| Table of Reviews |
|---|
A House on Fire – Review
A House on Fire – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Dr. Debora Green has a scrapbook of her dreams. She wants to become a partner at the Kansas City Medical Center, start a family, and buy a big house in an exclusive community. She is on her way to becoming a partner and affording the home, but having a family is still a pipe dream. Then her colleague Dr. Jim chimes in with his perspective. He noticed Mick Farrar, a medical student, attempting to ask Debora out, but she is aloof to his advances. Stunned by Mike’s interest in her, Debora walks to Mike and asks him out. He smiles and says yes. Within months, the couple marries in her home and starts their family. Debora feels like her scrapbook is coming to life. Seventeen years later, Debora has two kids, Kelly and Tim, and tries to juggle work-life balance alone. After the nanny is late again, Debora tries to run out of the house for a morning meeting. However, she slips, falls, and hurts her wrists. The fall makes her late for a diagnosis, but she still diagnosis the patient before anyone else. Her boss excuses everyone out of the meeting. He tells Debora that she won’t make partner. She is a brilliant doctor, but she is frequently late, behind on her paperwork, and has an awful bedside manner. At lunch, Jim sees that Debora’s wrist is hurting and gives her medication to treat the pain. She takes the opioid. Later, Debora becomes frustrated at Mike because he doesn’t pull his weight with the household duties and blames him for her failure. But never tells him. Then, Mike tells the family that he is on the way to becoming the head of cardiology. With resentment, Debora smiles and congratulates him. As Debora sees her scrapbooked life disappear, she will go to fiery measures to make sure Mike doesn’t get it.
Based on Ann Rule’s true crime novel Bitter Harvest, you can debate what caused Debora to start the fire, but you can’t argue if it was right to do (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). The most disturbing part of the movie is hearing her say she loved her children. Whether it was a bipolar disorder or extreme narcissism, Debora had a plan for her life. As she started to gain a dependency on drugs and alcohol, her plan derailed. Instead of seeking help, she laid the blame at her husband’s feet. While Debora committed the crime, the plot explains that Mike’s hands weren’t clean. He had plenty of warnings that Debora could turn violent. His solution was to drop her career, buy a bigger house, and have an affair. These changes only exasperated her issues. Debora had so much potential and a high IQ but lacked empathy and humility.
I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars
You are like a 12-year-old, stuck in the body of a genius – Jim
But if I have it, we have it – Mike
Busy wife, happy life – Debora
Find, shop for, and watch Lifetime movies on Amazon TV (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)
Click here for more information
The Single Mom Conspiracy – Review
The Single Mom Conspiracy – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Grace is starting a new chapter in her life. She divorced James, took over his restaurant and got a new boyfriend, Alex. She double-thinks the age difference, but her friends, Kristen and Jaclyn, tell her to enjoy her single life. Grace is single, but she is a mom to one daughter, Charlie. Charlie loves her mom but thinks it’s weird Grace dates a guy ten years older than herself. At night, Grace relaxes in the sauna while drinking wine. Someone breaks into her home, and she runs to Kristen’s house for safety. The cops can’t find the intruder, so her friends tell her to think about security. While Kristen suggests an alarm, Jaclyn prefers a roommate or a dog. Kristen reminds Jaclyn that pets aren’t allowed according to the HOA. Also, Kristen doesn’t want anyone new in the neighborhood. But Grace decides to get a roommate anyway. After several failed roommate applications, Grace sits at her restaurant looking over the finances when she hears a woman make a snide comment. Grace laughs while the woman invites herself over. As they talk, Jaclyn calls, and Grace tells her about the failed interviews. Then the woman, Lilith, grabs the phone. She talks to Jaclyn because it was all a set-up by Lilith. Lilith wanted to see if she and Grace could get along. Lilith decorated Jaclyn’s baby room, and Jaclyn thought Lilith was a promising roommate candidate. Grace takes Lilith back to her home to view the room. After the five-cent tour, Lilith wants to move in ASAP and rent Grace’s furniture. Grace says yes and starts to feel more secure. This feeling will be short-lived because Lilith is a dangerous woman that cleans up her messes.
This movie doesn’t focus on who is after Grace but why they are after her. At first, with so many characters with bad intentions and suspicious behavior, it’s easy to lump this movie into a mystery genre. However, the film is a thriller. Once the plot reveals the attacker, you sit and wait for why she is going after Grace’s family, business, and friends. It’s the ‘why’ that will keep you tuned in. And when the plot reveals it all, you will discover that Lilith told you the truth. You didn’t listen.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
I’d love a spit shine – Kristen
This place is going to suck you dry – James
There’s no sincerity like a woman telling a lie – Grace
To being a sugar mamma – Jaclyn
A dirty martini, ice cold like my heart – Lilith
Find, shop for, and watch Lifetime movies on Amazon TV (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)
Click here for more information
Desperate Widows – Review
Desperate Widows – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Paige, a thriller writer, decided to move to Iowa to give her and her daughter, Allie, a fresh start after her husband died. Paige tells her therapist that she worries because Allie still acts out and does reckless things. Paige’s therapist tells her to give Allie time and join a local support group in Iowa to help her grieve. Paige heeds his words and joins a group. After her first group session, Willow approaches Paige, and the women talk about their loss. Willow tells Paige the group session helps, but The Farm is better. The Farm is a co-op of women helping women who lost their spouses. Paige is unsure, so Willow tells her to meet with the CEO, Dianne. Dianne explains the concept, beginnings, and inner workings of The Farm to Paige. Paige likes the idea but worries that Dianne wants her and Allie to stay for three months. Dianne eases Paige’s fears with a tour of The Farm. Within days, Allie and Paige are driving to The Farm’s front gate. The extensive security worries Allie, but Paige believes it’s to keep the women safe. Paige has no idea The Farm holds secrets of abuse, torture, and human trafficking. Without a voice, Paige puts her faith in a man that doesn’t speak. Can Paige save herself and Allie before it’s too late?
First of all, a lot is going on with The Farm. It’s hard to keep it all straight. While the movie gives a lot of backstory for the women, it doesn’t give too much information about Kianna, The Farm’s CFO, and Dianne. Kianna’s loyalty to Dianne is intense for a business relationship, but the viewer can tell it was never romantic. It would be better if the plot explained where that deep loyalty originated. That way the viewer could understand Dianne’s need to control and remove people on The Farm. To switch a loving co-op to a devilish commune isn’t done overnight. The viewer should be aware of why and when it all changed. The story is still entertaining without this information.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
You want to regroup and rethink the rest of your life. Just don’t know where to start – Willow
You made a commitment, not me – Allie
I think I’m already regretting it Diane – Paige
That one is becoming a liability – Kianna
I got a little something to say to these two – Dianne
Find, shop for, and watch Lifetime movies on Amazon TV (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)
Click here for more information
My Birthday Romance – Review
My Birthday Romance – UPtv – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Callie sits in her car doing daily meditation outside her parent’s home. She has work and personal stress. A social media influencer, Delaney, hired Callie and Mia’s bakery to cater her party. If Mia and Callie do well, Delaney will blog about their bakery, and it could go national. At home, her 35th birthday is coming up. She knows her family will pressure her about having a boyfriend. After some cleansing breathes, Callie walks inside her parents’ home and waits for the barrage of questions. Seeing the stress on her face, Callie’s brother, Kyle, helps her escape. They go to meet with some of his friends for drinks. Kyle introduces Callie to his friend, Will. Will doesn’t believe in marriage and likes being single like Callie. At work, Callie burns her favorite recipes because the family pressure of having a boyfriend is getting to her. So she hopes that a fake boyfriend is the answer and remembers Will. Callie meets with Will and proposes her offer. She will pay for all dates and cook him chicken parmesan if he pretends to be her boyfriend. He agrees. To make matters better, Kyle offers to perpetuate the ruse for them. With Callie’s family pleased with her new beau, she hopes to focus on impressing Delaney. But after a great date and kiss, is Callie fooling herself?
This lie becoming a love story is nothing new, just different actors. Callie’s family isn’t malicious, only concern for her. Since their relationship fulfills them and makes them better people, they want the same for Callie. Also, her parents are in their twilight years and can’t imagine spending it without each other. So, you aren’t angry at them for wanting her to be married. They respect her and her career, but they don’t understand the pressure they put on her. While Callie shows emotion first, it’s Will who has a change in conscience. He likes Callie’s family and doesn’t want to keep up the lie. This movie comes down to who will crack first: Callie or Will. That aspect and the secondary relationship subplot will keep you watching.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
Ok, that’s my cue to go – Callie
You may say hello … now – Kyle
You’re serious about this – Will
So, any criminal record of any sort – Amanda
Of course, it’s complicated. I could have told you that – Mia
Find, shop for, and watch UPtv movies on iTunes (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)
Fit for a Prince – Review
Fit for a Prince – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Cindy is the head seamstress for Rebecca’s dress shop, but clients don’t know that the dresses are all Cindy’s designs. Her friend and co-worker, Reggie, tells her to branch out, but Cindy wants to wait for Rebecca’s help. Cindy hopes her loyalty will bring financial and verbal notoriety from Rebecca. The Hamiltons selected Rebecca to design the wedding dress and bridesmaids’ dresses for Brooke’s wedding. They want to look their best because this wedding will be on all the society pages and Prince Ronan will attend the wedding. While hearing them talk about the wedding, Prince Ronan goes to Rebecca’s shop to get a suit made that isn’t so stuffy but still royal. Rebecca isn’t at the shop, but Cindy sits and talks to him. After a gripping conversation, Ronan asks Cindy out to lunch. Cindy says yes, but Rebecca shuts it down because they are not allowed to mingle with clients. Cindy meets with the family to have them try on dresses, and Virginia, Brooke’s future mother-in-law, loves Cindy’s attitude and invites Cindy to the rehearsal dinner. While Cindy is gleeful to spend more time with Ronan, Julia is furious. She is Ronan’s date for the wedding but wants to be more. Now, Julia and some of the Hamiltons will do anything to push Cindy aside.
This modern telling of Cinderella has all the classic Hallmark clichés wrapped in each character (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). While Cindy doesn’t have mice, she has seamstresses to help put the dresses together. Virginia is her fairy godmother, and Rebecca is the evil stepmother. But this story is different because Prince Ronan knows who Cindy is and what she does. He even rolls up his sleeves and embarrasses himself to ease her stress. Also, Cindy doesn’t take trolling lying down. She quickly stands up for herself and puts her hecklers in their place. And the chemistry between them is undeniable. The characters’ change in attitude makes this movie a Hallmark favorite.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
We are just going to have to roll up our sleeves and work overtime – Rebecca
No, you’re doing her job … you are the wizard behind the curtain – Reggie
Just Ronan please, and don’t tell Mrs. Hamilton or she will tell the queen – Ronan
Why would someone like you want to go out with someone like me – Cindy
Maybe the right guy hasn’t met you – Virginia
Find, shop for, and watch Hallmark movies on Amazon (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)
Share this:
Categories: A House on Fire, Ali Cobrin, Allison McAtee, Andrew Spach, Aubrey Stevens, Desperate Widows, Fit for a Prince, hallmark, Jake B. Miller, jesse hutch, Jonathan Keltz, Justine Eyre, Kate Bond, lifetime, lifetime movie network, lmn, Love Sundays, Made for TV, My Birthday Romance, Natalie Hall, Olivia Stuck, review, Ripped From The Headlines, Samantha Cope, Stephanie March, The Single Mom Conspiracy, tv review, UPtv, Wicked Revenge
thatdarngirlmovie.reviews 
1 reply »