a suicide attempt. If he had brought her to the hospital or called 911, Alex might have gotten mental health help, but Dan would have had a harder time hiding the affair.

Alex seemed like the type of girl who would create trouble for anyone she was around. But Dan obviously wanted trouble otherwise he wouldn't of been attracted to her in the first place.

Reminds me of Jodi Arias case

So interesting how she wears white (the colour of innocence) throughout the whole movie

Ever wonder where the saying “She’s a real bunny boiler”, came from? This is it.

I never felt bad for Dan. The skuz bucket got what he deserved.

She is scary

Fatal injection must be followed by effective extraction.

One of the best films of all time! Superb acting.

Women need to be careful of men like him.

It’s mostly his fault he approached her at the bar. Very inappropriate for a married man. Alex, made it seem like it was okay because they’re both adults.

Of course, women who smoke are only for one night stands...

I love her acting

In my opinion, having seen this movie many and I mean MANY times, I agree that Alex is suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder. When she gets rejected, she cuts her wrists. It's a cry for help, a cry for connection. She wants DESPERATELY to have a connection with someone. Likely from abandonment issues she has by losing her father, and very possible childhood neglect, physical and / or sexual abuse. While this movie shows a very EXTREME reaction as it progresses and isn't always the case with BPD, as being someone diagnosed with it, I've always been able to relate to Alex in a weird way. The clingyness and just that constant need for love while also being rejecting and hateful. Also, the original ending of this movie fell more in line with this because in the original ending, she kills herself. Someone with BPD is much more likely to hurt themselves than anyone else. Glen Close fought like hell to keep that original ending, but it didn't play well with audiences. Which is a real shame because that is a much more accurate portrayal of someone dealing with her issues.

Adam.n EVE

I wonder what would have happened if Dan was single with no other significant other in his life. And he was a very sincere person. I guess we would have a different story!!!!

Alex crossed the line by kidnapping Dan's child. That's not ok. Ill or otherwise. Leave them children alone.

She was pure evil, great villain for cinema. It's deluded that others are sympathetic to a crazy psycho 😂

Interesting how he found her attractive and engaging and never noticed the mental illness

Ah yes. The very definition of what happens when a shitty guy meets an unbelievably crazy bitch

Yeah I have BPD and have also been in several relationships with women who have BPD......................This Bitch Is Just Straight Mental.

I wasn't expecting to like this movie. I have BPD which I've also heard called "the bunny boiler disease" and was a bit scared that it would be a hateful and stereotypical view of the disorder (even though BPD is not ever named in the film). But it's a lot more interesting than that. Alex's actions are abjectly horrible and the fact that the entire family was dragged into the situation makes my heart ache. I also think that Glenn Close is why the character is so interesting and nuanced. This is someone who needs help and, for whatever reason, hasn't been willing or able to get it. All the performances are stellar. Michael Douglas' character is a cad but you still want him to be safe and maybe even given a second chance with Beth. Ann Archer takes a role that could have been thankless and elevates it so much. To me, Beth is the real hero of the film. She's the one I'm rooting for. Also, if I was married to someone who was sweet, fun, and looked like Ann Archer, there is no way in hell I would cheat. 😅

There's no victory at the end of the movie. Their lives are irreparably damaged, and Alex has no opportunity for redemption or recovery because she's dead. It's hollow and haunting and so well done. And I think the fact that people are talking and arguing about it this passionately 35 years later is just a testament to how effective it is.

Well to a certain degree Dan has to take the blame for all this because he banged her without protection

I find interesting that Alex was mostly dress in white clothes (so as her all white Loft)... I think it was the Lyne's way to describer her as Evil but somehow not guilty, because of her mental sickness and heavy Life Experiences.

Absolutely brilliant performance. One of the best ever in cinema, imo. She played desperation so well. So many people out there like this—women and men, tbh.

You repeatedly keep saying that Dan doesn't have the right to kill Alex as if Dan could ever have the right to kill Alex at all. 🤔🤔😙

Can you do one of Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street