Sin & Redemption (1994 TV Movie) User Reviews

You have shamed Yourself! You have shamed your Home! And you have shamed Me!

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 6 February 2008]

**SPOILERS** "Sin and Redemption" is a bit predictable in it's subject matter in that it telegraphs its very unsurprising "suprise ending" almost as soon as you get an idea of where the movie is going.

Teenager Billie Simms, Cynthia Gibb, is looking forward to attend collage but her life gets all messed up when going home from work, form her job as a waitress at a local hamburger joint, Billie is attacked and raped from behind by a shadowy drunk assailant.

Finding out that she's pregnant Billie is told by her very religious minded father Mr. Carl Simms, Ralph Waite, to put the child up for adoption soon after its born. Being a religious and God fearing man an abortion would be unthinkable in Carl's mind.

As Billie is going through the trauma of having her child not only born but given away to a stranger young handsome and very rich Jim McDaniels, Richard Grieco, pops up pleading with Billie to keep the child and even more strange asks her, almost begging Billie, for her hand in marriage! Jim we've already seen, in a violent incident at the hamburger joint, is infatuated with Billie in that he acts as if he's her knight in shining amour beating the cr*p out of anyone who as much as says an unkind word to her.

Against his father's and mother's, Walter Marsh & Conetta Tomei,advice Jim marries Billie and immediately throws away his future in the family business and collage education. On top of all that Jim opts to live with his wife and newborn daughter Katie,Brittany Tiplady at one and Coleen Rannison at five years old, in the poor side of town! Miles away from the expensive and spacious mansion that he lived in with his parents!

Having trouble in paying the bills, he wouldn't think of asking his parents for help, Jim turns into an abusive wife-beating drunk having trouble in both staying away from the bottle and holding down a job. It's when little Katie is diagnosed with a life threatening kidney aliment that Jim is forced to sober up in that*****SPOILER ALERT**** he may be the only person who can save her life!

Touching at times when his not drunk and violent it's aggravating to watch in how poor Billie has to put up with him that makes Jim anything but a sympathetic character. Billie for her part does evoke sympathy but at the same time in her guilt, which was totally unfounded, in being raped comes across as a punching bag who doesn't have the will or ability to just walk out on that abusive jerk of a husband of her's.

The ending a way does get both Billie as well as her father Carl to realize that the illogical guilt on their part, in Billie's being raped and getting pregnant because of it, was what was the cause of all the tragedies that followed it. As for Jim he soon realized, after he found about his daughter Katie's condition, what a mess he not only made of his life but all those he touched, like Billie, in the many hang-ups he had and was not willing, medically as well as psychologically, to have treated.

What the !**!?

[Bob-785 · 1 January 2004]

Question number one: why would anyone write this drivel?

Question number two: why would anyone give it the go ahead to go into production?

Question number three: is there anyone out there who DIDN'T know who was going to rape her the second he said hello to her?

Question number four: why did the main cast members listen to their agents when they said 'Hey, this is a good one'?

This film was contrived, a travesty of the film industry, a shame that the cast and crew made this when they could have been doing something worthwhile with their time (such as performing their own tonsillectomies with a rusty spoon and a pair of child safe scissors), an insult to anyone who has ever gone through the events portrayed and an insult to anyone who ever watched it.

**Plot Spoiler** I am, unfortunately for myself, one of those people who, no matter how bad a film is, has to watch to the end to see what happens. I'm kind of glad I did with this one, as I now get to slate that stupid, weak as a baby's little finger, utterly ridiculous ending. Her rape cost her her reputation and her close relationship with her father and he manages to redeem himself by donating a kidney or whatever is was to her daughter to save her life. It's the least he can do. She owes him no graditude for that. The only thing she owes him is a kick in the groin and a spell in a penitentiary. **End of Spoiler**

The people responsible for this ludicrous rigmorale have a lot of explaining to do.

There`s No Redemption For This TVM

[Theo Robertson · 3/10 · 10 July 2003]

I was under the impression that being the victim of rape was just about the worst thing that can happen to a woman , a horrific violent ordeal that I can barely imagine , but when the lead character Billie is raped by an unseen attacker it seems all that rape involves is a woman getting her face rubbed gently on the ground . Worse than that when Billie finds out she`s pregnant by the rape she hardly bats an eyelid . I don`t think I have to hammer home to you how ridiculous this appears on screen . I know it`s a TVM so there`s broadcasting standards to observe and I suppose this prissy attitude is slightly more preferable than the full throttle stomach churning exploitation of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE but to treat such a serious subject in such a light manner comes close to being offensive . As the story continues it gets even more depressing plot wise but SIN AND REDEMPTION still failed to hold my attention except to make ask how can one woman be so unlucky in life ? It`s like watching an American version of EASTENDERS and just as realistic

A TRUE STORY-that's what makes it good!!!

[ShuhDiamond · 8/10 · 21 August 2005]

This is a movie based on a true story. It is a story about a woman who was raped, and got pregnant as a result of the rape. She decided to carry the baby to term. In the process of having the baby, she meets a man who anxiously wants to marry her and help support her new baby, willing to raise the baby as his own. The irony is, after being married to him and having two more children with this man, she finds out that he is actually the man that raped her and got her pregnant with her first child. Some may say, "Oh, this movie sucks because the plot is just too unbelievable!" The fact of the matter is, it really did happen, and that is what makes the movie a very good movie, and incredibly interesting.

Good movie

[Quietstorm06 · 8/10 · 12 March 2007]

The other comments aren't doing this movie justice!!! A Young woman was raped and basically abandoned by her family. They called her a sinner. THen this man comes into her life while pregnant willing to take care of her and the unborn baby. She think he is her prince charming. Unbeknowst to her the man is the rapist. The man feels guilty of what he did and it destroys him and he becomes an alcoholic. Eventually the child needs a kidney and of course he is a match and his lies come out. I don't think he is redeemed I think the young woman is the one who was sinned on and then redeemed and she becomes a stronger person. The movie was a good movie and the acting was very good and I still do not get all the negativity towards this movie.

When you take something precious from someone else, God might just take away something as precious from you!

[marsmitchell79 · 9/10 · 20 February 2017]

Billie McDaniel is a "good" girl, who gets raped and gets pregnant. Her hypocritical dad(or who sins once in a very critical spot) accuses her of going against God's ways just like her ne'er do well older sister! He compels her--out of caring for her and shame of how the community and church will look at him now--to give the baby up. She is the loving type who would never do such a thing, but she respects her dad so much that she heads in that direction and gets a couple of fortuitous bounces that stops her just in the nick of time! Jim, the man who raped her--unbeknownst to her, steps in to marry her and raise who he knows is his daughter. Life goes on from bliss to the state of worrying Jim and (THE OBJECT OF HIS LUSTFUL OBSESSION) fertile Billie until his daughter needs a kidney donor...All I'll say is that God sometimes takes the scenic route to deliver His vengeance! A movie that could very well happen just as the movie: A good girl who honors her parents, a churchgoing or minister dad who has had one daughter go in a sinful direction blames the younger daughter of doing the same based on how things look(looks to him like her sister has rubbed off on her), the good girl gets raped in a way that she doesn't see him, and he wanted her then and wants her now(his part is also believable, because it's my belief that a rapist can love. A criminal can love--if only for periods of time or when not drunk. Some rapists or killers have lived lives of love and go out and take whatever frustrations they have out on others! Then again, there are some men and women who abuse their families and then treat most others with love!)

Not much wrong with this movie except Jim is a little too forthcoming when talking to Billie at the end. Can you say too much information? Anybody that has seen this movie knows what I'm talking about. He says a little(all that he really has to say) and she's fine with that, but he goes all explicit as if in English or Oral Communication class and messes up BIG TIME!

I have viewed this movie.

[butterfly_rr · 3 December 2002]

I have seen this movie more than once. I found this movie to be great.

The actors did a wonderful job of making the movie intense. The story plot put a twist on something that happens to many unfortunate women all over the world. Although the viewers can figure it all out before it unfolds, it is still intriguing to follow the story and see the reactions of the characters. I am not an avid "lifetime" viewer, but I have found there are some good programs on it. As I said, I enjoyed the movie. I give it 4 stars ****!

Rapist Movie

[sarahjet · 9/10 · 27 December 2004]

I personally enjoyed this movie. It is controversial but it does give people a look into a rapists mind and it makes women more aware that a rapist could be anyone. This woman married the man who raped her and she didn't even know who he was. She trusted him- it shows women that any man, even if you think you know them, could potentially be threatening.

You can never really know a person. My mother was raped so I partially understand that this movie could be offensive to someone. But honestly there is no reason to take offense to this film. It is possible that this really happened to someone- and if someone actually went through this then how can that be considered a bad movie? Yes, the woman lost dignity when she was raped but not all movies can be happy and have the perfect ending. Life is not perfect and to make a LIFEtime movie you must show all aspects of life. There are many women out there who are beat by their husband, which is just as bad, and even raped by them and they continue to stay with their husband. That would be worse than what happened in this film. Yet if you watched a movie like that- for instance the film, Enough, you would probably like the film and not have the same convictions you had with this one. This movie was just different, not bad.

Not bad for a Lifetime movie....asks some provoking questions

[MarieGabrielle · 8/10 · 13 September 2007]

Cynthia Gibb is a waitress at a cafeteria. Her life seems repressed and alienating. She has no money, and her father (well-portrayed as a cantankerous and stern minister).

Basically, Gibb walks home at work late at night, she can't afford a car. She is suddenly attacked from behind, is shocked, and couldn't identify the culprit. She is very good in this movie, underplaying the emotions and histrionics. Rape usually causes shock and trauma.

Richard Grieco enters the scene as a well educated college student, from a moneyed family. His mother is well-portrayed by Concetta Tomei, an elitist who tells Gibb she is trash, and not good enough for her son.

At first, all is well in the marriage. Grieco is handsome and a good provider. He married Gibb when she was pregnant from the rape; she told him she had no idea who the father was, but Grieco said "this does not matter, I love you anyway". Her father wanted her to put the baby up for adoption, but she was not heartless enough to do that. Eventually Gibb has two more children with Grieco. He begins to get stressed, drinking and arguing and at one point forcing her to have sex while she is pregnant with her third child.

Overall a decent story with a twist. Watch it and you will find this to be interesting. 8/10

Enough syrup for pancakes!

[jfg1 · 10 November 2001]

I left the TV on Lifetime because there was not much else on, and 25 minutes into the movie I had it figured out. Boring, contrived, and enough syrup to choke a cat. Lifetime bills itself as "Entertainment for women". With very few exceptions, I can't see why, unless the women who watch are hooked on victimization movies. Sorry, NO stars on this one.

This is a real good movie!!

[missdee916 · 9/10 · 26 February 2005]

I loved this movie and Richard Grieco was wonderful in it. I stayed glued to my seat the entire time it was on. It made me laugh and cry. I have never seen a movie with a twist like it, and i really enjoyed it.

It started out with a girl being raped and everyone treating her like an outcast except him. He stepped up and done the right thing in the end to keep her from losing the baby. They made him out to be a drinker and wife abuser but throughout it all he showed he loved his wife.

Great Job done by Richard Grieco and Cynthia Gibb. I give Sin and Redemption a 9 only because of the ending if they would have stayed together it would have been perfect. It is the best movie i have seen on Lifetime.

Not good at all.....

[wishkah7 · 19 October 2001]

Yet, another Made-for-TV movie about a victimized woman that Lifetime tries to cram down our throats. In this one a woman gets raped on the job by an unknown assailant then her family pities her and she gets pregnant and doesn't know who the father is. Then a guy comes and helps her through only to find out later that her boyfriend was her unknown attacker. And get this, the boyfriend even redeems himself so he could be a father to his kid. Talk about obligation!

This type of plot for a movie is something you would normally see on Maury Povich or Jerry Springer! Richard Grieco and Cynthia Gibb are such talented people. Why did they have to participate in a pitiful movie like this? Were they promised a huge amount of money? In retrospect, Sin and Redemption is just another victimized woman movie that's shown on Lifetime, otherwise known as the All-Abuse, Victim, Anguish, and Whodunnit Channel that is a must-miss. Unless of course there's some people out there who like these kind of movies and that's okay with me. I give Sin and Redemption one star.

Any other similar cases we have never heard about?

[johncwoodson · 10/10 · 22 August 2005]

While watching this film, I started wondering if there are other woman in this same position of being married to a man who raped them and simply have not had an opportunity to discover that this is indeed the case. I mean, just how diabolical is the mind of a rapist as a whole? How does a woman recognize the symptoms of a man with various types of Jekyll and Hyde personality traits? I'll give you two good reasons why these are important types of questions to now try and bring up for open debate. The first is because during the time when President Clinton was going thru the impeachment process, NBC Dateline did a news show over-viewing President Bill Clinton allegedly date raping a woman named Juanita Broderick. The second is just before the elections were held in California to elect Arnold Schwarzenegger governor, the LA Times reported one specific case (out of 16) where a woman appears to be alleging that she was raped by Mr. Schwarzenegger. So this film made me wonder (in a non partisan manner) what it would be like if at a future point in time if all U.S. citizens were put in the awkward position of having to choose voting for either Hillary Clinton or Arnold Schwarzenegger for president of the USA.

Some of you may say that it is so unlikely that this type of scenario would ever take place, that it is not much of a point to try and make. My response would be that the main point here is that there may be a wide variety of corrupt people, holding a wide variety of great positions of power, who may have a wide variety of Jekyll and Hyde personality traits. This in turn is why I believe that we in the civilized world would be well advised to start learning how to become more proficient in recognizing all of the various types of Jekyll and Hyde personality traits that people may secretly have. So regardless of how inconsistent you felt the plot structure of this film was, I believe the one important message people should get from watching it, is that it should be considered a worthy stepping stone type of tool to consider using for the purpose of possibly helping to jump-start the whole process of learning how to become more proficient in understanding what the root causes are for people becoming inclined to want to create a Jekyll and Hyde type of personality profile for themselves.

GREAT FILM NOT GOOD BUT SOOOOO GOOD,i am watching this then ordering it for Christmas for me and mi papi chulo to watch over again.SPOILER!

[domincanredangel · 10/10 · 12 June 2008]

i agree with member here name of MISS as i am a writer,and recording artist bi lingual artist and i write mucho since around 12,so i find humor in this movie too some scenes definitely was enjoyable, her walking in park buying hot dog,talking about her family her writing her "baby"and him complimenting her,protecting her from the wind on the beach/rain with the umbrella,was sweet,and also funny some scenes by richard SEXY TALL DARK Italian handsome man he is,but then MOSTLY TRAGIC/sad,and the sis the taller girl was great in this funny at times,supportive sis.

i love it though i got it on today again on LMN(lifetime movie network)and not regular lifetime

i love how REALITY movie is always BEST!

even though he yes,rape her brutally,so horrid,when he was younger he weirdly but genuinely tried to REDEEM himself,but was just too WEAK to. and i agree with the ending and how he really did seem to LOVE so much the daughter from rape katie. i cry at most of this movie,just because it show how much you can maybe LOVE SOMEONE so much that no matter what is needed to be done to KEEP the true love or in this case"love"you are not able to do it,his alcohol got in the way completely,and i feel bad for her,the kids,and as she even did tell him at the end MOST OF ALL for JIM,because he really was the worst off,in the END AS SHE MOVE ON went her separate ways healthy happy with her kids and sold even her story to a magazine or her sis did this for her.SO he really suffering in the end,not her and the kids.GREAT NOT GOOD A GREAT FILM,and i will order this for my collection by xmas.

that is how much i love this since first seeing this in my twenties when it first came out in 1994 i was around early 20's then.LOVE IT.i call this a BITTERSWEET romance with NO happy ending for jim but solace peace in the end for the kids and blessing for daughter living FROM HER RAPIST turned husband,who was just too weak addicted to negative,abuse,verbal physical alcohol etc to really REDEEM. LASTLY THE MOVIE SCORE throughout was lovely.Even if it was a sad film mostly,i love the music especially at the end. i give it 10 plus stars.

adios.