Malicious

I was startled that this film has been ripped so mercilessly apart here, because I've always found it quite engaging. Years after it was released another filmmaker liked it enough to put huge chunks of it in "Swim Fan," which doesn't hold a candle to this original. I found Molly Ringwald quite chilling and felt that Patrick McGaw, playing a true innocent, broke my heart. Indeed, I think that McGaw almost singlehandedly SAVES this movie, because at least SOME of us care about him and the mess he ends up in after having hot (but oh so foolish) sex in Ringwald's car with her. Alas, she's a master manipulator and knows precisely which buttons to press to get what she wants, and later when McGaw's character suddenly gets a spine and begins to fight back, it becomes a race to see if he and his sweet girlfriend will survive Ringwald's lethal lunacy. I jumped at the chance to replace my VHS copy of this with the DVD and have never regretted it.

Malicious is a very poor film, reminiscent of the old B-Movies, only not as good. It appears to be a straight rip-off of Fatal Attraction, but omitting any pretension of a plot. Don't get me wrong, I like Molly Ringwald, she is good in most of her films and she tries hard in this one, but isn't given a chance. There is only so much that can be done with so little plot, which isn't helped by the character of Doug Gordon being so thin. If you like Ringwald, watch this movie, otherwise look elsewhere for a good thriller.

Doug Gordon (Patrick McGaw) is the star college baseball player with girlfriend Laura (Sarah Lassez). He's taken with mysterious student Melissa Nelson (Molly Ringwald) at a party. She propositions him. They have a sexual affair. He starts brushing her off which only angers her.

This is a B-movie version of 'Fatal Attraction'. I didn't like Michael Douglas' character in that movie. I like this idiot even less. Patrick McGaw has limited charisma. Molly Ringwald is probably the only interesting part in this movie who is acting circles around McGaw. It's also a little sad to see her reduced to a lesser erotic B-movie. It may be worthwhile to see Molly Ringwald for some people but there's not much reason for anybody else.

It's FATAL ATTRACTION among the college set. Patrick McGaw is a star college baseball player being scouted by the pro teams. After a one-night stand with Molly Ringwald, she starts stalking him, which his girlfriend, Sarah Lassez, doesn't care for. Mimi Kuzyk plays McGaw's mom, John Vernon the cop who tells him that Ringwald has a restraining order against him.

Ringwald plays the maniac okay, but there's no real dazzle in her performance, possible because McGaw never really brings any sense of outrage to the role; he's just trying to get through the events until he gets that big contract. In the entire cast, only Vernon manages anything on the mark, listening to McGaw without offering anything that he's just doing his job and doesn't believe or disbelieve anything people say. Ian Corson directs efficiently, without raising any real sense of madness among the characters. It's a desultory potboiler, bringing no sense that anyone was interested in more than a paycheck.

While MALICIOUS is of the tribe of FATAL ATTRACTION, I think other commentators here have overlooked its obvious progenitor. The scenario of the final section -- the psycho becomes the girlfriend's roommate under an assumed name -- is a direct lift from PLAY "MISTY" FOR ME. In this version, though, there are two huge improbabilities: A). Melissa is a notorious fugitive of wealthy background who did in her own dad -- it is incredible that Laura has never seen her picture; and B.) when our hero learns Melissa is in Laura's apartment, instead of calling the police immediately, he goes hurling across San Francisco on a motorcycle, unarmed, in the rain. I hope I never need him to rescue me.