lavatch Reviews

Our Mother's Secret Affair (2024 TV Movie)

A Big Sister for Fran

[8/10 · 24 May 2024]

"Our Mother's Secret Affair" was an especially well-crafted potboiler. It took some time to sort out the complex interconnections in the relationships that are evolving into a lovely "extended" family.

Diana Parker gave birth to a baby girl, but surrendered the child to be raised by another household. Little Jessica's father was Diana's lover Troy and his wife Elle became her adoptive mother. Diana subsequently delivered another girl born to a different father. The girl named Fran is raised by Diana. The clever Jessica tracks down her birth records and confronts Diana. The balance of the film is committed to uniting the extended family.

There are major complications when a mysterious interloper seeks to disrupt the family. A murder is committed, and Diana's sister Peg unfortunately becomes collateral damage.

Another set of characters includes a creepy old manservant who resides at the home of Elle's dowager mother Sylvia. He murdered his first wife who was abusive to their daughter Lynda. There is still another curious character named Jake, who is the brother of Elle and has recently been released from prison. Jake is one of the most interesting characters who pivots from being a slime ball as it turns out that he has a conscience.

The film worth watching for the way in which the various plot strands and characters are tied together. The ultimate effect is going to be a big sister for Fran and a lot of stress that is finally relieved for a big, happy, extended family.

Buying Back My Daughter (2023 TV Movie)

Harrowing Drama

[7/10 · 22 May 2024]

There was a thoughtful approach to the development of the family in "Buying Back My Daughter." A part of each of them was broken with the abduction of the daughter Alicia. The filmmakers approached the healing process in a sensitive way.

It was only troubling that police were so ineffective and so slow in investigating what became apparent as a clear case of kidnapping and human trafficking.

Even when the mother had discovered the website with pictures of Alicia, the police were slow to respond. Instantly, the site should have been traced. But the parents were justifiably incredulous when they were told it would take weeks or months!

The performances were earnest, and the drama as a whole was very moving. In the closing credits, there was a notice about the prevalence of the websites. When uncovered, they must be investigated immediately!

Red Eye (2005)

"Male-Driven, Fact-Based Logic"

[8/10 · 21 May 2024]

This was a great plane drama where Lisa Reisert is engaged in a war of wills with Jackson "Don't Call Me Jack" Rippner.

Lisa is essentially captive on the red eye flight to Miami with Jack making demands that she use her influence as a hotel manager to set up the assassination of a government official. If not, she may lose her beloved father.

The strength of the film was the cavalcade of interesting characters aboard the plane, whose lives touch on the human drama taking place between Lisa and Jack.

There was good direction and excellent pacing as the drama unfolded on the plane. Then, a mad dash followed in the form of a chase scene on the ground in Miami after the plane landed.

Among the excellent cast, Rachel McAdams was a standout as Lisa. This was a lively and engaging experience with Lisa upending the overly confident Jack who lives by the motto of "male-driven, fact-based logic." Female intuition triumphed instead.

The Judge (2014)

Thoughtful and Moving

[8/10 · 20 May 2024]

There was an especially detailed screenplay for "The Judge," which combined dynamic courtroom sequences with a moving family drama.

Hank Palmer is a hot-shot attorney in Chicago. The film traces his roots back to his Indiana upbringing and his estrangement from his family. There was a heartfelt connection among the brothers and an especially moving relationship between father and son.

The performances were superb, especially Robert Duvall as Judge Palmer. The screenwriters avoided a Perry Mason-like trial and worked closely to the realism of a decent and fair-minded jury that must determine the fate of Judge Palmer.

The film was also technically superb with choices in locations and set-ups for the cinematography. This is the type of well-made film that has sadly become all-too-rare today with the focus changed to politically-driven subjects based on the current progressive ideology.

My Child Has My Doctor's Face (2024)

Dr. Bellamy's Dirty Blond Hair

[7/10 · 17 May 2024]

It was a case of fertility fraud.

Instead of using the sperm of Dylan Graff, Dr. Preston Bellamy used his own in order to father the child of his patient, Jessica ("Jess") Graff. The film opens with a graphic demonstration of the fraudulent in vitro procedure.

Jess becomes suspicious when she sees the son of another patient, and the little boy has the same striking "dishwater" blond hair as Dr. Bellamy and her little boy, Henry. Jess then enters into a conspiracy with the other patient, Sarah, in order to disclose the truth about the doctor with such a monumental ego that he wants to pass on his DNA to create a mini master race. It was too bad that Sarah became collateral damage in this case.

There were solid performances and good dramatic tension throughout the film. It was only troubling that Jess kept her husband Dylan in the dark about her investigation of Dr. Bellamy. While she didn't want to hurt her husband's feelings about not being the biological father, she nonetheless should have recognized that it was not healthy to withhold secrets.

The climax was a wild chase scene with Jess and Dylan in combat with the mad, needle-wielding blond doctor. The televised version was punctuated with commercials about the most extreme pro-abortion law in the country in Minnesota. The ads were just as horrifying as the film.

Army of One (2020)

Hillbilly Elegy, Pt. 2

[3/10 · 12 May 2024]

What do "Army of One" and "Hillbilly Elegy" have in common? ANSWER: A strong woman holding her family together.

In the former, it is the character "Mama," the matriarch of a group of bullies selling arms on the black market and running a human trafficking operation. In the latter, it is the character "Mamaw," who once set fire to her house in retaliation against the husband whom she loathed.

Both films touch on the topic of "White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy," a book that has been identified by the historian Victor Davis Hanson as one of most poorly researched and most biased works he has ever read.

"Army of One" has a strong lead actress in the role of Brenner Baker, who tackles with great gusto the unsavory crew of Mama. Unfortunately, the film was overly violent and perpetuated the stereotype of "white rural rage" to absurd proportions.

If there was a choice between "Mama" and "Mamaw," I would take Mamaw any day.

The Idea of You (2024)

The Five-Year Rule

[5/10 · 10 May 2024]

Miss Solène Marchand and Mr. Hayes Campbell met in a trailer where it may have been an experience of love at first sight.

Much of the film focuses on the age difference of the 24-year-old pop star of a "boy's band" and a 40-year-old woman. It stretched credibility to believe that Solène would be turned into a pariah in the public and her daughter Izzy humiliated at school due to the callous media. The more likely response would have been a public outpouring of interest and support to the lovers.

Solène runs a posh art gallery in Los Angeles. But there was no hint of the homelessness, encampments outside her building, or feces and needles in the street. Similarly, when Solène and Hayes meet in his hotel in New York, there was no evidence of crime and no migrants occupying the hotel. Is the film audience supposed to suspend willingness of disbelief for a purely escapist experience? This was not a true depiction of L. A. or N. Y.

There was an ebb-and-flow in the relationship of Solène and Hayes with the former making all of the decisions to suspend the relationship and later re-start it. Her final decision is the 5-year rule in which they will remain separated for half a decade and then see if they might be a good fit.

Perhaps a better 5-year plan would be to live together for five years and see if marriage may be in the offing after that trial period. That approach might have been more healthy than the one depicted in the film.

MI-5 (2015)

Dirty Harry

[7/10 · 26 April 2024]

The plot was excessively intricate and the ending was convoluted. But the strength of "MI5 - The Greater Good" was in the character interactions.

There was a careful unfolding of the relationship of young Calloway with Harry, who served as a surrogate father. The bonding of the characters was effective. Peter Firth's interpretation of "Dirty" Harry was the glue that held the film together.

There were also good locations in London. The camera angles and aerial photography were inventive. There was a great scene on Waterloo Bridge. Even the interior locations were well conceived.

The overall impression of the British intelligence agency was not very favorable, based on this film. There was not only a powerful mole inside, but the underlings marched in lockstep by following orders that were clearly inappropriate and destructive to the bureau.

Overall, the film is recommended for both the characterization and production values.

All Gone Wrong (2021)

A Good Yarn

[7/10 · 24 April 2024]

Despite the low-budget nature of the film, "All Gone Wrong" had a great deal that went right.

There was an especially intriguing set of characters with the grizzled detective Chris, the mysterious waitress Jolene, the intimidating Hughes, the rookie Mikey, and the loquacious Goldy.

One great moment occurred in a motel room with Chris alone with Jolene. She suddenly switched off the lights. Chris did not ask her to turn them back on.

While the pacing was sluggish in the first half, it picked up considerably down the stretch. There were also some fascinating locations, including a deserted factory. A see-saw psychological battle was waged between "good cop, bad cop."

Well worth a watch!

Damsel (2024)

In the Belly of the Beast

[7/10 · 22 April 2024]

In Elodie, there was a strong central character that held the film together. Unwittingly, in an arranged marriage, she becomes the sacrificial victim in a mysterious land with a creature holding the kingdom hostage.

There was good photography and special effects, along with a solid set of characters. A standout was the kind stepmother of Elodie. She was the first to recognize that Elodie was in danger, then followed up in the rescue attempt.

A shortcoming of the film was the overly protracted sequence in the cave where Elodie landed in the belly of the beast. The action was too repetitive and unpleasant.

There was a strong ending with a good twist that included a non-violent act on the part of Elodie. It turned out that this was no damsel in distress! She was Wonder Woman!

Freud's Last Session (2023)

A Dirty Old Man Humiliates a Good Christian

[3/10 · 22 April 2024]

Based on the historical record, there is no evidence that an intimate conversation ever occurred between Sigmund Freud and C. S. "Jack" Lewis. We only know that prior to Freud's death, he was visited by an Oxford don.

The fictional meeting depicted in the film is colored by the woke mentality of the 2020s. Freud is depicted as a sex-obsessed old man with every Hollywood cliché imaginable. C. S. Lewis is on the receiving end of today's progressive attack on Christianity. The heroine of the story is Freud's daughter Anna, who makes it clear to her domineering father that she is a lesbian.

Like a barracuda, Freud picks apart his visitor, probing deeply with the "talking treatment." Poor little Jackie had a rough upbringing and became a shell-shocked soldier in World War I. Freud is relentless in an assault on his guest's Christian beliefs, his sexuality, and relationship with his father.

The film only merits three stars due to the stellar performance of Anthony Hopkins as Freud. It was ironic that Hopkins also played C. S. Lewis in the 1993 film "Shadowlands," that depicted Jack's relationship with his beloved Joy Gresham.

We Own the Night (2007)

To Protect and To Serve

[5/10 · 20 April 2024]

"We Own the Night" was conceived much like "The Godfather." It is a film that examines a "la famiglia" devoted in this case to law enforcement, as opposed to law breaking.

Instead of the Corleone family, the Grusinsky family is headed by the patriarch Bert, who is chief of police in New York. His son Joseph is a rising, decorated captain. The other brother, Bobby, is the odd man out. Much like Michael Corleone, Bobby has distanced himself from the police in his family and has even taken the name Bobby Green, a successful manager of a nightclub.

While the filmmakers attempted to show great reverence for the men in blue, it was unfortunate that the police were almost completely incompetent against a Russian drug lord. The father is killed, and Joseph is so traumatized that he freezes at a critical moment and will eventually consider taking a desk job.

It us up to the uninitiated Bobby to do the work of the police to set up and finally break up the drug ring. A shortcoming of the film was in Bobby's interaction with his girlfriend Amada. After his abusive treatment of her, it was surprising that she would even put in an appearance at Bobby's "graduation" ceremony from the police academy.

The gritty realism was successful along with well-conceived crowd scenes. But the film never rose anywhere near the intricate family drama of the "The Godfather." And the motto of "to protect and serve" of the NYPD suffered a case of the blues.

The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

Cast Them All Out!!!

[3/10 · 16 April 2024]

Despite the good cast, this remake of "The Exorcist" failed to engage, let alone evoke any of the spine-tingling suspense and horror of the original.

In this update, there are two young victims possessed, who require the ritual casting out of the devil incarnate. It was especially depressing that one of the little girls did not survive the ordeal.

The exorcism itself drew upon a kind nurse who served as Mistress of Ceremonies. While there was no use of split pea soup, there were nonetheless violent vomiting episodes. There was not much of an effort to splash the holy water or read in earnest from scripture to cast out the devil.

In the original film, there was an ebb and flow to the action with the old priest actually collapsing with heart failure during the ordeal. In this film, action was static and predictable.

Not much to recommend here, other than the good character development of the devoted dad committed to bringing back his daughter from a crucible of horror.

Vengeance: A Love Story (2017)

Justice is Blind as a Bat

[6/10 · 15 April 2024]

Nicolas Cage was good in the role of a detective named John, who is confronted with a flawed legal system in a small community in upstate New York.

While the film was made in 2017, the vision of justice applied to a rape victim was closer to the legal system in 1817. The judge was clearly biased, and the mob-like mentality in the courtroom was difficult to believe.

Cage's detective turns vigilante to avoid any further semblance of a trial in this corrupt system. One can only feel horror at what Teena had to endure in this long struggle for justice.

The most curious character in the film was Teena's daughter Bethie, who was presumably age 12-13. Yet she was consistently treated as an adult. There was even one moment when she was invited to drive a motor vehicle. Above all, she would have experienced a parallel trauma to that of her mom, as she witnessed the entire event.

Still, the film stands or falls on the Cage's detective John. His character clearly had the empathy necessary for the situation. It was only unfortunate that Teena and Bethie's next move is to relocate to California. Good luck to them! They'll need it.

Fatal Instinct (2014)

Brothers!!!

[6/10 · 14 April 2024]

On the tough streets of L. A., the fellow detectives Decker & Gates are a modern-day Starsky & Hutch, keeping innocent women safe from nefarious predators.

"Fatal Instinct" included a good set of characters, which helped to counteract some of the pedestrian dialogue ("Bless me, Father, for I have sinned"). We primarily see the world through the eyes of Detective Michael Decker, whose wife Jen has deployed in the Middle East (thank you for your service!!!). Decker is now raising his daughter Kelly while investigating a strong of crimes against women. He is also still dealing with psychological issues from an incident that apparently sent his partner's brother to prison.

As the action unfolds, the focus shifts to the Gates brothers, Jack and Danny. A shocking moment occurs when it becomes apparent that they both love the same woman, Melissa. Danny is a real piece of work: two stints in prison and now out on parole. He cannot keep in check his hair-trigger temper.

There was good location filming that included a wonderful old church. Father Paul may be a suspect in the ongoing abuse against women in the community. But you will have to tune in to discover the twist that occurs in the film's final scene.

The film is worth watching as a historical artifact when the streets of Los Angeles were actually clean.

The Admirer (2023)

The Puffer Pillow Pal Murder Mystery

[6/10 · 13 April 2024]

Nancy Williams is a dynamic sales and advertising executive for the thriving firm of SAGA. Nancy's latest project is the Puffer Pillow Pal that emits sounds that will help in providing a soothing rest. Instead of the "My Pillow" Man, Nancy is the "Puffer Pillow" Woman!

A nefarious stalker is enchanted with Nancy, and this creature may have been responsible for the death of Nancy's fiancé Ross, who was pushed off the balcony of a high-rise hotel.

Nancy and her cohorts at SAGA are under attack from the stalker, who is tampering with their technology and even stealing funds from the organization. There was a good range of characters, including two IT experts, Doug and Martin; the beautiful executive Gina; and the every reliable assistant of Nancy, Simon.

There was good dramatic tension as the various suspects came into focus. Unfortunately, the screenplay became overly complicated and tedious. It took a herculean effort for everyone to have the opportunity to finally relax and get a good night's rest with the talking puffer pillow pal.

Survivor (I) (2015)

Run for Your Life!!!

[7/10 · 8 April 2024]

There were some good character developments and action scenes in this thriller set in London and New York.

Milla Jovovich is Kate Abbot, a security specialist stationed in London. A nefarious group of terrorists first threaten London, then prepare for a big blast on New Year's Eve in Times Square, New York.

Kate is constantly on the move as she is pursued by the Watchmaker, effectively interpreted by Pierce Brosnan. Most of her colleagues and the top brass in government are hopeless in recognizing that Kate is their most valuable asset.

While the film's formula was routine, the set-ups and locations provided a good backdrop for the predictable action.

The Gift (VI) (2015)

Bully Boy

[8/10 · 7 April 2024]

There was excellent dramatic tension developed in the triangulated relationship of Simon, his wife Robyn, and Simon's old acquaintance from high school named Gordon (Gordo).

The film is tantalizing in the slow reveal that Simon effectively ruined Gordo's life with a high school prank that characterized Simon's habit of bullying. But now it is payback time from Gordo, who disrupts Simon's family life and likely inseminates Robyn, who finally becomes pregnant and successfully delivers a baby boy.

Some of the expressions on the face of Jason Bateman, who played Simon, were priceless. It slowly comes to dawn on him that he is being outfoxed with his own game of bullying, this time with a vengeance he never could have imagined.

Good work from the multi-talented Edgerton, who scripted, directed, and played the role of the disturbed Gordo.

Blue Ruin (2013)

Hatfields vs. McCoys

[3/10 · 4 April 2024]

Dwight, the protagonist of "Blue Ruin," was a curious fellow. After the police thoughtfully alert him that the killer of his parents has been let out of jail, Dwight proceeds to kill the entire family, sparing only his half-brother, the result of the union of his lascivious father and the mother of the Cleland gang.

The best part of the film was the brief sequence with Dwight and his old buddy Ben from high school. Ben truly had his friend's back in a struggle for survival and revenge.

Unfortunately, the bulk of the film was filled with one-dimensional characters and a concatenation of unpleasant and violent scenes.

The film's ending was strange with the postcard from Virginia, a memento that acknowledges the end of the struggle of the Hatfields and the McCoys.

Ashes (2024)

Don Quixote Meets Anna Karenina

[7/10 · 4 April 2024]

There was some genuine creativity on the part of the filmmakers of "Ashes." The film combined romance and mystery in a baroque drama exploring the conflict of illusion and reality.

Gokce is the protagonist who reads and considers manuscripts for publication for her husband's firm. In the "Ashes" novel, she becomes enmeshed in a story that seem so realistic that she is drawn into the vortex, attempting to live out the realities of a work of fiction.

In turn, the audience is caught up in the illusionistic impact of the charismatic carpenter. There were intriguing references to "Don Quixote" and "Anna Karenina." The strong performances and intriguing settings added to the dramatic impact of this heady film.

Road House (2024)

Shane Updated to the Florida Keys

[3/10 · 30 March 2024]

The film was disappointing as an updated remake of the classic Western "Shane."

Despite the good production values, the character relationships were not very believable. Even the romantic connection between Dalton and Ellie was flat.

The best interactions were between Dalton and the lively Charlie, who works in the local bookstore with her dad. Unfortunately, that relationship dropped out of the film, which turned into a martial arts slugfest.

There was a good theme in "Shane" about the waning moments in the history of the frontier and the importance of sustaining law and order in world of nasty hustlers. But the villains of "Road House" were beyond the pale in their absence of humanity.

There were too many cardboard characters and too much gratuitous violence. Sadly, this was a mean-spirited and unpleasant film viewing experience!

My Acting Coach Nightmare (2024 TV Movie)

"Let Me Make a Star Out of You, Kid!"

[6/10 · 30 March 2024]

Max Frost is a sleazy acting coach at the local Park Theater in a rural community. His classes run the gamut of the classics in acting Shakespeare to the Meisner method. But he is also a pervert and a groomer, preying on starry-eyed young women and deluding them into thinking he cares about their careers.

Young Sienna is the aspiring actress who registers for Max's acting class. She clearly has some acting skills, as apparent in a nice scene with her partner Alex from "Romeo and Juliet." Unfortunately, the depiction of an acting class was not very believable. It was apparent to the entire class that the hustler Max was giving preferential treatment to a single student, first Hailey, then Sienna.

It was clear that Max was crossing the line with his extra coaching of Sienna after class that included a photo shoot involving "skin." He also talked about a suspiciously sounding "group" in Hollywood that could advance Sienna's chances of success. He concealed that the fact that the success had nothing to do with acting.

While the film was routine in the depiction of a gullible young actress who was the victim of a nefarious creature, there were some heartfelt scenes with Sienna and her mother, Lisa, a widow who is justifiably protective of her daughter.

If Max Frost is any indication, the film did not offer a flattering portrayal of the life of a professional actor in Hollywood. The better part of the film was the unbreakable bond between mother and daughter.

What We Do Next (2022)

Laughable Depiction of New York Legal System

[1/10 · 27 March 2024]

This film was made in 2022. But the New York that was being depicted was closer to 1952. It is difficult to understand the intent of the filmmakers, given the way the law is now being interpreted in the United States legal system.

Young Elsa Mercado is a Puerto Rican who had murdered her abusive father in order to protect herself and her brother. She spent time in prison for manslaughter and the film depicts her attempt to get her life back in order.

She has two devoted and sensitive helpers in Sandy James and Paul Fleming, who are both working their way up in the New York political and judicial systems. After she is harassed in a restaurant and injures the perpetrator, Elsa fears that she will have violated her parole and will be sent back to prison. But the scrupulously honest Ms. James is reluctant to intercede on Elsa's behalf by approaching the DA to give Elsa preferential treatment.

The film's entire premise about how the law is being applied in New York was preposterous and did not reflect the new norm of "social justice" that affords protection to the criminals, not to the victims of crime. The ambitious Sandy James never would have become the mayor of New York. To accomplish that goal, she would have needed to adopt the persona of Letitia James.

Despite the good performances and the skillfully written dialogue, "What We Do Next" was a laughably bad film when it comes to the reality of the legal system today. The film should be bottled in a time capsule labeled "nostalgia" and sent back to the time when law and order truly existed.

New York Prison Break the Seduction of Joyce Mitchell (2017 TV Movie)

How Are Things in Dannemora?

[3/10 · 25 March 2024]

It is sad to contemplate the life of Joyce "Tillie" Mitchell, an employee in a New York prison in Dannemora, who assisted in the escape of two convicted murderers.

First, it was nearly inconceivable how Tillie would become smitten with not one, but two murderers. Her fantasy was to escape with the pair and enjoy paradise in Mexico as a ménage-à-trois!

Second, the slack and incompetent prison authorities should have recognized that Tillie was spending inordinate amounts of time with Matt and Sweat in apparently private spaces in the prison. At one time, she was questioned about her suspicious conduct. She should have been fired on the spot.

Third, after getting cold feet and failing to show up with the escape vehicle, Tillie had the audacity to lie the authorities. She contradicted herself in claiming that she was coerced into aiding the escapees when they threatened to kill her husband while at the same time saying they would kill him anyway after the escape.

At the time of this writing, Tillie has now been released from prison. She now has the time to reflect on assisting two desperate psychopaths who were out the loose for a three-week period, endangering the lives of honest citizens.

Disgraceful!

The Second (2018)

Destined for Greatness

[2/10 · 16 March 2024]

There was good potential in the scenario about a bestselling author writing about the apparently seminal event in her life in which a young neighbor boy drowned. There was also a good rivalry developed between the writer and her bestie, the muse. Both characters were vying for the honor of being "destined for greatness."

Unfortunately, for a film about writing, the screenplay was enormously flimsy, especially in the home stretch of the film.

The main problem was that the story about the boy was never made credible. The scrawny physique and spindly arms made it impossible to believe that he could overpower the writer and the muse.

Another disappointing choice was in why the publisher would be hunted down by the two women. Why wouldn't they invite him to be a part of their "secret" and carefully explain to him that the boy's death was for the most part an accident?

In a film based on the revelation of a secret, the narrative went off the rails in the final fifteen minutes. Even the detective seemed like a cardboard character.

Not only did the writer's first novel sound lackluster, but the second would almost be an even greater dud, just like this movie.