What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Right? Might be that way for some but not for director Deon Taylor and writer David Loughery. With FATALE they use the idea of “what happened in Vegas” to deliver one of the most psychologically chilling edge-of-your-seat thrill rides of the year. If you thought Taylor and Loughery had you jumping out of your skin last year with The Intruder, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet as FATALE explores the darkness within each of us, the good and the bad and the motivations for each, as the driving force of this story.
Starring Hilary Swank and Michael Ealy, both delivering award-worthy performances, it all starts with the script and in this case, David Loughery has outdone himself. Talk about twists and turns! The basic premise is straightforward enough – Derrick, a very successful sports agent, heads to Vegas with his business partner Rafe for a bachelor party. Unfortunately, before heading to Vegas, we see first-hand that things are not all sunshine and roses between Derrick and his wife Tracie. She is not happy with him, but that unhappiness feels somewhat manufactured and deflecting. Once in Vegas, Rafe not only encourages but goes so far as to pull Derrick’s wedding ring from his finger, before sending him into the bar and onto the dance floor to find some company for the evening. After all, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
Derrick does find someone. A tall lanky woman with seductive dance moves, Valerie, is in Vegas relieving some stress from her taxing job. Needless to say, Valerie and Derrick spend the night relieving some stress together but when morning comes, Derrick’s phone is nowhere to be found. Unbeknownst to him, Valerie locked in the room safe during the night “so it wouldn’t get lost” but is now holding the phone hostage in exchange for more sex.
Back home in Los Angeles, Derrick tries to rekindle the spark with Tracie, cooking for her, creating “date nights” again, but all of that effort comes to a screeching halt when there is a break-in at their home during the night. Not just a break-in, but a knockdown-drag-out-man-on-man battle between Derrick and the intruder with shots fired and every piece of glass in the living room shattered. The perp escapes and the police show up in force at the crime scene. But along with the police and forensics is the lead detective. Detective Quinlan, Valerie Quinlan. As she walks into the room and introduces herself, you can see the color drain from Derrick’s face, replaced with pools of sweat. You can feel his panic. What happened in Vegas may not be staying in Vegas. Derrick’s biggest concern is no longer who broke in (and took nothing), but will Valerie keep her mouth shut about their one-night stand.
As the investigation continues, it’s clear that something is not quite right with Quinlan. There is a twisted psychology about her that fascinates as we learn more about her personal life and prior professional fallouts. The dialogue construct is perfect for allowing multiple notes of all-knowing double entendre thanks to Swank’s vocal inflections with key statements and words. But it’s the twisted machinations of Quinlan that draw us ever deeper into the story. She is a puppetmaster and she’s pulling Derrick’s strings in her psychotic web. Thrilling and chilling as just when you think you have Quinlan figured out and where Derrick fits in her plans, we are thrown for a loop and taken in another direction with more and more on the line for Derrick as he soon finds himself facing murder charges and at the mercy of Quinlan. Or is he?
And this is where the supporting characters shine and are fleshed out. Who we may believe to be peripheral is not. Who we may believe to be a throwaway just populating Derrick’s world, is not. It’s no spoiler to say that Derrick’s fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants cousin Tyrin grabs your heart with his love and loyalty to Derrick while leave it to Derrick’s mother to have the “get your ass in gear, son” words of wisdom to really give Derrick some backbone when he needs it most. It’s thanks to mom that the character of Derrick doesn’t stagnate but rather forges ahead a true character arc on multiple levels. Rafe is also a strong presence in this web of calculated madness and mayhem creating ambiguity that plays out deliciously.
But this film belongs to Michael Ealy and Hilary Swank. Going beyond some sizzling on-screen chemistry, it’s their individual performances that soar, particularly that of Swank. She is deliciously Machiavellian in her performance of Quinlan, almost salivating with rich dialogue delivery and physical nuance. And talk about physical nuance! Both Swank and Ealy give it their all with some incredible action sequences, one particular standout that moves from an apartment into a freight elevator which has the frenzied feel of the Psycho shower scene. Your eyes will be bulging and you’ll be holding your breath with this action.
After what Deon Taylor physically put Michael Ealy through in The Intruder, one wouldn’t think Ealy would be so quick to jump back into another thriller with Taylor. But not only does he, but this role is even more physically demanding with multiple fight scenes and yes, Ealy’s Derrick does get the worst of it. But it’s the sensitivity and emotionality that Ealy brings to Derrick that is layered and textured and resonant. We can empathize with Derrick because of Ealy’s performance. During an interrogation scene, your heart bleeds for him when he physically can’t even speak he is so overcome with emotion. Michael Ealy is one of those actors in whom you can see the wheels turning thanks to just a look in his eyes or the way he hangs his head or moves his shoulders. He is our eyes for much of the film as we watch this story unfold along with Derrick, trying to put the pieces together with what is happening and why.
Tyrin Turner, who worked with Taylor in Meet the Blacks, grabs your heart thanks to his effervescence, likeability, and loyalty as Tyrin. Danny Pino gets to hit some high notes here as Quinlan’s ex-husband Carter Haywood, a local councilman facing indictment. Also re-teaming with Taylor for FATALE is Mike Colter who makes Rafe a believable and imposing presence and strong influence on Ealy’s Derrick. And don’t overlook Geoffrey Owens who pops up as an attorney. You may recall the real life story about Owens, once a Cosby regular but found working in a Trader Joe’s to keep his family going due to non-existent acting gigs. When that story went viral and came to Deon Taylor’s attention, he immediately reached out to Owens and brought him onboard.
Going beyond the words on the page and performances, FATALE soars with a visual tonal bandwidth that is polished, textured, dramatic, and metaphoric thanks in very large part to cinematographer Dante Spinotti. Opening with an aerial of the LA freeway system the stage is set as we see the layers of roadway with overpasses and interlocking on and offramps, congested with traffic, speaking directly to the layers and overlays and density at play in FATALE.
Showcasing Charlie Campbell’s beautiful production design, Spinotti delivers interesting angles and spellbinding lighting. Just look at Derrick’s home. A sleek chrome, glass, and white living room that has an almost magical quality to it at night with Spinotti’s lighting of the moon shining in from one floor to ceiling window, creating glint and gleam on the chrome and reflection in the glass. The nighttime break-in is breathtaking with the inky blue-black night and the same color scheme used in an almost ombre manner against the whites, chrome and glass and moonlight through the window. A perfect contrast of beauty to the terror of the break-in and shooting. And the break-in bodes for a knockdown drag-out fight shot handheld by Spinotti, putting us right in the middle of the action to the point that we can almost feel the shards of glass and the muzzle of the gun. Then look at the rugged brick loft which Quinlan calls home with darker earth tones, mismatched harder wood furniture.
In Vegas, not only is the sex scene artfully lensed, but we feel the heat that led to the hotel room starting with the lighting of the dance floor. Gorgeous visuals with the use of alternating red-green-yellow lights in the background (stop, go, caution) which then becomes a gorgeous blue wash dissolving into a purple and then into red while Quinlan and Derrick are dancing. One of the most beautifully lighted and metaphoric sequences in the film.
Color is key throughout the film, e.g., yellow lighting the hallway to Derrick’s bedroom as his wife walks Quinlan there during the break-in investigation, stark harsh lighting for a funeral scene that bodes all black and white furnishings, setting sun on the California beach as it shines through the windows of a home. Spinotti dazzles with mid-shots slowly zooming in to judicially chosen and limited ECUs, particularly when one-half to three-quarter facials. We see life. We see the fear, the uncertainty, the cocky confidence of some, the calculating terror of others. And we feel it. Whenever attention turns to Carter Haywood, lighting is natural, fresh and framing is tight. Everything in the police interrogation rooms are sickly greenish grey with a spotlight trained on the desk and dissolving into the darker notes of the room. The visual structure with lighting, framing, and color is perfection.
Some stunning dissolves at multiple points in the film. Really beautiful work by editors Eric Beason and Peck Prior. Pacing is consistent, but could possibly have been tightened up in a few spots. One Vegas scene has a hard cut that doesn’t sit well.
Sound design is exemplary, most notably with the action scenes and a key scene on the beach with waves crashing, high pitched wailing, score. Fabulous mix.
Collaborator Geoff Zanelli is also back with Taylor for FATALE and doesn’t disappoint. Strong scoring that evokes multiple emotions, and a real treat in a thriller like this, a lot of tremolo in the string arrangements that send a chill down your spine.
Place your bets on FATALE and Deon Taylor. One of the best shows in town.
Directed by Deon Taylor
Written by David Loughery
Cast: Hilary Swank, Michael Ealy, Danny Pino, Mike Colter, Tyrin Turner
by debbie lynn elias, 12/16/2020
December 18, 2020 In theaters nationwide
January 8, 2021 on PVOD
