Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.
“Fatal Affair” is tame, predictable, and lacks any sort of chemistry between its lead actress and her co-stars.
| Director(s) | Peter Sullivan |
| Screenplay By | Peter Sullivan, Rasheeda Garner |
| Date Released (Netflix) | 7/16/2020 |
| Genre(s) | Crime, Drama, Horror, Thriller |
| Duration | 1 Hour 29 Minutes |
| Rating | TV-14 |
| Noted Cast | |
| Ellie | Nia Long |
| Marcus | Stephen Bishop |
| David | Omar Epps |
This content contains pertinent spoilers.
Plot Summary
Ellie is a highly successful lawyer whose husband, due to a recent accident, hasn’t been as intimate as she likes. So, when a college acquaintance approaches her and woos her one night, she has a moment of weakness. But, with her calling it quits and him not willing to give up so easily, a moment’s mistake threatens her marriage and multiple people’s lives.
Cast & Characters
Ellie (Nia Long)
Brief Description
Ellie is a successful attorney who decides to leave the city and open a small firm that doesn’t focus on huge, multi-million dollar cases. Also, she is a mother of one, a daughter who is in college, Berkeley specifically, as well as the wife of her college sweetheart.
Marcus (Stephen Bishop)
Brief Description
An architect who, after a recent accident, had to take time off, and due to their rehabilitation, they became distant to their wife, Ellie.
David (Omar Epps)
Brief Description
Someone who knew Ellie in college, over 20 years ago, who comes back into her life just as she is leaving her old firm Weissman and Tanner and hopes to reconnect.
Low Point
You May Never Feel Invested In Ellie’s Relationships
When it comes to Ellie, nearly everyone feels disconnected. Her relationship to her husband, Marcus, doesn’t leave you feeling there is, or was a spark. If anything, they have the kind of relationship which seemingly lasted because they had a kid and got comfortable. Then with David, even when things were good, you weren’t fanning yourself or wishing Long, and Epps starred in more movies together. It’s just dry, uninspiring, and scripted.
On The Fence
It’s What We Usually Get Once A Year
Nearly every year we get a thriller starring one or two well known Black actors with there being one person with a mental illness that, thanks to a single act of kindness or intimacy, they lose their mind. “Fatal Affair” follows what its predecessors have done, but, with being TV-14, it lacks any sort of sexual content or violence to at least give it the occasional pop.
Mind you, the acting is decent, though far from what you’d expect from veterans in the game. However, if these types of films are your thing, while it won’t make any of your top lists, you’ll be okay with watching it straight through.
Overall Rating
Would Watch Again? – One and Done
Rating: Negative (Acquired Taste)
“Fatal Affair” might be the type of movie that just isn’t that good without an audience. Maybe people calling stuff out at the screen is necessary to see this as good? Because, as is, it’s predictable, formulaic, and a disappointment. Granted, one you can watch without major issues, but its familiarity keeps it from being anything you’ll want to view again.
Where To Watch
Fatal Affair Ending Explained (Spoilers)
So, with Marcus falling off a cliff and being so injured he ended up in a body cast, that made things difficult for Ellie and him to be intimate, so that caused them to become distant. Enter David, who was a tech consultant for Ellie’s former firm, before she ventured out on her own, that is also a hacker. Which he openly says, and this allows him to threaten Ellie multiple times when it becomes clear Ellie doesn’t want to have an affair or leave Marcus.
Thus leading to your usual, “If I can’t have you” situation where everyone close to Ellie is targeted, and her friend, as well as her assistant, dies. Her daughter and husband would have too but Ellie, temporarily, knocks David out, but doesn’t finish the job, and after more back and forth, David doesn’t die in a spectacular fashion. Rather, he falls off a cliff.
Anti-climatic isn’t it?
Sequel Potential
With David dead, unless he ended up in a cast like Marcus did, which is unlikely, there is no sequel potential.
Images used for editorial and commentary purposes. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.
