Secrets of My Stepdaughter (2017 TV Movie)
8/10
Loving Child, Honors Student, and Role Model
17 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Young Rachel Kent has come to live with her father and stepmother after growing up with her mother, Martha. After three months in residence in the Kent household, Rachel is involved in an apparent robbery at the clothing store where she works. Her best friend, Leslie Miles, is killed, but Rachel survives with some minor injuries. But there are deep, dark secrets at the heart of the story of Rachel Kent.

The dramatic action is anchored by Cindy Kent, the stepmother of Rachel and the spouse of Greg, a high-profile attorney. Unfortunately, Greg is so deeply attached to Rachel and too guilt-ridden for not being a part of her past life that he cannot see the danger signals in his daughter's disturbing behavior. Even when Cindy is verbally and physically abused by Rachel, Greg comes to the daughter's defense.

The role of Cindy was played by Josie "Lifetime" Davis, a great fan favorite. She brings a warmth and sensitivity to the role of the kind stepmother. Everyone wants to see Josie act in more Lifetime pictures.

The rest of the cast admirably performed their roles with one of the standouts the wily Detective Pam Cherfils. Early on, Detective Cherfils recognized that Rachel's story about the robbery did not hold up. Yet she received no support from the top brass, especially her by-the-book supervisor Lieutenant Brian Smith, who chose to pursue a flimsy case against Aaron Barker, an acquaintance of the decedent, Leslie Miles. Leslie's dear mother Tess also provided helpful clues about the girls stealing from the clothing store.

A couple of the defining moments in the film were when Cindy observed Rachel priming before a mirror and rehearsing the sob story that she would deliver to the media. In another fateful moment at the Crestview Motel, Rachel's birth mother, Martha Cook, is working as a maid. She informs a shocked Cindy that for fifteen years, she had been a prisoner in her own home.

Armed with that knowledge, Cindy then moves into action to see to it that she will not be a similar prisoner and that the color of orange befits Rachel in her new jumpsuit at the state asylum for mentally disturbed criminals.
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