Is there anything new or groundbreaking about "OBSESSED"? The Beyonce starrer that opened at an obviously unexpected #1 this weekend? Besides Idris Elba and his fine self? No. It's a "Fatal Attraction" retread - and not a fresh one. I guess the big twist is "Oh, we'll make the couple black and the ho white!" Apparently the box office was driven primarily (58%) by women, of which half were 25 or under. Now, that is most likely due to Ms. Knowles (or Mrs. Carter). And who were the other 42%?
Would the movie have done as well on a bigger weekend? With different stars? Better story? Who knows? All I know is - I wish "Hollywood" would make up it's mind about...well, anything but specifically about female driven projects. Television (cable or otherwise) is the current domain of female driven projects. Just about every network has at least one successful skein with a female protagonist.
I have a theory about that. Having just had this conversation last week with my manager (who I love =)) about the new script I delivered. An erotic thriller with a female protagonist entitled "151". It's 'R' rated - for language, sex and violence. Think Joe Eszterhas in his prime...think "Basic Instinct", "The Jagged Edge", "Body Heat", "The Last Seduction." My manager's first suggestion was "Let's take it to Lifetime." .....cricket, cricket, cricket....hello, is this thing on? Don't get me wrong. I'd LOVE to sell something to Lifetime! I'd love to sell something to anyone! But the reasoning behind the logic went like this..."The Women" was terrible and it tanked."
Now, "The Women" was a much ballyhoed project around town for many years. Almost every 'A' list actress was attached to it at one time or another. When the "Sex and the City" movie came out and killed - all of Hollywood went bananas - shocked! shocked, I say that the movie based on the wildly successful and enduringly popular series was doing such gangbuster business. And assuming that we women are out here waiting for just any bullshit movie with a Vajayjay. Obviously, that's not true. Because nobody had an appetite for "The Women" - it wasn't able to draft behind SATC's success. It tanked....with all of our female driven hopes and dreams tied to it???????
I think women, just like men - all being human - are attracted to good escapist fare. Give us an underdog who comes out on top, a person in peril who kicks ass, a misunderstood superhero (or villian for that matter), a story we can relate to and an outcome we can cheer for and we're happy. And these days, with the "all too real" doom and gloom the media is feeding us 24/7, we need that escapist fare even more. And if there's hot sex, cool subcultures, exotic locales and a feel good ass kicking involved - Yahoo! Why should Lifetime have all the fun? I'm just sayin'...
By the way, Idris Elba is a fine Mother F**cker! Loved him since "The Wire" and his turns on "The Office" and "RockNRolla" have deepened that love. I even tried to watch something awful called "The Unborn" because he was in it. Unfortunately he wasn't in the first 15 minutes and I bailed. He also deejays under the name "Big Driis the Londoner" and has produced music with JayZ! He brings it. He is a man; capitol M-A-N, Man! So thrilled to see his career is on FIRE!
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