He Couldn’t Let Go – Review

He Couldn’t Let Go – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Marianna and Faye enter a conference room to speak to Herbert. He assumes they want to discuss his company’s security breach. He assures them that the impact was minimal and that they handled it. However, Marianna confronts Herbert about sexual harassment. She watches his movements through the glass table to spot lies. When Herbert’s cornered, he threatens Marianna. She stands, grabs the phone, and dials security. Hebert pulls the phone from her hand and starts to browbeat her. She looks towards the camera in the corner. Herbert spots the device and whispers a threat in her ear before exiting. Marianna called security, but Herbert slipped through their fingers before damaging Marianna’s car. Marianna will be on high alert until she knows Herbert’s mental state.

Marianna relaxes at home until she sees something outside her bedroom window. As she tiptoes over to look, her boyfriend, Nick, appears behind her. She yelps, and he apologizes for scaring her. Later, he gets a message from his friend Dylan. Dylan will be in town for a night and wants to cook for them tomorrow evening. Marianna rolls her eyes and agrees to welcome Dylan.

After work, Marianna gets a text from Nick. He will be late because he’s meeting with a client. Marianna arrives home but stops to find her front door ajar. Dylan pops out and comments that Nick told him to use the spare key. He returns the key to the fake rock, and they walk inside. Marianna gets comfortable while Dylan prepares dinner. He cooks mofongo while they discuss pasta, dancing, and religion. Throughout the night, something about Dylan’s body language concerns Marianna. Dylan is hiding something. Can Marianna unlock the truth before it’s too late?

This calm thriller has a slow pace, leading to a foreseeable twist. This story takes the long way to the point, and you will beg for something to happen. The setup gives the viewer plenty of potential threats to choose from. However, the story has one loose end: what is Dylan’s status? The backing track added some needed thrills to the plot and helped emphasize when you needed to care. And the motive was basic. Unlike most Lifetime movies, several scenes are displayed during the end credits. They let you look into the mind of a stalker. It adds a necessary layer of creepiness. This film has a few surprises but lacks inspiration.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

He should have kept me while he had me – Marianna

I got a merit badge for love-making – Nick

You want me to stay over tonight. I got sharp nails – Faye

Can’t get anything by you – Dylan

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The Night Everything Changed – Review

The Night Everything Changed – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Ellie steals money from her mother, Tina, and stuffs it into her duffel bag. Tina stops Ellie in the kitchen to update her about their upcoming move. Ellie groans because she wants to stay near her boyfriend, Caleb. Tina highlights that the move will support her promotion, pay for Ellie’s college education, and bring Ellie closer to her father, Paul. Ellie brushes it off and leaves to spend the night at her friend’s home.

Ellie arrives at Jessica’s and greets Jessica’s mom, Rachel. Ellie’s other friends, Lily and Kendall, are in Jessica’s bedroom. They worry that going out tonight is a bad idea. Someone leaked intimate photos of Jessica around the school, but Jessica won’t let that deter her. She plans to party with her head held high. But the party is just a ruse. Ellie and Caleb planned to run away together, and their friends promised to keep their secret until they reached out to their parents.

Before they enter the party, Jessica, Kendall, Lily, and Ellie make a bet to see who can get the most numbers. They enter and have fun. Then, Lily pulls Ellie aside and begs her not to leave with Caleb. Lily confesses that Caleb is cheating on Ellie. Ellie darts to find Caleb and confronts him. She demands an answer from Caleb but leaves before he can respond. He follows her outside.

Tina gets word that Ellie missed her morning tennis lesson. She fearfully calls Paul. Paul tells Tina to relax, but Tina goes to Rachel’s home. Tina arrives at the house and explains the situation. Rachel informs Tina that the girls went to a party, unbeknownst to Tina. Then, Jessica tells Tina about Ellie’s plan to run away. Tina cries because she didn’t know Ellie was that upset. So, she reports Ellie missing to the police. The police uncover party footage of Ellie’s argument with Caleb. Now, they fear that Caleb killed Ellie before they could run away. Tina will stop at nothing to find and save Ellie. But will she get there in time?

This suspense thriller spends the first act building the world around Ellie and Tina. Viewers learn Ellie’s runaway plot, but you know there is something more when a hooded stranger grabs her from behind. So viewers understand that Ellie isn’t a runaway. By the third act, the audience knows Ellie’s status. So the script changes from ‘where is Ellie?’ to ‘who kidnapped Ellie?’ While it’s a change in direction, it keeps you on the hook. However, the motive falls flat because of petty rivalries, high school drama, and cattiness. The saving grace is the drama between the parents. Although they overacted at times, their battles nearly came to blows as they fought to protect their children. This protectiveness was supposed to be a twist, but it’s too obvious for experienced Lifetimers. While you don’t need to rush home to watch this film, you can use it as a teaching moment for your teens.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

I’m so proud of you – Jessica

It will all work out – Rachel

Guys just love a good girl – Kendall

Ellie, he’s cheating on you – Lily

You know I’m not afraid to use my fist – Caleb

You could try trusting her – Paul

You only get one mother, and I’m going to be her parent first – Tina

Me too – Ellie

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