40 years after its premiere, the shocking psychological thriller that redefined what the genre could be has landed on a new streaming home. Written by Joe Eszterhas long before he stunned the world with Basic Instinct, Jagged Edge became the gold standard for erotic thrillers in the 80s and 90s. Starring Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges, the film was a masterclass in tension that toyed with the audience’s emotions right up until the very end. Now, it’s yours to relive all over again on Pluto TV.
Hitting theaters on Oct. 4, 1985, Jagged Edge sees Bridges play Jack Forrester, a man accused of the brutal slaying of his socialite wife. When no-nonsense defense attorney Teddy Barnes (Close) takes the case, she commits the cardinal sin of falling for her client. This isn’t a clear-cut case of guilt or innocence, however, and Barnes soon finds herself wondering if she’s defending an innocent man or sleeping with a monster.
‘Jagged Edge’ Redefined What an Erotic Thriller Could Be
Taking in $40 million at the box office against a budget of just $10 million, Jagged Edge laid out the blueprint for all erotic thrillers to follow in the late 80s and early 90s. Aside from the required heat level, it injected a healthy dose of paranoia into the genre, causing the audience to ask: Did Forrester really murder his wife? This turned it into a “whodunit,” which would become commonplace in movies like Basic Instinct and Fatal Attraction later on.
Directed by Richard Marquand, Jagged Edge also elevated the erotic thriller by casting two A-list stars as the leads. Close and Bridges were at the top of their game back then, so for the duo to appear opposite one another in Jagged Edge helped turn it from a sleazy B-movie into a prestigious studio film. It even nabbed itself an Academy Award nod by way of Robert Loggia, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
Hollywood took notice, and suddenly erotic thrillers with a psychological component were everywhere as studios scrambled to replicate the success of Jagged Edge. Films like Blue Velvet, Sea of Love, Black Widow, and Wild Orchid followed in its wake, but none really quite had the same effect until Basic Instinct in 1992.
‘Jagged Edge’ Perfected the Twist Ending
Boasting a strong 79% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Jagged Edge has been called everything from “expertly conceived and executed” to a “slick and manipulative” thriller thanks to its twist ending. Audiences were left shocked when the big reveal came, and while we won’t spoil things here, let’s just say that the final five minutes of Jagged Edge are some of the most anxiety-inducing moments you’ll ever watch. Noted film critic Roger Ebert even called the film “supremely effective” in his review.
Because of the performances of Bridges and Close, and because of the impact Jagged Edge had on the erotic thriller genre, we highly recommend you check it out when you have the time. It just arrived on Pluto TV this month, so be sure to add it to your watchlist.
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