Nationwide: Friday, December 18, 2020
Lionsgate
for violence, sexual content and language.
After a wild one-night stand, Derrick (Michael Ealy), a successful sports agent, watches his perfect life slowly disappear when he discovers that the sexy and mysterious woman he risked everything for, is a determined police detective (Hilary Swank) who entangles him in her latest investigation. As he tries desperately to put the pieces together, he falls deeper into her trap, risking his family, his career, and even his life. FATALE is a suspenseful and provocative psychological thriller and an unpredictable game of cat and mouse where one mistake can change your life.
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Gregory M. - Rated it 2 out of 5
"Fatale" After a wild one-night stand, Derrick Tyler (Michael Ealy), a successful sports agent, watches his perfect life slowly disappear when he discovers that the sexy and mysterious woman he risked everything for is a determined police detective who entangles him in her latest investigation. As he tries desperately to put the pieces together, he falls deeper into her trap, risking his family, his career, and even his life. "Fatale" is a suspenseful and provocative psychological thriller and an unpredictable game of cat and mouse where one mistake can change your life. Ealy’s Derrick seems to have it all; a thriving sports agency, a beautiful wife, Tracie (Damaris Lewis), and a majestic home atop one of Los Angeles most exclusive neighborhoods. But something is amiss with his marriage; Derrick and Tracie are at odds about their respective careers, and Derrick suspects she might be having an affair. A bachelor party in Las Vegas offers a much-needed distraction for Derrick, who’s accompanied there by his business partner Rafe (Mike Colter). As the party unfolds, Derrick draws the eye of an intriguing woman and, urged on by Rafe, he approaches her. They've immediate sexual chemistry, as the mysterious beauty, Val (Hilary Swank), confides that Vegas offers a therapeutic getaway from her high stress job. They enjoy a wild night of passion; what Rafe calls a cure for seven years of marriage; and Derrick returns the next day to his work and home, with his night of sin providing a wake-up call and a new determination to repair his strained marriage. But Derrick’s troubles are just beginning. Not long after seeming to be on the road to reconciliation, he and Tracie are awakened by an intruder. A vicious fight ensues between Derrick and the masked thief, with Derrick nearly being killed before the assailant escapes into the night. Shortly thereafter, the police arrive, led by the crime’s chief investigator, Detective Val Quinlan. Derrick is frozen with incredulity at the turn of events, as Val, for her own as yet unexplained reasons, begins to slowly turn the screws on him. The stakes become even more heightened as Derrick experiences a stunning betrayal and loss, and Val plots the final moves in her deadly game. Derrick’s tryst with Val is supposed to be a night of fun, in which he’d forget about his troubled marriage, if only for a few hours. It's just one mistake, but it would cost Derrick almost everything. Ealy describes Derrick when we first meet him, before the fateful night in Vegas. Derrick is an ex-athlete turned sports agent. He’s quite wealthy and seems to have it all, but what he has materially versus what he possesses emotionally is a fascinating dynamic. His mistake begins to transform him and push him to his limits, and you get to see what he’s made of. It’s one thing to be ambitious and focused; the question becomes, how does that person retain that when everything falls apart and is pulled away from him? Derrick is simply a good guy in a bad situation. Val is smart, funny, naïve, and mentally disturbed. She’s been through a lot, and she fights for what she believes in. You can hate Val but still understand her motives. Val has secrets of her own; an ex-husband Carter Haywood (Danny Pino). Val is an incredible, decorated detective, but she also has tragedy in her past. Val has been paying for that mistake over and over again, and she’s desperate to find a way to make it right. We all have dark thoughts, even if they’re only brief and fantastical. Val has decided to indulge in the darkness. Duality is an inevitable part of human nature. Derrick’s business partner is Rafe. Rafe, like Derrick, is a gifted athlete who’s now trying to find the next phase and opportunity of his life. At their sports agency, Derrick is the brains and Rafe is a kind of ambassador for the company; he’s a people person. Rafe is the loudness to Derrick’s quietnessm. We all have that one loud friend. Derrick’s partner in life is his wife, Tracie. She's complex with a lot of different facets. She’s also a little twisted, and you’ll see her go through varying emotions. Tracie arrives home to see Derrick cooking. It’s so cute but also real because it shows that couples, even those going through a rough time, still have a history that can bring them together, even if it’s only temporarily. The character of Tracie is seductive. You don’t know where she’s going to go in this story. The character is a sliding scale; you know something is up with her. And if Derrick’s street-savvy cousin Tyrin (Tyrin Turner) isn’t exactly a secret, he’s also not somebody that Derrick chooses to advertise. The character Tyrin is in many ways Derrick’s polar opposite, but Derrick appreciates the young man’s friendship and how he looks after Derrick’s mother Sabina (Sabina Mach). What drives us as human beings and the lengths to which we’ll go for family. "Fatale" is a cat-and-mouse thriller that has many twists and turns and an unusual sexual energy weaved in, but it’s unexpected in Val’s motivations. The characters fall into these dark worlds, for those worlds to become increasingly narrow and intense, and for audiences to experience that claustrophobia. "Fatale’s' intricate and gorgeous cinematography ups the ante of the action, mystery, and suspense, as Val and Derrick engage in their battle of wills and wits. It’s a thrill ride to the bottom of the hill, with a film noir vibe where no matter what you do or where you go, fate is going to stick it's foot out and trip you. Sometimes you get in these dark places, but as long as you believe in yourself and your intention is clear, you can get through anything. No matter how much money, fame, and credibility you've, what you can’t buy and what you can’t afford to lose is your name. written by Gregory Mann
