| Single White Female | |
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Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Barbet Schroeder |
| Produced by | Barbet Schroeder |
| Screenplay by | Don Roos |
| Based on | Novel by John Lutz |
| Starring | Bridget Fonda Jennifer Jason Leigh Steven Weber Peter Friedman |
| Music by | Howard Shore |
| Cinematography | Luciano Tovoli |
| Editing by | Lee Percy |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 14, 1992 |
| Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $48,017,402 |
Single White Female is a 1992 American erotic thriller based on John Lutz's novel SWF Seeks Same. The film stars Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh and is directed by Barbet Schroeder.
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Alison "Allie" Jones (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; Allie breaks off the engagement and asks him to leave. The next morning she attends a business lunch with Mitchell Myerson, 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. She eventually settles on Hedra Carlson (Leigh), whom she immediately 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 reveals her true nature: secretive, manipulative and deeply disturbed. She erases Sam's phone messages when he calls to plead with Allie for a reconciliation, and takes a letter he sends for her. She secretly buys a puppy and pretends it was a stray in order to bond with Allie. Her behavior worsens when Sam returns in person and is able to win Allie back.
Fearing she will be kicked out of the apartment in favor of Sam, Hedy does everything possible to make Sam look bad, even killing the puppy and making it look like it was his fault. Hedy then copies Allie's appearance, right down her hairstyle.
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.
Allie finds a box in Hedy's room containing Sam's letter, Hedy's real name (Ellen Besch), and newspaper clippings revealing her twin sister actually drowned when they were nine. She follows an unaware Hedy that night to an underground sex club, and witnesses her passing herself off as Allie. Utterly disturbed, she seeks out her friend Graham, who insists she get Hedy to move out. Hedy overhears their conversation and later attacks Graham.
Hedy, posing as Allie, sneaks into Sam's hotel room and performs oral sex on him. Afterwards Hedy attempts to blackmail Sam but he insists in telling Allie the truth. Hedy kills him by gouging his eye with her stiletto heel. As she leaves his apartment complex, the doorman mistakes her for Allie. 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 she intends to frame Allie for Sam's murder since any witnesses will assume they are the same person.
As Myerson did not make the full payment to Allie, her anti-theft software activates and erases his files. He comes to the apartment building looking for Allie and, finding her tied up, attempts to free her. Before he can set her free, however, Hedy sneaks up on him and kills him. She is about to execute Allie, when Allie pleads "don't make me leave you". Hedy is convinced that Allie has come to realise her place as a twin, and plans to run away with her, until she catches Allie making another attempt to escape. A violent fight ensues, during which Graham regains consciousness and is able to briefly assist Allie. The struggle ends with Allie stabbing Hedy to death.
In an epilogue, Allie narrates that she has finally moved on. She forgives Hedy for killing Sam, and herself for killing Hedy, as she believes Hedy's downfall was an example of how survivor's guilt can destroy someone. The film ends with a closeup of a photograph presumably made by Hedy of their faces superimposed into one; it lies partly hidden from view amongst Allie's possessions.
The film debuted at No. 2 in the United States,[1][2] and grossed just over $48 million at the box office.[3]
The film received mixed reviews. It currently holds a 55% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 37 reviews (20 positive, 17 negative).[4]
The film was followed by an unrelated direct to video sequel, Single White Female 2: The Psycho, released in 2005 starring Kristen Miller.
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