From FEAR to Reese Witherspoon

In the past weekend, I came across the 1996 thriller film, Fear when watching the TV. It was directed by James Foley, starring Reese Witherspoon (Nicole Walker), Mark Wahlberg (David McCall, boy friend), and William Petersen (Steven, father).

Nicole Walker, a fairly innocent, and to some extent rebellious, teenager, lives with her father, stepmother, and stepbrother. Her life totally changed after she met and fell in love with David. What happened next becomes every parent’s nightmare. Her seemingly polite and handsome boyfriend turns out to be a violent psychopath. At the end, her family has to fight for their lives.

The movie raised an interesting question. At some point of a girl’s life, she may be in a dilemma to choose between her “sweet” boyfriend and seemingly “overprotective” parent. In all these situations, the girl is in the driver seat and should have a clear mind. This is not always easy as saying goes that people in love are blind. There have been many real life tragedies due to angry and obsessed suitors. Before making any emotional decisions, a girl should always remember that her parent always love her with ultimate intention to protect her. She should never expose herself and her family to a dangerous situation like in this movie.


This was one of the early movies by Reese Witherspoon. Later on, she was well known for her leading roles in Legally Blonde (2001) and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003). She received worldwide attention and praise for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in Walk the Line (2005), which earned her an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

As one of the most beautiful, the most likable, and also the highest-paid actresses, Witherspoon is also actively involved in children's and women's charitable organizations. She is a long-time supporter of Save the Children, an organization that helps children around the world through education, health care, and emergency aid. She also serves on the board of the Children's Defense Fund, a child advocacy and research group. She once said, "As a woman and a mother I care deeply about the well being of other women and children throughout the world and through the years, I have always looked for opportunities to make a difference."

Witherspoon certainly inherited a lot of intelligence from her parent. Her father is an otolaryngologist (physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders) who previously served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army reserves. Her mother has a Ph.D. in pediatric nursing and works as a professor of nursing at Vanderbilt University.