Jump to content

Single White Female

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Erpert (talk | contribs) at 06:13, 5 March 2016 (→Plot: tag). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about the 1992 film. For the album by Chely Wright, see Single White Female (album). For its title track, see Single White Female (song).
Single White Female
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBarbet Schroeder
Screenplay byDon Roos
Produced byBarbet Schroeder
StarringBridget Fonda
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Steven Weber
Peter Friedman
CinematographyLuciano Tovoli
Edited byLee Percy
Music byHoward Shore
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • August 14, 1992 (1992-08-14)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$16 million
Box office$48,017,402

Single White Female is a 1992 American erotic thriller film based on John Lutz's novel SWF Seeks Same. The film stars Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh and is directed by Barbet Schroeder.

Plot

Allison "Allie" Jones (Bridget Fonda) is a software designer in New York City, engaged to Sam Rawson (Steven Weber). In the middle of the night, Sam's ex-wife calls, and it is revealed that he slept with her recently. A hurt and angry Allie throws Sam out, breaking off their engagement, and is comforted by neighbor Graham Knox (Peter Friedman), an aspiring actor. The next morning she attends a business lunch with Mitchell Myerson (Stephen Tobolowsky), a fashion house owner who is looking to buy Allie's revolutionary new program. He manipulates her into significantly lowering the cost, on the basis that his recommendations within the industry will be her future business. As he is her first and only client, she accepts.

Allie advertises for a new roommate to share her apartment in the Ansonia. She eventually settles on Hedra Carlson (Jennifer Jason Leigh), whom she nicknames "Hedy", and they become friends. Hedy tells of how she was supposed to be a twin but her twin was stillborn, leaving her with a constant feeling of loneliness. After a few weeks, however, Hedy becomes overly protective of Allie by erasing Sam's voice-mail asking Allie for a reconciliation. Later she buys a puppy that she names Buddy to bond with Allie. Hedy soon becomes jealous and upset when Sam is able to win Allie back.

Allie and Sam seek a new apartment for themselves. On their way back to Allie and Hedy's apartment, Allie is horrified to see that Buddy has fallen to his death from the balcony. Angry and upset, she accuses Hedy of leaving the window open resulting in the puppy's death. However that night while comforting a distraught Hedy, Sam tells her that "if anyone's to blame, it's my fault."

Myerson attempts to rape Allie on completion of their deal, insinuating that if she does not submit to him, he will warn off future clients and not pay her. She fights back and escapes.

To help Allie feel better, Hedy takes her to the salon for a haircut. When Allie is done, Hedy appears on the stairs dressed exactly like her including her haircut which unnerves Allie. Later that night, Allie follows Hedy to an underground nightclub and witnesses Hedy passing herself off as Allie. Later while Hedy is taking a shower, Allie finds a shoebox containing letters addressed to Ellen Besch (Hedy's real name) as well as Sam's letter and a clipping about the accidental drowning of Hedy's twin sister when she was nine.

That night while Allie tells Graham the truth about Hedy, they are unaware that Hedy is listening back in their apartment. When Allie leaves, Hedy goes up to the apartment and attacks Graham.

When Sam returns the following night, Hedy again impersonates Allie and performs oral sex on him. After the act, Hedy begs Sam to leave Allie alone, but Sam refuses and insists on telling Allie the truth. Furious, Hedy kills him, gouging his eye with her stiletto heel.

The next day Hedy tells Allie she is about to leave. Later Allie sees a news report on Sam's death, realizes what has happened and tries to leave. Hedy takes Allie hostage at gunpoint. She states that everyone will assume Allie killed Sam since both Hedy and Allie resemble each other. In order to "protect" Allie, Hedy convinces her that they must run away. When Hedy leaves, Allie attempts to send a distress message, but Hedy catches her and angrily confronts her.

Myerson in the meantime notices his files being erased and rushes off to find Allie. He finds her tied up on the floor, but is attacked and killed by Hedy. Hedy attempts to persuade Allie to commit suicide, but Allie instead smashes the water glass in Hedy's face. The women struggle for the gun which Hedy points at Allie as she tries to run, begging Allie not to leave her. Allie coldly tells her, "I'm not like your sister, Hedy. Not anymore. I'm like you now." Graham regains consciousness and tries to assist Allie but the enraged Hedy refuses to give up. Allie drags Hedy off her friend, flees and is shot in the shoulder by Hedy.

A chase ensues from Graham's apartment to the elevator where Hedy chokes Allie unconscious and drags her towards the furnace. When Hedy finds Allie missing, she grabs a hook from a closet and screams for Allie to come out. Lured into thinking Allie is hiding in another closet, Hedy lashes out at a mirror inside. She is then stabbed in the back by Allie and they struggle briefly before Allie strikes one last blow. She then watches in horror and sadness as Hedy dies.

In an epilogue, Allie narrates that she has finally moved on. She forgives Hedy for killing Sam, and keeps trying to forgive herself for Hedy. She states that Hedy's survivor's guilt was her downfall. Allie states that she knows what happens to those people. The final shot is a photo of her and Hedy's faces superimposed as one.

Cast

Reception

The film debuted at No. 2 on its opening weekend behind Unforgiven,[1][2] and grossed just over $48 million at the box office.[3]

The film received a 56% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 39 reviews (22 positive, 17 negative).[4]

Jennifer Jason Leigh won an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, and was also nominated for a Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress.

The character of Hedy has been cited as an example of borderline personality disorder. She suffers from a markedly disturbed sense of identity, and tries to remedy it by adopting the wholesome attributes of her roommate. It is implied that she feels a deep-seated emptiness, while her fear of abandonment leads to drastic measures.[5]

Sequel

The film was followed by an unrelated direct to video sequel, Single White Female 2: The Psycho, released in 2005 starring Kristen Miller.

  • It was spoofed on a 1992 episode of Saturday Night Live on an It's Pat sketch as "Single White Person" with Pat leasing Pat's apartment to a woman who starts behaving like Pat and tries to push away Pat's best friend Chris.
  • The 2010 Bollywood film Apartment, directed by Jagmohan Mundhra, is inspired by this film.
  • The 2011 film The Roommate was criticized for being a "cheap remake" of Single White Female.[6][7]
  • An episode called "Juliet Wears the Pantsuit" in the eighth season of the TV show Psych references this film.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Weekend Box Office Eastwood Still Tall in the Saddle". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  2. ^ "Weekend Box Office `Unforgiven' at Top for Third Week". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  3. ^ "Single White Female". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  4. ^ "Single White Female". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  5. ^ Robinson DJ. Reel Psychiatry:Movie Portrayals of Psychiatric Conditions. Port Huron, Michigan: Rapid Psychler Press. p. 235. ISBN 1-894328-07-8.
  6. ^ Travers Peter (February 4, 2011). "The Roommate". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  7. ^ Franich, Darren., Staskiewicz, Keith (February 4, 2011). "'Single White Female': The 'Roommate' inspiration signs a lease with PopWatch Rewind". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 22, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Chapman, Alexander L.; Gratz, Kim L. (2007). The Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Living with BPD. Oakland, CA:: New Harbinger Publications. ISBN 978-1-57224-507-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Single_White_Female&oldid=708372923"