A reviewer mentioned that when the college-aged daughter read her birth date, it read "1978". However, this is a mistake. Earlier when the daughter was filing her application, she wrote her date of birth as "1999". The "1978" refers to the birth mother's birthday. This is confirmed when the daughter searches online for her birth mother and she types in the birth mother's name along with the 1978 birth date.
9 Reviews
Cheesy and good if you like Lifetime mysteries
EmmaNelly22 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This movie starts off odd because of the birthdate but give it a chance. It's cheesy in a let's see what happens kind of way and you'll fall into the trap of trying to figure out why he had to die. A good way to past the time but don't jump in 100% expecting plot twists. It's kinda predictable.
Lifetime TV
SnoopyStyle28 March 2021
The law has changed and 21 year old adopted Ashley Beck Ford is finally able to access her own birth certificate. Her birth mother is Sara Hillman. It's a happy reunion until Sara's stepdaughter Kelsie shows up. Sara tells her husband that night who is getting tired of her checkered past. He's not clean either with some dirty dealing with his brother and then he's murdered in his own bed. Sara becomes the prime suspect.
This is a TV movie made like a TV movie. It's Lifetime. That's my main complaint. From the actors to the directing to the editing, everything is at a TV movie level. It's all a little stiff and over-melodramatic at the same time. Nevertheless, it could have been a fun little murder mystery. It does need more mystery with a few more red herrings and a big twist. That is the straw that breaks the camel's back. The mystery is not much of a mystery. This is Lifetime at its lower average.
This is a TV movie made like a TV movie. It's Lifetime. That's my main complaint. From the actors to the directing to the editing, everything is at a TV movie level. It's all a little stiff and over-melodramatic at the same time. Nevertheless, it could have been a fun little murder mystery. It does need more mystery with a few more red herrings and a big twist. That is the straw that breaks the camel's back. The mystery is not much of a mystery. This is Lifetime at its lower average.
The birth mother with lots of problems
phd_travel12 January 2020
Quite a complicated story. A young woman locates her birth mother. The birth mother is married to a wealthy man with a daughter from a previous marriage. She is happy to see her but has some issues and a checkered past. Then the birth mother's husband is murdered. Is she a murderer? The daughters set out to find out what's going on. It's quite intriguing. Confusingly the actresses are all brunette and don't look different enough from each other. Plausible enough.
Who Is Hannah Gordon?
kupcr18 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I love LIFETIME movies and this one was no exception. I appreciated the acting of new comer Nia Roam and how wonderful she was as Ashley, who locates her biological mother with help from Ben, her boyfriend. All is well, until she meets her mother, stepfather Trevor, remarkably played by actor Scott Gibson, and step-sister Amy (gorgeous Hannah Gordon). Everything goes well, until Trevor is murdered under strange circumstances and Amy and Ashley are forced to work together to discover the truth. Watch through to the end to see some remarkable scenes and dialog.
An Escort and an Addict
lavatch31 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Sarah Hillman had a predilection for keeping secrets from her loved ones. As a young woman, she worked as an escort. She became pregnant and gave the child up for adoption. She became addicted to drugs. She had committed shoplifting, then fled bail. Now, she has made a good recovery and met a successful businessman, Trevor, with whom she has lived for years.
But the baby daughter to whom Sarah gave birth has now grown up, and Ashley Beck-Ford has successfully located her mom. Sarah is delighted to be united with her baby, who is now a pre-med student. But just as mother and daughter begin to bond, Sarah's husband Trevor is murdered in his home, and Sarah is arrested for first-degree murder.
Sporting a bright orange jumpsuit while being held in prison, Sarah now informs Ashley that he birth was the result of a trick during her escort years and that her father could be one of any number of "clients." Ashley does not know what to think of her prevaricating birth mom. The secrets and lies never seem to end!
Most of the film is devoted to Ashley joining with Sarah's step-daughter Amy to discover the truth about the murder of Trevor Hillman. An area of focus for the sleuths Ashley and Ann is the wayward younger brother of Trevor named Michael.
Early in the film, there is a scene in which Michael attempts to buy dinner for the Hillman family at the finest restaurant in Philadelphia. But at the end of the evening, Trevor is certain that Michael is financially insolvent and attempts to pass him some cash. That detail may point to a strong sibling rivalry and jealousy on the part of Michael, who is always made to feel inferior to his over-achieving brother.
Another factor is the romantic element. Michael has recently gone on a drinking binge after his wife Kelsie has left him. But Ashley and Ann discover that Kelsie had been having an affair with Trevor. If Michael knew of the affair, there would be a clear motivation for the murder. The dram is turning into the tale of Cain and Abel!
The filmmakers sought to portray family values through a strong contrast of the dysfunctional Hillman clan with the household in which Ashley was raised by two kind women, known to her fondly as "Mama" and "Mamacita." Those two women brought up young Ashley with strong values that have contributed to her strength of character and her virtue.
By the end, it is clear that Ashley has the kind of balance and good sense in her life that begins to rub off on the troubled and secretive Sarah, who never completely overcame her identity as an escort and an addict.
But the baby daughter to whom Sarah gave birth has now grown up, and Ashley Beck-Ford has successfully located her mom. Sarah is delighted to be united with her baby, who is now a pre-med student. But just as mother and daughter begin to bond, Sarah's husband Trevor is murdered in his home, and Sarah is arrested for first-degree murder.
Sporting a bright orange jumpsuit while being held in prison, Sarah now informs Ashley that he birth was the result of a trick during her escort years and that her father could be one of any number of "clients." Ashley does not know what to think of her prevaricating birth mom. The secrets and lies never seem to end!
Most of the film is devoted to Ashley joining with Sarah's step-daughter Amy to discover the truth about the murder of Trevor Hillman. An area of focus for the sleuths Ashley and Ann is the wayward younger brother of Trevor named Michael.
Early in the film, there is a scene in which Michael attempts to buy dinner for the Hillman family at the finest restaurant in Philadelphia. But at the end of the evening, Trevor is certain that Michael is financially insolvent and attempts to pass him some cash. That detail may point to a strong sibling rivalry and jealousy on the part of Michael, who is always made to feel inferior to his over-achieving brother.
Another factor is the romantic element. Michael has recently gone on a drinking binge after his wife Kelsie has left him. But Ashley and Ann discover that Kelsie had been having an affair with Trevor. If Michael knew of the affair, there would be a clear motivation for the murder. The dram is turning into the tale of Cain and Abel!
The filmmakers sought to portray family values through a strong contrast of the dysfunctional Hillman clan with the household in which Ashley was raised by two kind women, known to her fondly as "Mama" and "Mamacita." Those two women brought up young Ashley with strong values that have contributed to her strength of character and her virtue.
By the end, it is clear that Ashley has the kind of balance and good sense in her life that begins to rub off on the troubled and secretive Sarah, who never completely overcame her identity as an escort and an addict.
My mom's Darkest Secrets
coltras356 September 2023
When 21-year-old Ashley Beck-Ford finds her biological mother, Sara Hillman, online, she is shocked and thrilled... But building a relationship with her long-lost mother proves to be more dangerous than Ashley could have ever imagined. Soon after meeting her, Sara's husband is murdered. Ashley soon finds herself caught in a web of lies and deceit in which she isn't sure if her mother is innocent or guilty of that murder.
Laurie Fortier does well as the mother with a past - she has a secret, takes pills and has a lost daughter. The plot is intricate, has some good twists, though the outcome is predictable. The lead actresses make fine detectives, but the doubt of whether the mother is innocent is well done, and it's only at the last moment the truth comes out.
Laurie Fortier does well as the mother with a past - she has a secret, takes pills and has a lost daughter. The plot is intricate, has some good twists, though the outcome is predictable. The lead actresses make fine detectives, but the doubt of whether the mother is innocent is well done, and it's only at the last moment the truth comes out.
A Good One
gymnckv7 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I really enjoyed this film -mainly because of the likeable performance of Nia Roam who played Ashley. Laurie Fortier's performance as Sarah Hellman was also excellent.
I enjoyed the plot on this. I thought it was a suspenseful - it was hard to know exactly who was responsible for knocking off the murder victim. I enjoyed the dynamic investigative duo of Ashley and Amy. I was not expecting Amy to come around and be objective given the characters dislike of Sarah, so that was a refreshing storyline.
Something else I really loved about the film was that Ashley had two moms. It was a nice touch and done very well. The LGBTQ representation was just presented as a matter of fact, no big deal, just a normal family. Because they are an ordinary family.
The plot, writing, acting, intrigue and pacing were all on-point. Overall, an excellent and enjoyable film.
I enjoyed the plot on this. I thought it was a suspenseful - it was hard to know exactly who was responsible for knocking off the murder victim. I enjoyed the dynamic investigative duo of Ashley and Amy. I was not expecting Amy to come around and be objective given the characters dislike of Sarah, so that was a refreshing storyline.
Something else I really loved about the film was that Ashley had two moms. It was a nice touch and done very well. The LGBTQ representation was just presented as a matter of fact, no big deal, just a normal family. Because they are an ordinary family.
The plot, writing, acting, intrigue and pacing were all on-point. Overall, an excellent and enjoyable film.
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