A lot has changed in twenty years, since Ellie (Nia Long) and David (Omar Epps) attended college together: Ellie has the perfect husband--Marcus (Stephen Bishop), perfect daughter--Brittany (Aubrey Cleland), perfect job, and what appears to be the perfect life. However, when Ellie and David run into one another, spend a night catching up, and make some questionable decisions, Ellie’s life will be turned upside down. David is not the person that Ellie knew twenty years ago and the time she spent with him will be nothing short of a Fatal Affair.
The stalker third party has become a popular trend in cinema for the past decade or so. Psychologically it tantalizes viewers and makes them question the possibilities of what might happen within a relationship and the potential stress that simply lies in wait. When you believe you have a perfect (or near perfect) relationship, seeing a film that depicts everything being threatened and potentially ripped away is terrifying, and like other horror stories, it’s just as enthralling and horrific. The issue that lies within films like Fatal Affair is that the storyline has been done so many times that, regardless of how intriguing that plot is, much of what takes place is predictable and unoriginal.
Sadly, as wonderfully acted as Fatal Affair is, it fails to exceed expectations or truly entertain as director Peter Sullivan had hoped due to the fact that it’s unoriginal. The story follows the same, semi-unsuspecting woman, who struggles to rid herself, and her family, of a stalker that threatens their livelihood. Long, Bishop, and Epps find themselves in an unsurprising love triangle of sorts that lasts the length of the film and rarely veers, in any way, from what viewers anticipate will happen next. The minor changes made to this cookie-cutter script are just that, minor. They ultimately change nothing in the grand scheme of things, and viewers can’t help but feel tired as the denouement plays out exactly as expected.
While the story, which is entertaining, but lacks originality, fails as a result of its repetitive nature, Long’s presence in Fatal Affair makes the film worthwhile. Long is known to be talented and possess the ability to fill nearly any role successfully. While she has played alongside greats like Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, it should be understood that she has a dominant quality that allows her the propensity to lead films as well as anyone in Hollywood. Fatal Affair sees her fill the shoes of the dynamic Ellie Warren. Ellie, throughout the film, is headstrong, sensual, funny, and both dominant and submissive. The range of the character requires Long to bring her A-game and perform at the highest level. While the character changes at different points throughout the course of Fatal Affair, at no point are viewers unable to accept Ellie in those positions, thanks to Long’s prowess. She appears genuine in each and every facet of the film and produces a performance that is truly remarkable.
Opposite Long, however, is the equally talented, but wrong for the part, Epps. Epps, like Long, possesses the ability to mold his performances to take on nearly any role, even though he typically fills smaller roles than what Long is used to. The role of David, however, is one that is said to be an incredibly attractive, middle-aged man, and while beauty is subjective, I personally struggle to accept Epps in this role due to this description. Again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Epps does not look like someone that could possibly come between a happily married couple simply based on his looks. Fatal Affair loses some credibility with this casting as viewers must now suspend their disbelief and attempt to better understand Ellie’s way of thinking throughout.
Fatal Affair is derivative of a number of films that came before it, including The Perfect Guy and Obsessed. It’s difficult to separate this film from the numerous others with a similar plotline, and feels entirely too predictable throughout. Long is the veritable light at the end of the tunnel as her portrayal of Ellie is flawless. Her ability to create juxtaposition within the character speaks to her ability as an actor and, in many instances, is the only reason viewers are able to remain focused. Long gives viewers something to enjoy from beginning to end, however, with an unoriginal script and a poor casting choice, Fatal Affair is difficult to appreciate.
Directed by Peter Sullivan.
Written by Peter Sullivan, Rasheeda Garner & Jeffrey Schenck.
Starring Nia Long, Omar Epps, Stephen Bishop, Aubrey Cleland, Maya Stojan, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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