The Last Seduction is a Neo-Noir film from 1994 directed by John Dahl and starring Linda Fiorentiono, Peter Berg and Bill Pullman. It narrates the story of Bridget, who after stealing her husband's drug money, runs away to a small town, where she seduces a man so as to convince him to murder her husband.
The scene I have chosen to analyse is the one in which Bridget enters the bar in Beston and first meets Mike. The scene is shot with low- key lighting reflecting the dark and dirty themes of the film. It also highlights elements of Bridget's character. The bar depicted is very typical of American bars, and is mostly filled with men. The fact that Bridget walks in confidently shows her to be a women with traits of masculinity. She is wearing a suit, again emphasising her masculinity. It also suggests that she is from a big city or a professional background. This is reiterated when Mike later says to her "you're not from around here, are you?" She is wearing monochrome themes, suggesting that everything is very black and white in her life.
At the bar, the bartender ignores Bridget and doesn't give her a drink. This reflects the patriarchal dominance of the society, serving a binary opposition of Bridget's character. Mike eventually steps in and buys her a drink, depicting him as someone who believes in traditional morals such as chivalry. He attempts to be charming so as to woo Bridget. Bridget is abrupt and cold in the way she talks, and this establishes her ruthlessness with Mike from the very start of their relationship. She is very forward and coming with her sexuality in this scene, and this foreshadows that she will use her sexuality to her advantage.
The atmosphere and music in the bar sets it up as clearly from a small town. This makes Bridget stand out in the crowd, reiterating her comandeering personality.
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