Awake to Danger (1995 TV Movie) User Reviews

The right side of murder

[sol-kay · 6/10 · 12 April 2010]

***SPOILERS*** Something seemed to be bugging Ben McAdams all throughout his daughters Aimee 16th birthday party. It's when the party was over that Ben let his true feeling out when he almost smashed in his wife Loretta's skull with his fist that just missed it by inches hitting the wall instead! We never realize just what set off the nerdy car dealer Ben until much later in the movie! But that was after his wife Loretta ended up being strangled to death by a home invader and his daughter Aimee , who caught him in the act, had her back and neck broken as she, in trying to escapes from him, fell down a balcony and ended up in a coma for some 18 months!

It's when Aimee recovers from her coma that things start to happen to the McAdams family in that whoever murdered her mother is now out to get her too before her memory returns and she'll be able to identify her moms killer! This has Aimee who receiving psychical therapy from her cute and ex-convict volunteer therapist Jeff Baker starts to suspect everyone in town as being her moms murderer! Which makes catching him almost impossible for the person assigned to her mothers murder case Det Brickman. With the help of Jeff Aimee slowly recovers her ability to walk but it's her mind in what she can remember about what happened he night her mom was murdered that makes things worse for her. Whoever murdered Aimee's mom is now determined to murder her as well to keep the truth about what he did never get to see the light of day!

Aimee for her part is now, due to her paranoia, convinced that she's the target of her moms killer but her rattled brain, from her accident, has her suspect everyone in town of trying to murder her! Even her dad Ben and now, after convincing her that his criminal past is now behind him, hospital volunteer Jeff Baker! As we'll soon find out the person out to get Aimee had been having a hot and heavy affair with her mom who by her breaking it up lead to her murder! You get the feeling that Mr. Ben McAdams knew who his wife's killer was all along because he just couldn't be that stupid not to have noticed him! Yet he waits until almost the end of the movie when Aimee's life is just about to be snuffed out to finally do something about it. In Ben both capturing and braining, with what seemed to be a golf club, him!

Just average who done it made for TV murder drama where you can spot the killer almost as soon as he makes his appearance in just how creepy and sure of himself he is. Poor Aimee who should have known better, in who her moms killer was, spent the entire movie suspecting and almost having arrested everyone in the cast as the real killer slowly set her up for the kill before she'll ends up suspecting him as well: Fat Chanch!

Amateur acting, amateur directing, poor sound and musical score

[sweetjennigirl · 1/10 · 30 October 2006]

I thought that I was watching a high school play the acting, directing, sound and music score were so bad, but I have seen high school plays that are much better than this movie. I watched the movie on the Lifetime Movie Network and I was disappointed that they would even put this movie on their network. The plot and story line were good, and IMHO this movie needs to be remade using a different director and musical score and a better sound person. All the time I was watching the movie I kept hoping that it would get better, but it never did. Lifetime & LMN are my favorite channels usually showing only top quality movies that address important social issues and although the social issue addressed in the movie was an important one this movie was a definite disappointment. I would really enjoy watching a remake of this movie.

Awake? No, go back to sleep PLEASE

[nlappos · 2/10 · 19 October 2001]

Now there's some kind of unwritten taboo law that we all 'feel' when watching TV films. We know they're generically cheaper, cheesier versions of their Hollywood cousins. But when TV films like "Awake to Murder" has such predictability it goes beyond pure punishment, and becomes difficult to even watch. The movie is has so many directorial, editing, lighting and even synchronizing flaws alone that I won't bother to comment on the story line much. I mean - what was the wardrobe department thinking when they take Michael Gross (Tori's dad) and have him sporting an Armani suit one night (with black turtleneck, leather shoes, et al), then pose him a rainbow colored white and striped shirt and bowtie while he reads poetry to his comatized daughter? The embarrassment alone of him being there dressed like that is enough. Doth he have no shame? With practical spotlight spill lighting and absolute sub-zero camera movement or creativity, the film leaves the viewer feeling like a corpse. It simply has no pulse. The title seems an almost in-joke prompt *not* to watch the movie - so I guess that leaves the selected audience Tori Spelling fans only.. Every else isn't off limits, they just won't care, trust me. For TV this is below average and derivative tripe. Until next time... Off the rock, on the ball and very user-friendly..

Spelling's performance made me wince. (spoilers)

[vertigo_14 · 1/10 · 25 October 2004]

'Awake to Danger' is a predictable drama, but one that Lifetime TV never seems to tire of airing. It is a form drama for Lifetime TV, meaning that it has been standardized, only the characters and the situation change slightly, but in the end, everything is nearly identical right down to the reasons for the crime. 'Awake to Danger,' however, takes that trite story and makes it nauseatingly worse with its story, actors, and dialogue.

Tori Spelling takes the cake for bad acting as a young girl who witnessed the death of her mother. Except, she can't remember it so well, so the killer's identity still remains to be uncovered. So, we get one red herring after another because the writing is so thin, they have to elude you with cheap scare tactics, though some of which are too implausible to go along with. Not until after they have lead you to point fingers at everyone who shows up on screen do they finish you off with a stupid ending. Shae D'Lyn, probably the only tolerable actress in the cast as the monotoned sister, was completely wasted and should've had the lead role. But Spelling more than anyone else, really hams up this cheesefest, especially when it looks as though she's nearly laughing during those "traumatic" hypnosis scenes.

It is definitely a movie I'd recommend not wasting your time on.

Spelling can't act, Diamond can. Inane dialogue and poor direction.

[Blanch-2 · 21 October 1998]

The movie had promise, but not with Tori Spelling. She can't act at all and, in my opinion, only works as an Actress because of who her father is. Reed Diamond on the other hand can act. But even this talented actor would have a problem where he is directed poorly and had to work off of an untalented actress. He made the best out of some rather inane dialogue and I'm sure any scene where he came off better than Tori Spelling surely ended up on the cutting room floor. She was the star and wasn't going to be upstaged by anyone. Not even a talented Actor. I really only watched the movie because of Reed Diamond. When will Hollywood learn?

Title of the movie was better then the movie itself!

[Cs2nana · 3/10 · 26 September 1998]

Felt this was a very bad Tori Spelling acting vehicle. The only reason I tuned in was to watch Reed Diamond, who I felt was a fairly good actor from Homicide: Life on the Streets. I was rather disappointed. Reed Diamond has done some excellent work in several other movies and television shows (i.e., Law and Order, Memphis Belle, O Pioneer!)

Loved this movie

[toridec · 9/10 · 21 September 2010]

You guys who say Tori can't act are nuts!!! I loved this movie and Tori and Reed were great in it. The writing may of been a little silly in some places but Tori rocked. Her relationship with her dad and Reed as her physical therapist were totally believable. Their was loads of suspense and I was hooked immediately. Michael Gross as her dad was very good as well, he plays psychos and mad men very well.It's nice departure from his days on "Family Ties". Reed Diamond is so very sexy and his character and Tori's go very well together. I'm looking to purchase this movie on DVD if anyone knows where I could purchase it please let me know.

Awake to danger

[LindsayNshelva · 10/10 · 18 September 2020]

I haven't seen it. And I would love to watch it. Will you please put it on my ass I'm a prime video Netflix and other apps to if you don't mind thank you