`Last Seduction' offers a modern twist on film noir
By MATT NANIA
Assistant Scene Editor
Despite a title that sounds like a cheap erotic thriller, "The Last Seduction" made over 30 critics Top Ten lists in 1994 — and rightly so. This dark, tongue-in-cheek film noir puts a new spin on an old genre, audaciously mixing dark comedy and suspense for a unique blend of laughs, lust, betrayal and murder.
The typical classic noir follows the male hero, usually solving a mystery or becoming entangled in one, at the center of which is a deadly woman: the beautiful femme fatale. Here, the plot unfolds from the perspective of the femme fatale: the icily wicked, clever and utterly heartless Bridget Gregory (Linda Fiorentino).
And, like the classic noirs, this one has a lot to say about the blackness at the hearts of women and men. As bad as Bridget is, most of the time, she simply gets what she wants by giving men some version of what they want. Which isn't always pretty.
The first of the luckless unfortunates to cross her is her husband (Bill Pullman), who makes the mistake of slapping her just after they have successfully purloined money in a drug deal.
In retaliation and without hesitation, she flees with the cash and creates a new identity that will protect her from the man she has betrayed. Bridget chooses a town, a bar and Mike (Peter Berg), a hapless, hockey-playing local who pats himself on the back for his quick pickup of the new girl in town. Big mistake. In Bridget's world, she's the boss and he's the sex object.
It takes Bridget a lot longer to seduce Mike to murder than it did to bed. This final seduction builds to an unbearably clever denouement that is essentially a victory lap for the protagonist.
"The Last Seduction's" plot does have the requisite twists, turns and surprises, but none of them are particularly jaw-dropping. Dahl and writer Steve Barancik are more concerned with tone and character, and deliver in both categories.
But if there is one aspect of the story that is truly impressive, it is what doesn't happen. The formulaic qualities of so many movies have conditioned viewers to expect a comeuppance for characters like Bridget; however, at crucial moments when it seems that she's made a critical mistake, she's still one step ahead.
Most movies give us villains who are wrapped in layers of complexity that, peeled away, may offer explanations. It's an interesting change to watch Fiorentino create a straightforward, malignant villain who has not one ounce of hypocrisy about her intentions and believes she is entitled to everything she wants.
Although it is as polished as any drama around, "The Last Seduction" was made for and first screened on cable television in the U.S., then went into theatrical release. That's why it was ineligible for Academy Award consideration. This rule is inflexible, which is what the filmmakers found out when they challenged the Oscar Academy in the American courts.
That's too bad, because all three actors showcase their finest work. Bill Pullman ("Spaceballs" and "While You Were Sleeping") is terrific as the husband bent on revenge, and Peter Berg ("The Great White Hype" and TV's "Chicago Hope") is perfect as the local guy way out of his depth.
But it is Fiorentino's mocking, sharp-tongued meanness that sustains the film. She seems wrapped in a self-confidence that allows her to play Bridget exactly as she is: no excuses, no explanations and no false notes. Her heartlessness is an art.
Which in large part is what makes "Seduction," described quite rightly as "a sexy modern film noir," so enjoyable.
Directed with a steel-honed edge by John Dahl (who went on to direct "Rounders," starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton), "The Last Seduction" is one of the few contemporary movies that remains appealing even though there is nary a single person on screen you actually like, admire or respect.
All you can do is watch, transfixed as Fiorentino works her wiles in the Olympic cruelty competition. She wins. Everybody else loses. That's entertainment.
All Scene Stories for Thursday, September 28, 2000
