The Secrets She Keeps (TV Movie 2021) Poster

(2021 TV Movie)

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4/10
She would have been a loose end
nogodnomasters10 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
In the opening scene we see Lacey, a high school girl get murdered in the woods. Amara (Emily Miceli) and her mother (Zoe Cramond ) move into a lake home when dad dies and leaves behind lots of paintings. Mom opens a gallery in town that becomes under attack by the previous owners. Amara has social issues in school and starts dating a charming 29 year old with a bad reputation. Everything comes together as it always does in a Lifetime film and with a happy ending.

Another boring and rather pointless Lifetime Film. Some folks like this drama bordering on an action film. I am not into it.

Guide: No swearing, sex, or nudity. Girls extremely poorly and loosely taped to chairs.
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4/10
This was not the kind of LTM mystery I usually enjoy
lymullen26 December 2023
Giving this one 4 stars mainly because it lacked the signature Lifetime Movie twist that usually hooks me into these mysteries. In "Secrets She Keeps," the bad guys were straightforwardly the bad guys, with only a somewhat surprising accomplice revealed towards the end, which, unfortunately, didn't elevate the overall plot.

Discovering the boyfriend's true age, 29 instead of the claimed 19, immediately marked him as irredeemable. I must admit, I wasn't fully engrossed in the movie and only realized it was a revenge plot after reading reviews. Also I found out the original title was "Dating a Killer." Had I known that I would have skipped this one. Again, as I said, I thought this was a mystery. That title gives it all away.

The heroine and her mother, new owners of a previously foreclosed store turned art studio, become targets of the vindictive former owners. However, this revenge plot seemed somewhat disconnected from the initial events involving Lacey who we see in the beginning of the movie. The characters' attempts to link everything felt forced, and the elaborate schemes---one involving a dating app--seemed nonsensical.

The backstory and high school scenes were highlights for me. I appreciated the deviation from the typical mean girl trope, with the mean girls here being part of the homecoming dance committee instead of cheerleaders. Despite the lack of the usual twist, the movie had its moments, especially in exploring the characters' pasts and dynamics within the high school setting. The rest was not that great.
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2/10
So bad it's comical
ginabilly26 June 2021
If you're in the mood for a movie that's packed full of unintentional comedy, this one's for you! I went into this looking for a cheesy Lifetime movie (I'm guessing if you're reading this review, you are sometimes in the mood for those too), so my expectations were already low. But oh boy. Where to start??

Ok first of all, none of the characters in this film behave like actual human beings would behave in these situations. Imagine having a horrible thing happen to you or another family member, and then just being like, "Wow, that was scary. So do you wanna go get some ice cream?" Like, no call to the police, no sign of being visibly distraught after a trauma, and just "Yeah let's get ice cream!" and then they never discuss the horrible event that just happened. That's what these characters do every time something bad happens, and then the NEXT time something bad happens, they never stop and think hey, why are all these bad things happening? Maybe we should call the police? Nope. It's like the characters in this movie are just vehicles for the plot points, and making them behave like actual humans is something the writers and director weren't at all concerned with.

And not only is the script lazy, but the production is as well. Without giving anything away, there's a scene where one character asks another character out to dinner. He even makes a point of saying the name of the restaurant out loud. He says to meet him at a French restaurant by the river called "Lafayette's Cafe." So when they get to the restaurant and walk in, I'm expecting to see signage that says "Lafayette's Cafe." NOPE. When they walk in, the camera literally focuses on a sign attached to the hostess's podium that says "Cohen's Retreat." Turns out, that's an actual restaurant in Georgia (where this movie was filmed). Lol they couldn't even be bothered to replace the signage in the real restaurant to match the name of the fictional restaurant! And it's not like this was a quick little slip. The camera literally lingers on the sign for Cohen's Retreat for about five seconds as they walk in. Lol I can't stop thinking about that.

Lastly, some of the actors in this movie gave some really bad performances. I don't want to say they're bad actors, because let's face it, they didn't have a lot to work with in this script where nothing makes sense and everyone is treated like a cliche. But boy was the acting flat in a lot of scenes.

I'm giving this movie two stars because while it was horrible (even for a Lifetime movie), the 3rd act was just SO bad and SO cheesy that it was entertaining. In a so-bad-it's-good kind of way. I guarantee that if you make it that far, you will be laughing out loud. So that's kind of a reward for making it to the end, although probably not the reward the filmmakers intended.

PS: I have to mention that in one scene where a character throws coffee into another character's face, you can see that the coffee BARELY touches the character's face. I'm talking just a tiny splash on the cheek. But in the very next shot, the character already has "burns" on his face from the coffee. I'm talking huge red burns where, two seconds prior, we literally saw that the coffee didn't touch that part of his face! And I'm sorry but burns take a while to develop on skin. You don't get raised burns on your skin two seconds after being burned. And in places where the heat source didn't even come in contact with your skin lol. Also, the coffee didn't even look hot. No steam coming up from the coffee cup or anything like that, and it was clear that it wasn't freshly made coffee. Again, so bad and so cheesy. I bet there are even more gems like this (and the restaurant signage) that I missed, so keep your eyes peeled for them!
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1/10
Pass me the sick bag
nightroses7 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This was a really gross lifetime thriller, it was just revolting. The beginning was promising but turned into a packet of mould. It was unpleasant, and the guy that this foolish schoolgirl met online already knew about her mother buying the store that he once owned. That guy was almost 30 and not the best looking and had a very sleazy personality. The way he manipulated the teenager was sickening, and the same guy was responsible for a murder in the past. I found the ending cheesy and stupid.
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1/10
if you watch trailer you watched movie
sasham-866086 June 2021
If you watch trailer you watched movie..... not wort time.
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10/10
Appreciate The Artistry of The Story
MikeyKup10 July 2021
I'm unaware of why so many people like to play the comparison game. It is the death of joy. You will always find a movie similar the one you're watching. It is impossible otherwise. "Dating A Killer" was a solid movie with an interesting story, and it was very well done on all fronts. I found myself on the edge of my seat throughout and wanting to know more. Even the trailer hooked me after about ten seconds. I'd say give it a go, but for the young and restless who have no patience; no, this is nothing spectacular, but it it entertaining and enjoyable, and might I add, it has a lot of realism to it.
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Dejavu all over!
haroot_azarian23 June 2021
I am curious about something. Do all widows and divorcees in America quickly or gradually find replacements? Or is it an LMN thing?! I mean in the Single Mom Conspiracy aka an Organized Killer (2021), the mom had only been divorced for two months and hey presto she got hooked up wirh a boytoy!

And finally , as usual we have rebellious under 18 years old daughter who easily makes a mistake! Is this an American society's typical thing or just another LMN formula repeat? Minus 15 for this one!
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8/10
Arms & Steel
lavatch2 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
"Arms & Steel" is the name given to a store owned by Shane McCoy (a.k.a., Shane Barrow). Shane imagined that he was on the way to a franchise operation with that catchy phrase. But along with his dissolute partner, Dallas Wayne McCoy, Shane lost the store to foreclosure. Now, he and Dallas are out for revenge against the new owner.

Diane Caldwell recently moved to town with her daughter Amara, hoping to get a fresh start after the death of her husband, the artist Ellis Caldwell. She won the old Arms & Steel store at auction and is now transforming the establishment into an art gallery. But the lives of Diane and Amara will turn into a nightmare due to the McCoys.

The film was well crafted with a set of characters that were cleverly interlocking. Amara is befriended at her school by Becky and Heather, who will be closely connected to the narrative. Those two conceited and nefarious creatures will figure prominently in the unfolding nightmare for Amara. A nice chap named Paul Carducci works in the store next to Diane, and Paul will also be integral to the action.

The filmmakers developed the theme of mistrust as Amara is smitten by an older man named Shane, who lies about his age, telling her that he is 23. In fact, Amara also fibs about her age telling Shane that she is 18. In fact, she is 16, and Shane is 29.

Amara does not heed the advice of her mom to stay away from Shane, and the consequences are nearly devastating. One scene is filled with dramatic tension as Amara debates whether or not to get into Shane's truck. She makes the decision that most starry-eyed sixteen-year-olds would make and accepts the ride.

Another dicey scene depicted Amara chastising her mother for getting involved with Paul without knowing much about his background. But Diane was actually being cautious in her interactions with Paul. By contrast, Amara was playing a dangerous game in falling prey to the oily charm of Shane.

The film had an effective climactic scene and denouement. Amara has learned an important life lesson, and the world will be a safer place with Shane behind bars and the name "Arms & Steel" long forgotten.
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9/10
The opening caught me
Kanzaki_ken11 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
From the start, I'm hoping it's gonna be a stressful kidnap film . But the movie is decent . The location is 9.8/10 . The thrill is, who's the real killer, the person her mom is dating with, or Shane, the guy he meet in the dating app. It's up to you whether you like it or kinda .
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