The Last Seduction

Anyone check you for a heartbeat recently?

—Frank Griffith

A 1994 Neo-Noir film directed by John Dahl, The Last Seduction starred Linda Fiorentino and Peter Berg. It’s perhaps best known for being disqualified from Oscar consideration that year due to it showing on HBO just before premiering in theaters.

Bridget Gregory is the bored wife of Clay, a drug dealer. One day, she swipes a bag of money from him and skips town to Chicago. On her way there, she meets Mike, a divorced man who immediately falls for her. When Clay sends goons to track down his wife and stolen cash, Bridget decides to use Mike in an elaborate scheme to get her past off her back.

Tropes used in The Last Seduction include:

• Amoral Attorney: Bridget's lawyer, played by the original Hey, It's That Guy!, J.T. Walsh.
• Asshole Victim: Clay
• Black Dude Dies First: Harlan is the first character to die.
• Con Artist: Bridget.
• Domestic Abuser: Clay with Bridget
• Evil Is Sexy
• Femme Fatale: Bridget
• Film Noir
• Frame-Up: Bridget puts a pretty good one on Mike.
• Karma Houdini: Mike is busted for murder and rape, while Bridget goes off scot-free.
• Line-of-Sight Name: Bridget comes up with the alias Wendy Kroy after gazing at a poster of New York in the mirror.
• Manipulative Bastard: Bridget
• Miscarriage of Justice: The ending implies that Mike will spend the rest of his life in prison for Bridget's crimes.
• The Perfect Crime
• Phone Trace Race: Performed by Clay and Harlan when Bridget calls.
• Private Detective: Harlan and Bert.
• Smoking Is Cool
• The Unfair Sex: Completely and utterly averted.
• The Vamp: Bridget
• Villain Protagonist: Bridget
• Woman in Black: Bridget's favorite color
• Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Bridget pulls this in the final scene to put the rap on Mike.
• Xanatos Speed Chess: Bridget is a grandmaster.