User reviews

A flick I ran across on home video in the mid-1990s in a vhs bargain bin. Originally filmed in 1990 with the intent on it being a theatrical release, then subsequently shelved by the movie studio for a few years and eventually getting a brief release on the cable movie channel Showtime and turning up as a home video rental.

I suppose I can see as to why Fatal Charm never made it to the movie theaters, since it in essence smacks of being something made-for-tv. Far as star power goes. Christopher Atkins circa 1990 wasn't going to be much of a draw at the box office, nor was Can't Buy Me Love co-star Amanda Peterson.

Ultimately, though, it's the sort of scattershot, all-over-the-place nature of the plot combined with a lot of situational silliness that kinda sinks Fatal Charm. The plot concerns itself with a cute but depraved young man accused of raping and murdering several women (the film is pretty explicit in professing his guilt, so there's really no 'whodunnit' or 'did he do it?' angle) and a high school teen girl who inexplicably becomes obsessed with him. There's the subplot of the high school girl being uncomfortable with her mother's boyfriend who is trying to molest her, along with the subplot of the said girl ditching school to see the trial of her obsession, along with the subplot of his conviction/incarceration/escape from prison. The various situations seemed fairly plausible as the movie began but the flick got more and more silly as the story unfolded and the conclusion is an eye-roller.

Fatal Charm is a decent suspense thriller, although it's very difficult to find nowadays. The beautiful Amanda Peterson (Can't Buy Me Love) plays a teenage girl who becomes infatuated with a handsome man accused of killing several women. The guy is played well enough by Christopher Atkins. The movie was actually made about three years before it was released, but had alot of production and marketing problems. There are some pretty good suspenseful moments for this low budget film. Fatal Charm does have some weak moments due to the script, but that's to be expected. The performances are pretty good, especially Peterson's. Mary Frann , from Newhart, plays a less than perfect mother. Although she no longer acts professionally, she is one of her best performances. I do suggest renting this movie if you happen to run across, or don't have anything better to do. It won't change the world of filmmaking, but hopefully it will be rereleased on DVD.