OBSESSED: It's No 'Fatal Attraction', It Just Sucks

OBSESSED (psychological thriller)
Cast: Idris Elba, Ali Larter, Beyoncé Knowles, Bruce McGill, Jerry O'Connell and Christine Lahti
Director: Steve Shill
Time: 105 mins
Rating: * * (out of 4)

RESTROOM SCENE: Idris Elba and Ali Larter in Obsessed

PREAMBLE: If Obsessed is meant to be a remake of Fatal Attraction, it is not only needless but also an utterly lame move. Its three main stars, Beyonce Knowles, Ali Larter and Idris Elba, may fan the curiosity of their fans but as a psychological thriller, the movie sucks.

THE SKINNY: Investment banker Derek Charles (Elba) is happily married to Sharon (Knowles) and they have a son. At the office, Derek meets Lisa (Larter of TV's Heroes), a newly-hired temp working as his assistant. Lisa flirts with Derek and matters come to a head during the office Christmas party when she comes on to him. Amazingly, he rejects her.

Lisa, however, won't take 'no' for an answer. She makes further attempts to seduce Derek, culminating in Derek finding her naked in his hotel room in an apparent suicide attempt. Evidently, Derek needs help to shake off his female stalker and you can guess who she is.

HITS & MISSES: If Glenn Close was scary as the woman scorned in Fatal Attraction, Ali Larter is just plain implausible and impossible here. With her looks, Lisa could have any man she wishes and nothing in the script could justify her obsession with Derek. And except for the elevator scene, Lisa does not come on to the audience as sexy and desirable, she is just slutty. Her advances to Derek are not seduction, they are sexual assaults.

Indeed, Obsessed is so badly written (by David Loughery) that the characters appear more like caricatures - and that's no fault of the cast. Of course, halfway through the movie, it gets obvious what director Steve Shill and Loughery are trying to do. Obsessed is about pitting Beyonce in a free-for-all catfight against Larter. Everything in the script leads up to it and if they had wrestled in mud, we would not be surprised.

THE LOWDOWN: Don't be tempted by this Illogical Obsession.