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Fear is a frightening realistic movie about abuse, but not from marital, but from the relationship of a teenage couple. You would think that, from my previous movie review, that I am a fan of Reese Witherspoon. It was just a coincidence; I had no idea she was in this movie, until I saw the opening credits. Other well known actors in this movie include Mark Wahlberg, and Alyssa Milano.
The story begins with Reese Witherspoon’s character (Nicole) meeting Mark Wahlberg’s character (David), and she falls head over heels for him. He’s handsome, charming, and drives a sweet convertible. The other girls are jealous, and he takes her out in public to show his affection. He is even smitten with her family. He is the perfect guy. Or is he?
The movie Fear (from 1996, by the way) opens with a Reese Witherspoon shower scene, so you haven’t recognized her as a sex object at some point, you may begin to after watching this film. In fact, you definitely will. She looks incredibly young in this movie, and I assume her part contributed to the way her career blossomed. Her young and pretty image surely put her on the map the same way Dusk Till Dawn had for butter-face Juliette Lewis. I assume the same for Mark Wahlberg, whom people may have recognized as Marky Mark at the time.
The father of Witherspoon’s character in the movie Fear is played by William Petersen. If you do not know who that is, he was the main character from the original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation show from when it first went on the air. I would say he was the guy you wanted to punch in the face for being so egotistic, but that would describe the entire cast, and frankly, the whole plot and series of CSI. Just know that he was a big name actor.
The brilliant plot aspects of the movie Fear cannot be ignored when discussing its success as a psychological thriller. The film masterfully weaves together elements of suspense, tension, and character development, creating a memorable cinematic experience for the audience. The unpredictability of certain events and the depth of its central characters contribute to the film’s engaging narrative. Furthermore, Fear leaves viewers deeply invested in uncovering the hidden motivations of the characters, resulting in a dramatic and satisfying climax.
The movie Fear hits close to home. It will remind you of what being a teenager is all about: first loves, first regrets, and the importance of family. If this sounds cheesy, you are completely wrong. This is a great date movie, because it helps break the ice and brings controversial relationship issues to the forefront. I highly recommend you buy this movie
One thing that Fear will make you believe is that Mark Wahlberg can play a convincing yet troubled teenager, which is hilarious considering the actual fact that Wahlberg himself was involved in some serious trouble at that age. Some may say that he was just “good at his role,” but others might make jokes about him beating someone up in real life. Regardless, his performance in this movie definitely added to its overall authenticity, making it a must-see for fans of the genre.
The Cast of Fear
Much of the cast has already been discussed, but their combined acting ability creates a perfect storm of terror that’s both convincing and heart-pounding up to the last minute of the movie.
William Peterson, when this movie was released in 1996, was probably among the most famous and well known performers at the time. In this movie, he portrays Steven, who is the father of Nicole. He was in the movie ‘To Live and Die in LA’, an action thriller from late 1985 starring Willem Dafoe that definitely boosted his status and recognition. Peterson always had a sort of soft or vulnerable impression alongside his assertiveness, which made him the perfect candidate to play Nicole’s father. The way that David manipulates him (and his whole family) shows how well the father was cast.
His daughter Nicole is played by Reese Witherspoon, who should be thankful for being given this role, since her placement in the film helped paved the way for other teen roles, like Freeway (from the same year), Election and Legally Blonde 2. As time went on, she lost her baby-face look, but kept her irritating high-pitched voice. Most people know who this actor is by name, and ironically became more famous than William Peterson.
Her love interest David, performed by Mark Wahlberg, was cast perfectly. This is because he was sort of a bad dude in real life as well, arrested for violent crimes. He was already famous for being a music performer, and was even featured in a Sega CD game. His perfect body made him a prime candidate for Calvin Klein underwear commercials, so why not throw him into a teen movie as the main heart-throb?
Alyssa Milano, who played Nicole’s best friend Margo, was played the perfect bad-influence teenage girl. In the movie, she even admits to Nicole that she is her only friend. (Gee, I wonder why?) She dresses in a way to get men’s attention, smokes crack, and flirts with Nicole’s dad. It’s really hard to see the good side of this person. In real life, the actress is known for being in movies like Commando, and TV shows like Charmed.
Actress Amy Brenneman portrayed the step-mother of Nicole, named Laura. She performs a great job at bad mothering, including calling Nicole a ‘slut’, and in the same breath brushes off her sexual activity as if it’s normal. Laura herself gets emotionally manipulated into liking David, while growing frustrated with her new husband, Steven. Brennerman is known for being in the movie ‘Heat’.
