Female
Starring Bridget Fonda, Jennifer Jason Leigh Reviewed by Louise Whittle ALISON JONES (Fonda), a young, successful middle class woman advertises in the personal column for a flatmate, following a fight with her live-in boyfriend. A number of women apply, all polite, pleasant white women, but all with a different stereotypical quirk vhich puts Alison off She eventually settles for a seemingly 'stable' women Is herself Hedra (Leigh). Unfortunately seeing is not believing Hedra quickly becomes dependant upon Alison and tries to disguise her needs by sublimating them into overprotection from 'outside When Alison is sexually asaulted by her boss, Hedra defends her more fiercely than Alison herself was prepared to. Alison, has mixed feelings about this defence: "I hope you never get angry with me, Heddie However, it is when Alison is re-united with her boyfriend that Hedra's insecurities spill over into murderous action. She drops any pretence at being anything other than completely crazy. The film then degenerates rapidly into a slasher movie.
By an NUJ member The Daily Mirror - Britain's only mass circulation proLabour newspaper - is in deep crisis following the sacking of over 100 production journalists at its London head office. Fears are also growing that newly-ap pointed rightwing bosses serald a marked change in political direction.
Hedra had a twin who she says was still-born, but who, we later find out, died in a plication is clearly that this accident is centrally responsible for her later 'madness' This film could have been 2 good suspense film but fails nstead it collapses into ridiculous plot twists and a hopelessly simplistic view of mental illness.
These types of 'psychological' (Hollywood standard) films are becoming very popular; from Fatal Attraction, The Hand that Rocks he Cradle and Cape Fear to Single White Female. All share some essentially flawed the helpless crazy person, the blamelessness of society, the sanctity of the family unit.
They also tend to share (for the purposes of stringing out the very thin story line) a bizarre view of how hard it is to kill a 'crazy person. Witness the resurrection of Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction after apparently drowning. A similarly astonishing resilience is demonstrated by Hedra in Single White Female.
The few moments of genuine suspense, the very good acting and the excellent suspense-thriller potential are all sadly suffocated by the 'safe formula of a psychological thriller.
The great disappointment is that very few mainstream directors seem willing to break out of the stranglehold that Hollywood maintains over what a 'successful' plot can be.
Scotland's Daily Record and Sunday Mail, have stepped uf campaignine dear of beit Proprietor, forme abour MP Robert Maxwell late last year.
But the company is now controlled by banks out to recoup some of the millions of pounds Maxwell owed. Montgomery s brief is to increase profitability and prepare a future sell-off. Palestinian women outside the house where three have just been killed