Thirty-six years after the release of Adrian Lyne’s film, “Deadly Liaisons” returns to series on Paramount+ with Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan in the lead roles. What Is This Modern Rereading Worth?
What is it about?
A woman becomes infatuated with a married man after a one-night stand for him.
Fatal Liaisons, a series created by Alexandra Cunningham.
Who is it with?
In this adaptation of Adrian Lyne’s film, actor Joshua Jackson (Dawson, Fringe) plays Dan Gallagher, a role previously played by Michael Douglas. He answers to Lizzy Caplan (Cloverfield, Castle Rock), who has the onerous task of succeeding Glenn Close in the skin of the formidable Alex Forrest. Finally, Amanda Peet (2012, Dirty John) plays Beth, Dan’s partner, a character previously portrayed by Anne Archer.
Is it worth checking out?
During the eighties, Hollywood was hit by a wave of erotic thrillers – also known as psychosexual thrillers. These works, highly acclaimed by the public at the time, featured female characters, male protagonists enchanted and in danger, all intertwined in sizzling plots filled with suspense.
One of the great masters of this trend is none other thanadrian lin Who completed 9 1/2 weeks in 1986. This play, worn by Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger, popularized the style – and striptease at the same time – on Joe Cocker. A year later came Liaison Fatale, a radically different film, still by Lynne, which tells of a woman’s vendetta against a married man, played by Michael Douglas, brilliantly played by Glenn Close.
Paramount Pictures
Glenn Close in “Deadly Liaisons” in 1987.
The feature film becomes a real social phenomenon, to the extent that it discourages many men and women from engaging in extramarital affairs. Thirty-six years later, times have changed. The balance of power between the two genders is not the same as it used to be and Alex Forrest’s character has his defenders too – something unimaginable when the film was released.
The serial re-reading, divided into eight episodes, promises another, more modern and feminist point of view. Is this really the case? Not necessary. This fatal link It deviates significantly from the original by choosing new narrative parties. The audience learns of Dan Gallagher, accused of murder. interesting. The story then goes back in time to understand the sequence of events.
Paramount+
Lizzy Caplan and Joshua Jackson in the series ‘Fatal Contact’.
The first two episodes focus on the tidy day-to-day life of this lawyer and his encounter with a mysterious young woman. The timing seems a bit long, but we will have to wait for the third episode to understand the intent behind this series.
The entire meeting is now told through another point of view, that of Alex Forrest. An opportunity for the public to discover his dark and oppressed soul. This new antagonist is just as terrifying as 1987’s, if not more so. lizzie caplan Never tries to copy Glenn Close’s iconic interpretation. Some of the lines are similar enough to thrill fans of the film, but the actress makes the character her own in her own way.
Paramount+
Joshua Jackson, Amanda Peet and Lizzy Caplan in the series ‘Fatal Contact’.
The serial format allows for a more in-depth analysis of this obsessed woman, but the differences with the feature film are not many. Alex Forrest is still filmed and written as the villain of the story, perhaps with some subtle nuance.
Contact Fatale is a good series that should undoubtedly appeal to fans of this genre, but we are sorry that the promise has not been fully kept.
Deadly Contact is available on Paramount+.
