Between a Larter and a Beyonce
Jun. 6th, 2023 06:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
setsuled
Ari Larter sets her sights on Idris Elba who's happily married to Beyonce in 2009's Obsessed. From the cheap sets to the boring cinematography to the weak writing, this one feels hastily slapped together. But it's kind of fun watching these beautiful people tussling.
Elba plays Derek Charles, an executive vice president at a very important company with important clients (I couldn't figure out what they do). Into his world of clean offices with glass walls, in strides a beautiful temp called Lisa (Larter).
Derek's wife, Sharon (Beyonce), is immediately bothered because she has forbidden Derek from having a female assistant--she was his assistant before they got married. This is one of the issues broached by the film that seems like it could've born more examination. In fact, the screenplay goes out of its way to make Sharon seem like a pill without ever addressing it. When she finds Derek at the hospital and finally learns about Lisa's increasingly crazy antics, her response is to blow up at Derek without hesitation. If I were him, I'd be asking myself if a spouse with such hair-trigger fury and distrust is worth the placating. But I guess they do have a kid.
It's not like Lisa's a good alternative, though. She builds her delusions fast and drugs Derek's drink to protect them. She lies to people at his hotel to get into his room, she ambushes him in the men's room at the Christmas party. The only scary thing about this movie is how clear it makes it that a girl just a bit smarter than Lisa wouldn't have such a hard time pulling a frame job on a guy like Derek.
Elba's so overqualified for this movie. He easily gives the best performance and he's the point of view character for most of it until the finale when Larter and Beyonce have a really dumb fight sequence.
Larter's barefoot, wearing only a jersey, and Beyonce is wearing boots with heels. That Larter ever has an edge is pretty far-fetched, especially considering how much time the film's spent establishing Sharon has deep anger issues.
