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Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story – Review
Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Vicky White wakes up at 5 a.m., eats breakfast, works at the Sheriff’s Office, checks on her ex-husband, Thomas, and goes home. She tried to go to a bar to pick up guys, but no one noticed her. One day, Casey White enters her jail while awaiting sentencing. He comments about her attractiveness, and she calls him a dumbass. The Sheriff assigns Vicky to transport Casey, and they converse on the ride. Usually, Vicky starts the dialogue, but Casey is different. He asks about her life, potential suitors, and interests. They privately corresponded in jail until the judge sentenced Casey to 75 years in the state prison. And the state moves him.
Vicky sends Casey mail, makes provocative phone calls, and visits when she can. But he dashes her dreams of their life together after the board rejects his appeal. He asks Vicky to wait for him, and she says yes. Casey writes a letter to the Sheriff’s office confessing to the murder of Karen Lewiston. He agrees to the confession if they send him to Vicky’s jail for his sentence.
Vicky can barely contain her excitement when she sees Casey returning to her jail. She sees her life getting brighter, but only within the jail walls. She knows Casey will return to prison after sentencing. Vicky thinks of Thomas’s last words before he died. Thomas told her that her life wasn’t better than his. He was sick, but she wasn’t living either. Vicky sells her house, buys a car and guns, visits an adult shop, and puts in for retirement. She won’t let the state win. She plans to break Casey out of jail and move to Mexico to start a new and exciting life with the man of her dreams. Will they make it?
Vicky needed a break from the monotony. Some would say that Vicky had high-functioning depression. She was a 3-time employee of the year but didn’t like or value herself. Everyone praised Vicky, but Vicky only listened to her ex-husband, who put her down. However, she was smart enough to come up with, sad to say, a fabulous plan. However, Casey ruined it by being needy and demanding. She wanted to go to Mexico because it was closer, but he couldn’t speak the language. Vicky wanted to leave the woods, but Casey was too paranoid. She wanted to buy any vehicle to throw off the cops, but he wanted a truck. Vicky would have gotten away with breaking Casey out if Vicky didn’t have Casey weighing her down. Her plan proves she is smart, but her heart takes over and makes dumb decisions. Vicky is a sad tale of a woman who wanted more but found it in the wrong man. It can happen to anyone if you don’t have an honest look at your life and express yourself to family and friends.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars
I got nothing to lose either – Vicky
They were due a win – Casey
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Checkin’ It Twice – Review
Checkin’ It Twice – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes
After Ashley arrives in Idaho Falls, she calls her partner, Trevor. He landed a huge deal but didn’t include her. Also, he would rather spend time with clients than spend the holiday with her family. Ashley grows tired of his flaky attitude and dumps Trever over the phone. Before she meets with her family, she decides to buy some items at the duty-free store. Scott lands and answers a call from his girlfriend. She doesn’t think their relationship is working out and hopes playing hockey in Idaho Falls will be a fresh start for him. Scott believes this journeyman team is his last chance at playing in the NHL. He chooses to get food at the duty-free store.
Ashley quips about having a bad day, and Scott understands. He takes her rhetorical comment literally and starts telling her about his issues. When he spots his misunderstanding, he stops talking. They both hand the cashier their credit card, and Ashley wishes him well. Ashley meets with her family and pretends her career and love life are good. She agrees to help her sister sell houses while she is in town. Ashley does a few family errands and tries to pay with a credit card, but it doesn’t go through. The cashier reads the name on the card, and it says Scott. He confiscates the card, and Ashley leaves.
Scott meets with his team. The coach welcomes Scott, but teammate Pierre bothers Scott about his age. Scott is in his 30s, and that’s ancient for a hockey player. Scott offers to take them to dinner and pay to connect to the players. He gives the waitress his card, and it doesn’t go through. The waitress sees the name Ashley on the card and keeps it. The team pays for themselves, and Scott begs for forgiveness.
Ashley and her family attend the first hockey game and see Scott on the ice. She yells at him to meet her after the game, but he can’t hear her. A player body-checks him and knocks Scott on the ice. They meet after the game to exchange cards but admit that employees had taken them at different establishments earlier. After finding their respective credit cards, they share a cab to go home and discover they are going to the same place. Scott is staying at Ashley’s parents’ backyard cottage. While she focuses on growing her business in New York with a new partner, Scott has his eyes set on the NHL. Is what they need in front of them? Only time on the ice will tell.
So, the credit card swap doesn’t make sense. Neither notices the cards are missing, so why wouldn’t it work? Maybe they didn’t have the correct PIN, but you never saw them putting it into the machine. However, the family steals the show. They are funny, encouraging, and loving. They fully embrace Scott while permitting Ashley to release her duties and live. This movie is a steady start to the 2023 season, but it doesn’t grasp your attention when the leads are on the screen. Viewers will watch for Ashley’s family and grandma’s eggnog.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
So you’re cutting me – Scott
Yeah, tell me about it – Ashley
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Handyman from Hell – Review
Handyman from Hell – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Maggie moves into her new home after separating from her estranged husband, David. Her brother, Michael, is happy to see David go, but her best friend, Harriet, can see the longing in Maggie’s face. Maggie chose to redo the kitchen and let David design it, just like their business. David draws, and she makes business calls. Now, she has to find a contractor to finish the job.
After several crazy contractor interviews, Maggie picks one, but he never shows up. She loses her cat and finds a man, Nate, holding it. She thanks Nate for finding her feline and casually mentions her missing contractor. Nate jokes about having him tied up in his van and says he does kitchen remodels. He offers to look at her plans and kitchen. Maggie hires Nate and fantasizes about him. But the heavenly man of her dreams has a revenge plan from hell. And he is ready to unleash it on Maggie and Michael.
This movie is the definition of plotholes. Somehow, Nate knows Maggie’s password without any explanation. Then, he kidnaps someone, but you never see when or how. After not checking Nate’s information, Maggie suddenly knows his last name. Maggie doesn’t listen to the one sane person in this movie: Michael. He notices items missing from her wall, asks Nate’s last name, and questions Nate’s missing online profile. The writer spent more time wrapping up Harriet’s rescue efforts than Maggie’s or Nate’s sudden knowledge. Skip this movie unless you want more questions than answers.
I give it 1.5 out of 5 stars
You didn’t tell her that I asked for it, right – Nate
That’s one way of saying incredibly egotistical – Maggie
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Binged to Death – Review
Binged to Death – MTV – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Kristen and her best friend, Terry, spend every moment together binge-watching reality TV dating shows. They watched 60 episodes in one day. Three couples are their favorite because they have a lasting love. Sienna and AJ from the Shelter of Love have an unmatched passion. She is an influencer, and he is a surfing enthusiast. They are the Ken and Barbie of dating shows. Quincy and Zion, from Ex on the Mind, are on-again and off-again. But prove opposites attract. Hugh and Lexy from I’d Have Your Baby will take a bullet for each other. However, the show focused more on Lexy’s virginity status than her Ph.D.
Kristen monitors the three couples’ social media when she and Terry hear reports that all three couples split. Terry and Kristen confirm the media outlets by checking the likes and comments on the couples’ most recent posts. Kristen can’t live in a world where real love doesn’t exist. Kristen wishes the couples could be on a show to rekindle their love. Terry smiles and says maybe they can. Kristen kidnaps the six people and locks them into her impenetrable villa with all the accouterments. They have an infinity pool, cameras, and tasks. If the couples want to survive, they must play the game and fall in love.
This movie is a parody of reality TV but with a murderous twist. The house has stereotypical characters. They have the preppy couple, the oddballs, and the sweethearts. For a while, some couples don’t realize this isn’t a TV show. They play to the security cameras and talk about their brands. The premise is promising, but the writing falls flat. The jokes won’t make you laugh as much as the deaths. But it’s a solid commentary about reality TV and its fans. Don’t be surprised if you cheer for Kristen. Viewers should leave this film on the back burner until they need background noise and have 2 hours to kill.
I give it 2 out of 5 stars
I think you mourned long enough – Terry
Do I look like I eat pizza – Sienna
Welcome to your second chance – Farrah
Lexi, I never stop loving you – Hugh
I still love you, too – Lexy
I could never mean it – Zion
I know, right. It’s wonderful – Kristen
I’m gonna kill this b***h – Quincy
Ok, call 911 – AJ
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The Cowboy and the Movie Star – Review
The Cowboy and the Movie Star – UPtv – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Actress Isabella wraps up her TV show and meets with her manager, Rose. Rose tells Isabella that she got an audition for her first lead role in a dramatic film. And they want her to audition now. The film is about a woman who owns a ranch. A few days later, Isabella partially gets the role. The director wants Isabella to be authentic. He wants her to spend two weeks on Dreamscape Ranch, learning how to feed animals, rope, tie knots, and clean livestock. And he wants her to get on a plane and start today. She will lose the part if she doesn’t learn it in time. Isabella tells Rose she can’t do it because she has two more episodes to shoot. Rose called the show, and they will write her out. However, they may not add her back for season 8. Rose worries Isabella will risk a guaranteed paycheck for her dream job. Rose pulls out her phone to cancel the film role, but Isabella says no. She wants to risk it all and gets on a flight.
Hunter runs the Dreamscape Ranch with his farm hand, Walter. Walter’s wife, Lesley, helps because she knows Hunter is in dire straits. Hunter’s family owed this ranch for generations. So, he has been slowly selling things off to pay the bank after his wife died six years ago. A local conglomerate wants to buy Hunter’s ranch, but he refuses to sell. So, when a director offered to pay him to let an actress shadow him, Hunter said yes. Hunter hopes the money will buy him some time with the bank and allow him to save his ranch from a manipulative corporation buying the town. He suspects the actress will work for one day, take a few selfies, get tired, and leave him alone.
Isabella walks to the ranch with a sparkly feathered hat and heels. She approaches Hunter’s home to find it empty and opens her script. Hunter sees Isabella on the porch and frightens her awake. She gives him her list, and he laughs because that’s not what cowboys do. He wakes her up before dawn, and they start the day. Walter sees Hunter is putting Isabella through the wringer. Hunter doesn’t have time to deal with her because he needs to focus on the bank. Walter tells Hunter to be a Southern gentleman because Isabella is working hard. Isabella gets a call from Rose while they talk. The director changed his mind. She has one week instead of two to learn everything on her list. She pleads with Hunter to stick to it. He remembers Walter’s advice and decides to guide her, but she will be his guiding light to save the ranch.
Hunter is the typical gruff cowboy who desires to save his family legacy. However, Isabella isn’t a princess, although she looks the part. Isabella meets Hunter’s challenges head-on, rolls up her sleeves, and dives in. She hates bug bites but isn’t afraid to get dirty. She understands diligence comes with being an actress. Hunter’s resolve changes with Isabella’s perseverance and Walter’s wise words. This change in dynamic saves this movie from becoming another ordinary romantic comedy. While it follows the formula, it’s entertaining.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
I look exhausted – Isabella
That shrieking is kind of a greeting – Hunter
He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders – Lesley
I am not sure vegan agrees with me – Walter
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Murdaugh Murders: The Movie – Part 2 – Review
Murdaugh Murders: The Movie – Part 2 – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Alex Murdaugh calls the police after finding the bodies of his son, Paul, and wife, Maggie, next to their dog kennels. Alex explains to the first officer on the scene that he grabbed his gun for protection and thinks the murders are retaliation for the boat accident. The police pull Alex aside and put him into the car for questioning. One officer notices Alex’s shoes are pristine for such a muddy and bloody scene. Also, Alex’s crying but doesn’t have tears. However, they don’t have any evidence to charge him, just a hunch, so they let him go. Alex runs to his dealer for more pills and gets a fist to the ribs. Then, Alex visits the mistress he assaulted, and she turns him down. Alex returns to work and finds SLED and his partners investigating his cases. They have questions about missing money and unreceived settlements. Then Alex’s brother calls because their father, Randolph, took a turn for the worst. Alex holds his father’s hand and leaves. Alex drives to his mother’s home carrying a blue jacket. He tells his mother’s caretaker, Shelly, to confirm he visited for 40 minutes the night of his family’s murder. When Shelly recalls something different, Alex offers to pay for her wedding. He leaves the blue jacket in his mother’s closet and drives away.
Alex calls a realtor to sell his home to hire a lawyer. Then, a friend calls Alex because the police are reopening Stephen’s and Gloria’s cases. Alex gets in his car and drives down the road, but someone shoots at him. During his medical exam, police saw unexplained bruises on his ribs. They call Alex into their office to question him about the shooting. Also, his law practice removed him because Alex created a phony company to steal client’s payments. SLED and the police want to know about the large payments made to a dealer. Alex admits to having an opioid addiction and goes into rehab. Alex thinks this is the start of his redemption story, but it’s his downfall. For once in his life, this murderous con artist faces his worst fear: being surrounded by honest people.
This film’s opening scene recreates the police cruiser’s interview caught on the detective’s body camera. You follow Alex as he tries to stay one step ahead of the police, SLED, his partners, clients, and the attorneys. Randolph warned his son to stop digging when he was in a hole, but Alex’s pride won’t let him. He clings to the Murdaugh legacy by his fingernails. You can feel his desperation. For years, Alex surrounded himself with well-off people looking for prestige or recognition. So they looked the other way when Alex asked them to commit crimes. Today, ordinary people won’t bend to Alex’s bribes. The class of people he robbed is his downfall. The final scene depicting the murders will break your heart. And prove Alex is a monster.
I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars
As good as can be – Alex
Sure didn’t seem so long, Mr. Alex – Shelly
That was a long time ago – Curtis
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Field Day – Review
Field Day – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Jen and her daughter, Isabel, recently moved to her husband’s hometown. Jen’s husband, Nate, died two years ago. It’s Isabel’s first day at her new school, and Jen encourages her to make new friends there. Jen takes pictures until she realizes she is running late. So she jumps into the car with pajama pants, hoping no one will see her. Attorney Marissa strategizes the day as her husband, Tim, prepares breakfast for the family. Marissa promises to be more involved in her daughter’s activities. Although Tim understands her hectic schedule, he wants Marissa to unplug from work and spend more time with their daughter, Lucy. Kelly is a mommy content creator and constantly posts about her husband, Kevin, and daughter, Jordan. She works on the PTO and stays Instagram-ready.
Jen drops Isabel off at school but runs inside to give Isabel her forgotten lunch. After missing the door buzz multiple times, Coach Dan points to the forgotten lunch table in the school foyer. Jen walks towards her car and overhears Marissa on her Bluetooth talking about the PTO meeting. Jen thought the meeting was next week. However, Marissa corrects her and says it’s now. Marissa warns Jen to sign up early, or she will get stuck with field day. Jen and Marissa enter the room and check the sign-in sheets. Marissa protests because field day is the only open activity while Jen signs. Kelly slyly states that Marissa should spend time with her daughter. Marissa, feeling guilty, begrudgingly signs. The PTO President, Suzanne, notices that field day only has two volunteers, so she shames Kelly and Kelly signs. Jen, Marissa, and Kelly meet outside, and Jen asks about past field days. Marissa and Kelly stare into the abyss, thinking of those horrible events. They choose to work together and create a fun-filled event for parents and kids, but can they overcome their issues first?
Jen, Kelly, and Marissa represent all moms. Jen is a widow working freelance to make her hours and spend more time helping her daughter. However, she doesn’t follow her advice to Isabel and make friends. She worries new friends will abandon her like the old ones. Kelly focuses on her followers and works hard to maintain the perfect image. She guilts working mom but has been on the receiving end of devastating rumors. Marissa wants work-life balance but struggles. These three women learn they can’t do it all alone, but they can do it all together. They encourage, strengthen, and hold each other accountable. You will connect with at least one mom while laughing and crying.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars
It means best mom friend – Kelly
Oh, no. Did you just ‘dad joke’ me – Jen
I like those pants – Dan
We’ve all been there. No one else will care – Marissa
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Categories: Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story, Benjamin Ayres, Bill Pullman, Binged to Death, Carl Anthony Payne II, Checkin' It Twice, christmas, Countdown to Christmas, Fall Into Love, Field Day, hallmark, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, Handyman from Hell, HMM, holiday, Jodie Sweetin, Joey Ariemma, Kevin McGarry, Kim Matula, Kristina Horan, lifetime, lifetime movie network, Liliana Tandon, lmn, Loni Love, Love Sundays, MacKenzie Porter, Made for TV, movie, mtv, Murdaugh Murders: The Movie - Part 2, Quincy Brown, Rachel Boston, review, Ripped From The Headlines, Rossif Sutherland, Shannon Chan-Kent, Shocktober, Steve Hofstetter, The Cowboy and the Movie Star, Toby Levins, tv review, UPtv, Wendi McLendon-Covey
thatdarngirlmovie.reviews 
Thanks so much for the five stars. As the director of BAD ROMANCE I couldn’t be more proud of the film. Wendi and Rossif were a dream pair to work with.
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As the director of Bad Romance I couldn’t be more proud of the film. Wendi and Rossif were a dream pair to work with.
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Thanks for the Five Stars!! As the director of BAD ROMANCE, I couldn’t be more proud of the film we made. Wendi and Rossif were a dream pair and did amazing work.
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