Synopsis
A woman escapes from the man who is about to rape her, but leaves her purse behind. Afraid that her attacker might come after her, she goes to the police, but with no proof of the incident, they can do nothing. In fact, the man does use the information in her bag and comes to her apartment with the intent of rape, but she sprays him in the face with insect repellent, and then holds him captive. She is then faced with deciding whether to go to the police who might not believe her and release him, or to kill him.
Votre Filmothèque
Cast
- Farrah FawcettMarjorie
- James RussoJoe
- Alfre WoodardPatricia
- Diana ScarwidTerry
- Sandy MartinOfficer Sudow
- Eddie VelezOfficer #1
- Tom EverettOfficer #2
- Donna Lynn LeavyWoman on Phone (voice)
- Enid KentMother at Police Station
- Michael HennessyPizza Man
Recommandations
- 88
The Associated Press
A taut, even thoughtful thriller that offers 90 minutes of almost unrelieved tension. The plot is full of unexpected turns, the acting is terrific and the direction holds attention throughout. No "Cobra," this. [1 Oct 1986] - 70
Newsweek
Fawcett is admirable; evoking the pathos of beauty that turns from a blessing into a target, her own beauty is deepening into courage and talent. [1 Sept 1986, p.86] - 63
Miami Herald
And though this may seem a perverse observation, Extremities just doesn't work as well magnified and distanced by celluloid. If the attack involves a real man and woman who are just feet away in the same room, the horror, engagement and catharsis are far more deeply felt. [22 Aug 1986, p.D1] - 60
TV Guide Magazine
Originally an off-Broadway play, EXTREMITIES projects the powerful rancor of the play, but the film also retains some deadening theatricality that doesn't work on screen. - 40
The New York Times
THE smashing, crashing, thrashing battle between Farrah Fawcett and James Russo that takes up about half of Extremities leaves the contestants in a state of exhaustion -and the movie along with them. - 40
Los Angeles Times
Anger? Outrage? Are these new feelings for audiences dealing with the fact of rape--aborted or not? You might hope not, but if they are, the film generates them, as well as the shamefully satisfying taste of bone-cracking revenge. But they still don’t add up to reason enough to make a movie, or to make it in 1986. - 30
Chicago Reader
There aren't any flesh-and-blood characters here, only superimposed attitudes: it's almost like reading a rape-crisis textbook, with every lesson italicized. - 30
Washington Post
Extremities pretends to be a serious movie, and in a film culture where women are routinely exploited and revenge is taken blithely, it is, at least, a departure. But we don't learn anything about men and women, or revenge, from "Extremities" -- we just watch people score debating points, to the tune of J.A.C. Redford's stale TV-movie score.
