Ex, The (Blu-ray Review)
Director
Mark L. LesterRelease Date(s)
1996 (October 21, 2025)Studio(s)
American World Pictures/Lions Gate Films (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)- Film/Program Grade: A-
- Video Grade: A
- Audio Grade: A
- Extras Grade: B
Review
Norman Bates (Psycho), Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs), Annie Wilkes (Misery), and Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) are screen villains that have something in common—they’re all crazy. Insanity removes inhibitions and allow characters to act outside the norms of society while providing plenty of drama. In The Ex, a man’s unstable first wife returns, cleverly insinuating herself into his life and family.
Deidre (Yancy Butler) shows up at a construction site where her former husband, David (Nick Mancuso), is working. Surprised to see her, David is cooly cordial and accepts her invitation to have a drink, despite feeling uncomfortable being around her. He notices cuts on her wrist that show she’s attempted suicide. He makes it clear he doesn’t want to see her again.
After David leaves, Deidre is approached by a married man. They go off to a hotel and have sex. Then she drowns him in the bathtub. She telephones her psychiatrist, Dr. Lillian Jonas (Babe Chula), who reminds Deidre she shouldn’t have stopped therapy before completing treatment. The sexual nature of their conversation indicates that Dr. Jonas is attracted to her.
Later, Deidre turns up at the gym where David’s wife, Molly (Suzy Amis), works out. She engages Molly in friendly conversation and identifies herself as Dr. Jonas. Believing Deidre is a licensed professional, Molly confides personal information about her family, especially the anger issues of her son, Michael (Hamish Tildesley). As the two women become friends and spend time together Deidre develops a bond with Michael.
Coming home early one day, David finds Deidre with his family and angrily throws her out. Molly is confused until David confesses that her new friend isn’t a psychiatrist but his former wife. Unaware that David was previously married, Molly is shocked. He explains that the marriage was a drug-fueled disaster and he wanted to put that part of his life far behind him. Deidre, he reveals, has been institutionalized and still not mentally well.
From this point, Deidre goes on a spree of all-out destruction. She contrives false scenarios of David’s lust for her, tears down his reputation at work, takes an apartment in the same building as David’s, and endangers his wife and child.
The Ex is reminiscent of Fatal Attraction, made nine years earlier. Tension is created by not knowing what Deidre’s deranged mind will come up with next, and she’s demonically clever at putting David in her crosshairs. Jealousy is involved, but her obsession runs much deeper with elements of self-hatred and lack of self-worth driving her vendetta. She even provokes David to hurt and kill her.
Yancy Butler is perfectly cast at Deidre. Her beauty conceals the character’s dark motives as well as her mental instability. She comes off quite normal, which is unsettling, but has madness in her eyes. Whenever she’s shown in close-up, those eyes make clear Deidre is well beyond the brink of sanity. When she resorts to violence, it occurs matter-of-factly, without warning. Butler’s smile conveys a combination of lunacy and joy at how her machinations are creating anguish for David.
Nick Mancuso’s scenes with Butler are filled with venom, accusations, and recriminations. He makes clear David’s effort to restrain himself and maintain composure when Deidre provokes him. Anger rises in Mancuso’s body language as he clenches his fists and hunches his shoulders in an attempt not to lash out physically. But his David comes off as unsympathetic and bland. He’s overshadowed by Butler, who steals every scene she’s in.
Suzy Amis gives Molly a gentle, soft manner. Most of her performance is in her reactions since, like the viewer, she’s learning about Deidre as the film unfolds. Though unnerved by the revelations sprung on her, she allows David to explain and listens. As events escalate, we can see Molly’s protective instincts kick in.
Director Mark L. Lester gets a wonderfully evil performance from Yancy Butler, making her Deidre a memorable screen villain. Like Hannibal Lecter, Deidre is smart, cunning, and persistent. The film moves briskly and the supporting performances are very good. Shot in Vancouver, the film takes advantage of some of the city’s picturesque locations for exterior scenes. Violence is a major factor, but it’s Butler’s performance that anchors the film.
The Ex was shot by director of photography Richard Leiterman on 35mm film with spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, sourced from a new HD master approved by director Mark L. Lester, features an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The new master gives the film a pristine appearance with outstanding detail. Clarity is excellent. Indoor scenes are brightly lit. Molly’s attire is muted, with earthier tones comprising her wardrobe. David’s high-rise apartment, with elegant furnishings and stylish decor, reflects affluence and comfort.
The soundtrack is English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio. English SDH subtitles are available. Dialogue is clear and distinct. Deidre speaks in a calm, rational voice to Molly, but with a spiteful edge when she talks to David. Sound effects include body pummeling, a severe sado-masochistic beating, rough sex, screams, and a blazing fire. The score by Paul Zaza is spirited and nicely enhances tension, contributing to a palpable sense of apprehension.
Bonus materials on the Region A Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber Studio Classics include the following:
- Playing Certifiable: Interview with Actress Yancy Butler (11:47)
- Keeping Secrets: Interview with Actor Nick Mancuso (11:19)
- Trailer (2:23)
- Play Misty for Me Trailer (1:53)
- Internal Affairs Trailer (2:00)
- After Dark, My Sweet Trailer (2:17)
- The Gingerbread Man Trailer (2:19)
- The Underneath Trailer (2:07)
- Hard Target Trailer (2:05)
- Silent Scream Trailer (1:16)
Playing Certifiable – Actress Yancy Butler was excited by the script of The Ex. It reminded her of Fatal Attraction. She actually had nightmares about the character of Deidre. The fun of playing bad people is that they don’t think they’re bad. You can’t play too big when you’re playing certifiably insane. The sex scenes were filmed on a closed set, and director Mark L. Lester created an atmosphere where the actors felt comfortable. Stunt doubles were used for the more physical scenes. A mold was made of Butler’s face and placed on the double for an especially dangerous scene. Butler says that she and the other actors worked well together and gives a shout-out to Suzy Amis, who had to react believably in key scenes. It was too cold in Vancouver to do a scene in a lake, so a pool at the local YMCA with lights dimmed stood in. Surprised at the staying power of The Ex, Butler notes, “This was a B film that became a cult classic.”
Keeping Secrets – Nick Mancuso’s manager introduced him to director Mark L. Lester. Mancuso wound up shooting two films simultaneously. David’s past is vague. He’s made a new life for himself and has become successful. Mancuso refers to The Ex as Grand Guignol and talks about the different stages of an actor’s career from playing romantic leads to character roles. In the film, David is trying to reason with the unreasonable. Every actor brings his own history to a role. A good director knows how to cast. Director Lester created an ambience on the set. He recalls that Yancy Butler had a “tremendous sense of focus and concentration.” She became Deidre 100%. The erotic scenes were carefully choreographed. Lighting was important is obtaining the right look. There were no intimacy coaches at the time. The actors had to feel comfortable and remain professional. The main challenge, recalls Mancuso, was working 16 hours a day, often in very cold weather.
The Ex is a first-rate thriller. With a fast pace, lots of action and a superb performance by Yancy Butler, the film is an overlooked gem. Made on a modest budget without big stars, the film offers well-sustained suspense as it tells the story of a disturbed woman who has targeted her former husband. It owes much to Fatal Attraction but has its own identity and a central character worthy of cinema’s most heinous villains.
- Dennis Seuling