Fatal Instinct (1993)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Carl Reiner

Writer (WGA):

David O'Malley (written by)

Release Date:

29 October 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Sex, murder and revenge were never this funny.

Plot:

A spoof of the late 80s and early 90s suspense thrillers and murder mysteries, including Basic Instinct...

Plot Keywords:

Gun | Murder | Spoof | Bathtub Scene | Love Triangle

Cast

Armand Assante	...	Ned Ravine
Sherilyn Fenn	...	Laura Lincolnberry
Kate Nelligan	...	Lana Ravine
Sean Young	...	Lola Cain
Christopher McDonald	...	Frank Kelbo
James Remar	...	Max Shady
Tony Randall	...	Judge Skanky
Clarence Clemons	...	Clarence
Michael Cumpsty	...	Laura's Husband
John Witherspoon	...	Arch
Blake Clark	...	Milo Crumley
Edward Blanchard	...	Restroom Patron
David Greenlee	...	Restroom Stall Patron
Tim Frisbie	...	Guy in Bumper Car
Michael MacCleod	...	Freckle-Faced Kid

Also Known As:

Triple Indemnity (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Yiddish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:A (Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #32512) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Australia:PG | Denmark:7 (2003) | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Sherilyn Fenn was originally considered for the role of the femme fatale Lola, eventually played by Sean Young. Fenn opted for the role of Armand Assante's lovesick secretary Laura and suggested director Carl Reiner cast Young as Lola.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Ravine throws a shoe out the window at the bird, it hits a background screen.

Quotes:

Frank Kelbo: [after having been shown Lana's elaborate plan to kill Ned] You've been thinking about this for a long time, haven't you, baby?
Lana Ravine: No... It just came to me.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Cape Fear (1962)

Soundtrack:

Brown Eyed Girl

Triple indemnity

Carl Reiner, a man that knows about comedy, is the man behind this spoof on the noir genre. Mr. Reiner, working here with David O'Malley's screen play, has created a film that parodies movies like "Double Indemnity", "Basic Instinct", and "Fatal Attraction", among others, with great style.

The result is a film with some clever lines spoken by the cast as though they are acting in the prototype movies that Mr. Reiner is spoofing, with great panache. Not everything works, but when it does, the fun never seems to stop making us laugh.

The cast Mr. Reiner assembled is up to the task. Armand Assante is excellent as Ned Ravine, a man who is a policeman and lawyer and who does some excellent dancing in those red stiletto shoes his character seems to love. Sherilyn Fenn is the loyal secretary Laura. Kate Nelligan does an excellent imitation of Barbara Stanwyck as the scheming wife, Lana. Sean Young has some good moments in the film.

"Fatal Instinct" is a film to watch with a lot of friends. Mr. Reiner shows why he has been one of the best comic writers in America.