Fatale (2020) Synopsis

Derrick Tyler is a former college basketball star who has gone on to build a successful sports management agency in Los Angeles with his best friend Rafe Grimes, representing African-American athletes. His marriage to Tracie, a real estate agent, is failing, and he suspects she is having an affair. Rafe is also pressuring him to sell the company to a larger corporation, which Derrick, valuing his independence, refuses to do.During a business trip to Las Vegas, Rafe encourages Derrick to vent his frustrations by having a fling of his own. Removing his wedding ring and introducing himself as Darren from Seattle, he catches the attention of a woman at a bar. She admits she is also looking for casual sex, and after flirting on the dance floor, they end up in her hotel room. While trying to sneak out the next morning, he discovers that she has locked his phone in the room safe and is coerced into having sex with her again.Returning to LA, a guilty Derrick reconciles with Tracie. That night, Derrick hears what sounds like a break-in; investigating, he is attacked by a masked burglar and barely manages to fight him off. The police arrive and the detective assigned to the case, Valerie Quinlan, is revealed to be the woman from Las Vegas. She asks Tracie questions that have no relevance to the break-in and implies to Derrick that she could be compelled to reveal his affair or, for a price, keep silent. In her spare time, Valerie stalks her ex-husband, local politician Carter Heywood, who filed a restraining order against her after she left her service weapon unattended while drunk and their daughter Haley accidentally shot herself, leaving her using a wheelchair. Valerie has also been stripped of her custody rights and is desperate to get her daughter back, hoping a corruption scandal Carter is embroiled in will work in her favor.During her investigation, Valerie discovers that Tracie is cheating on Derrick with Rafe. She informs Derrick of this by encouraging him to peer into the window at the beach house where they rendezvous with binoculars to see for himself. She also suggests that Tracie hired the burglar to kill Derrick. The shock and anguish is enough to briefly drive him back into Valerie's arms, before he confronts Tracie and Rafe directly and throws his wedding ring down as Tracie coldly mocks him. The next day, Derrick is arrested and Valerie tells him Tracie and Rafe were murdered soon after he left them. The suspicion this throws on Derrick ruins his reputation and the district attorney intends to file charges. Realizing Valerie committed the murders herself, Derrick confides in his cousin Tyrin who then, along with a friend, breaks into Valerie's apartment intending to force a confession, but she fights back and kills both of them. Valerie then offers to frame Tyrin instead of Derrick for Tracie and Rafe's murders if Derrick agrees to kill Carter, who has made it clear to Valerie that he can manipulate the courts in his favor and she will never see her daughter again. Derrick approaches Carter while he is jogging and attempts to warn him, but a struggle ensues and Carter is accidentally shot dead.Derrick goes to Valerie's apartment and she admits to killing Tracie, Rafe, Tyrin and Tyrin's friend. She says she will kill anyone who prevents her getting her daughter back. He realizes this includes him and they shoot each other. As a wounded Derrick leaves, Valerie blindsides and stabs him repeatedly before he shoots her again, this time fatally. As she dies, he reveals that he recorded her confession. He goes to meet the arriving police.(copied from Wikipedia)

Derrick Tyler is a former college basketball star who has gone on to build a successful sports management agency in Los Angeles with his best friend Rafe Grimes, representing African-American athletes. His marriage to Tracie, a real estate agent, is failing, and he suspects she is having an affair. Rafe is also pressuring him to sell the company to a larger corporation, which Derrick, valuing his independence, refuses to do.During a business trip to Las Vegas, Rafe encourages Derrick to vent his frustrations by having a fling of his own. Removing his wedding ring and introducing himself as Darren from Seattle, he catches the attention of a woman at a bar. She admits she is also looking for casual sex, and after flirting on the dance floor, they end up in her hotel room. While trying to sneak out the next morning, he discovers that she has locked his phone in the room safe and is coerced into having sex with her again.Returning to LA, a guilty Derrick reconciles with Tracie. That night, Derrick hears what sounds like a break-in; investigating, he is attacked by a masked burglar and barely manages to fight him off. The police arrive and the detective assigned to the case, Valerie Quinlan, is revealed to be the woman from Las Vegas. She asks Tracie questions that have no relevance to the break-in and implies to Derrick that she could be compelled to reveal his affair or, for a price, keep silent. In her spare time, Valerie stalks her ex-husband, local politician Carter Heywood, who filed a restraining order against her after she left her service weapon unattended while drunk and their daughter Haley accidentally shot herself, leaving her using a wheelchair. Valerie has also been stripped of her custody rights and is desperate to get her daughter back, hoping a corruption scandal Carter is embroiled in will work in her favor.During her investigation, Valerie discovers that Tracie is cheating on Derrick with Rafe. She informs Derrick of this by encouraging him to peer into the window at the beach house where they rendezvous with binoculars to see for himself. She also suggests that Tracie hired the burglar to kill Derrick. The shock and anguish is enough to briefly drive him back into Valerie's arms, before he confronts Tracie and Rafe directly and throws his wedding ring down as Tracie coldly mocks him. The next day, Derrick is arrested and Valerie tells him Tracie and Rafe were murdered soon after he left them. The suspicion this throws on Derrick ruins his reputation and the district attorney intends to file charges. Realizing Valerie committed the murders herself, Derrick confides in his cousin Tyrin who then, along with a friend, breaks into Valerie's apartment intending to force a confession, but she fights back and kills both of them. Valerie then offers to frame Tyrin instead of Derrick for Tracie and Rafe's murders if Derrick agrees to kill Carter, who has made it clear to Valerie that he can manipulate the courts in his favor and she will never see her daughter again. Derrick approaches Carter while he is jogging and attempts to warn him, but a struggle ensues and Carter is accidentally shot dead.Derrick goes to Valerie's apartment and she admits to killing Tracie, Rafe, Tyrin and Tyrin's friend. She says she will kill anyone who prevents her getting her daughter back. He realizes this includes him and they shoot each other. As a wounded Derrick leaves, Valerie blindsides and stabs him repeatedly before he shoots her again, this time fatally. As she dies, he reveals that he recorded her confession. He goes to meet the arriving police.(copied from Wikipedia)

Published Time: 2021-01-08 14:28:08