"Boy She Met Online" is a silly morality tale about the dangers of meeting people online. 17 year old Cami (Tracy Spiridakos) meets cute boy Jake Byers (Jon Cor) online, but the cute boy turns out to be a criminal who is tormented by serious inner demons. Then after she meets Byers, she gets into a lot of trouble with him very quickly. So there are not big surprises and the plot is pretty predictable right up to the end. Yet this movie does have one bright spot which is Jon Cor's performance as Jake Byers which has more depth than what you would expect from a movie like this. Tracy Spiridakos' one-note performance as the bubbly teenager Cami is as mediocre as the plot, but Jon Cor's Jack Byers seems more complicated and interesting. His Jack Byers wants to be a decent person (as evidenced by his ambition to have a relationship with Cami), but his constant struggles with insecurity, despair and anger and his propensity for violence complicate his efforts to achieve this goal. Yet at the same time, the humanity of Jack Byers shines through in confused and unexpected ways. The result is that "Boy She Met Online" has a pretty routine plot, but Cor does some interesting things with the Jake Byers character.
9 Reviews
The Movie I Left Behind Me
boblipton2 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This Lifetime Channel Movie is a potentially interesting story of a modern variation of a middle-class concern: who is your teenage daughter's boyfriend? In this case, as the title clearly indicates, she met him online. And as it becomes apparent in the first three minutes, he's not just a stranger, he's actually a prison inmate.
Unfortunately, while the idea is interesting, this movie is not. The dialogue may be realistic, but it is not interesting to listen to teenagers giggle. The lighting is the same in every scene, lots of side-lighting, but it's just as bright during the day scenes as the night scenes. And the score is intrusive, overwrought and annoying.
If there is a real problem with this movie, it's that there is no modulation. Lighting, music, whiny teenage angst, every scene is at the same level. Usually when I watch TV movies, I tend to concentrate on the show and fast-forward through the commercial. Here I was strongly tempted to reverse the sequence.
Unfortunately, while the idea is interesting, this movie is not. The dialogue may be realistic, but it is not interesting to listen to teenagers giggle. The lighting is the same in every scene, lots of side-lighting, but it's just as bright during the day scenes as the night scenes. And the score is intrusive, overwrought and annoying.
If there is a real problem with this movie, it's that there is no modulation. Lighting, music, whiny teenage angst, every scene is at the same level. Usually when I watch TV movies, I tend to concentrate on the show and fast-forward through the commercial. Here I was strongly tempted to reverse the sequence.
Beware of Online Boyfriends
wes-connors25 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
In this cable-TV friendly "Lifetime" movie, mature-looking "Mount Raven High School" teenager Tracy Spiridakos (as Cami Winters) has met a computer boyfriend. She thinks handsome Jon Cor (as Jake Meyers) is a college athlete, but he's really in prison. When Mr. Cor gets out on probation, he hooks up with his pretty computer date, but doesn't tell her about his arresting past. And, she doesn't tell him she's seventeen. The attractive couple carry on an affair with naughty, knowing secrecy...
Meanwhile, Spiridakos has "generation gap" problems with sexy single mother Alexandra Paul (as Tori), who doesn't approve of her daughter dating an ex-convict. Mama Paul and gal-pal Thea Grill (as Kendra Oliver) like to sit on tables and show off their legs. Cor and well-coiffed cell-mate Eddie Guillaume (as Dewayne Jackson) look like they paid frequent visits to the prison hairstylist. As a sleek crook who lures Cor into crime, Tim Finnigan (as Edgar Holly) steals admittedly meager acting honors.
**** The Boy She Met Online (7/28/10) Curtis Crawford ~ Tracy Spiridakos, Jon Cor, Alexandra Paul, Tim Finnigan
Meanwhile, Spiridakos has "generation gap" problems with sexy single mother Alexandra Paul (as Tori), who doesn't approve of her daughter dating an ex-convict. Mama Paul and gal-pal Thea Grill (as Kendra Oliver) like to sit on tables and show off their legs. Cor and well-coiffed cell-mate Eddie Guillaume (as Dewayne Jackson) look like they paid frequent visits to the prison hairstylist. As a sleek crook who lures Cor into crime, Tim Finnigan (as Edgar Holly) steals admittedly meager acting honors.
**** The Boy She Met Online (7/28/10) Curtis Crawford ~ Tracy Spiridakos, Jon Cor, Alexandra Paul, Tim Finnigan
I'm being GENEROUS with 4 stars!!
rayray-590272 January 2019
I'm sorry, but this movie was so CORNY! The girls mother was DRIVING ME NUTS! She was SO ANNOYING, I couldn't stand it!! I know moms worry, but damn! The acting was awful! I LOL when the mothers friend said "I have a friend in the police department, gang unit" AHAHA WOW what a coincidence!! I LOVE Lifetime movies, but sometimes they are ridiculous!
Boy?
nightroses30 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The title "Boy She Met Online" isn't just unoriginal but not quite true. The "boy" is a 23 year old man, Jake, who lied about his age when he communicates with a 17 year old schoolgirl named Cami on a dating website. Cami was encouraged to do this by her best friend. Later the same friend attacks Cami for being in love. Now where have I come across that story before (in other films).
Cami lives with her widowed mother and for some reason mother's all-wise best friend pops into the story and is a second mother, which seems a pointless character to introduce here because she's filling in a gap left by not having a father. Cami is doing what a lot of girls do, meeting strange guys on the internet, and hiding things from their mothers. But what most girls don't do that Cami keeps doing is walking into danger. On many occasions, she was told to "stay in the car" and soon leaves the safety of the car, to walk into a total strangers house and meet strange people all do that she can wash her hands. She also does the same thing, walking towards a gang fight. This is not what most girls do, unless they were very drunk or heavily involved with criminals. So the writers are very out of touch with reality and don't understand human nature, or how people react. The behaviour of Jake's sister's reluctance to help Cami's mother is also strange considering she's got children. Unless they want to make the audience think families of criminals are not nice people.
I watched it all the way through but I didn't like it. The real issues of former inmates released on parole and not being able to start a new life for themselves is the only sad reality of the story, not addressing. Jake and his friend found themselves staying with an arch criminal and went back into a life of crime, and eventually Jake returned to prison.
There wasn't any write up at the end so I assume it was all purely fictional. As for the acting, the girl playing the role of Cami appeared very nervous throughout the film, or maybe she was trying to portray that?
Love Birds or Jail Birds?
lavatch18 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Young Cami is a perky but restless high school senior who tells her mother that she feels like she is living in a prison, due to the mom's strict rules. Cami's remedy is to meet a man online named Jake, who also feels like he is in prison. In fact, Jake lies to Cam when he tells her that he is studying electrical engineering at Penn State. In fact, he is serving time for armed robbery in the state pen.
At first glance, the relationship between Cami and Jake would appear to strain credibility. When Jake is paroled, he finally tells Cami a partially true story about his sordid past. The gullible Cami is startled, but instantly forgives him for deceiving her. But somehow, the nattily attired Cami and the slovenly Jake seem to have some chemistry.
While they are not Romeo and Juliet, they seem to bond over a profound sadness about their pasts, as both lost their fathers at an early age. It is a credit to the two actors that they make the relationship believable enough to string the audience along for ninety minutes.
Much of the action is predictable with Jake getting involved in drug dealing in which his old prison buddy Dewayne is killed. Jake's impulsive actions keep getting him deeper into parole violations and new crimes. Yet Cami is unstinting in standing by her man. She somehow believes in the "New Jake" who will be transformed through her love.
For her part, Cami's snoopy mom Tori is duly vigilant as she discovers that her daughter is in jeopardy. The mom has some good advice early in the film when she tells Cami about the difference between "mistakes you can learn from and mistakes that can change your whole life." The film is about one of those big mistakes, which is such poor judgment on Cami's part that it may only be redeemed by the unconditional love of a mother.
At first glance, the relationship between Cami and Jake would appear to strain credibility. When Jake is paroled, he finally tells Cami a partially true story about his sordid past. The gullible Cami is startled, but instantly forgives him for deceiving her. But somehow, the nattily attired Cami and the slovenly Jake seem to have some chemistry.
While they are not Romeo and Juliet, they seem to bond over a profound sadness about their pasts, as both lost their fathers at an early age. It is a credit to the two actors that they make the relationship believable enough to string the audience along for ninety minutes.
Much of the action is predictable with Jake getting involved in drug dealing in which his old prison buddy Dewayne is killed. Jake's impulsive actions keep getting him deeper into parole violations and new crimes. Yet Cami is unstinting in standing by her man. She somehow believes in the "New Jake" who will be transformed through her love.
For her part, Cami's snoopy mom Tori is duly vigilant as she discovers that her daughter is in jeopardy. The mom has some good advice early in the film when she tells Cami about the difference between "mistakes you can learn from and mistakes that can change your whole life." The film is about one of those big mistakes, which is such poor judgment on Cami's part that it may only be redeemed by the unconditional love of a mother.
When Cami Met Jake-Boy She Met Online ***1/2
edwagreen7 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The pitfalls of the internet are well explored in this 2010 film dealing with a high school honor student who meets the guy of her life online, but unknown to her, he is in jail about to be released after being imprisoned for 2 years for stealing.
The real sad part of this story is that Jake isn't totally an indecent human being. Spurned by his family, he longs to do something positive in his life, but his conviction holds him back.
Cami's life turns upside down when she discovers who he really is. She loves him and near tragedy ensues. The film also questions parental authority when it comes to a 17 year old.
While the ending shows that the two still live in two separate worlds, we see there is still hope that Jake can be rehabilitated.
The real sad part of this story is that Jake isn't totally an indecent human being. Spurned by his family, he longs to do something positive in his life, but his conviction holds him back.
Cami's life turns upside down when she discovers who he really is. She loves him and near tragedy ensues. The film also questions parental authority when it comes to a 17 year old.
While the ending shows that the two still live in two separate worlds, we see there is still hope that Jake can be rehabilitated.
Good
Kristamw29 December 2018
This is a good story with a few surprises, not the typical twist, but genuine realistic moments that bring this script to a different kind of conclusion, making this film memorable. The villain, Jake, is hugely unstable and Cami falls quickly for him, even after he reveals that he's an ex-con. Yet, she's not just a lovesick fool, she's smart and intolerant of things that start to emerge in Jake's life. This, and the way that Jake ends up, is what makes this film stand apart from the usual suspenseful dramas.
Character Development/Writing Quality: Constant inner turmoil within the villain, Jake tightens each uncertain moment. When will he blow? He's edgy and easily angered, not unlike my ex-boyfriend--eerie.
Values: The mom/daughter relationship is treasured, though terribly broken when daughter Cami falls for the bad boy.
Content (sex, language & violence): Sex is not shown, only a couple in bed under blankets after the act. Mild language once or twice. Violence is infrequent, but somewhat intense when it occurs.
Scare Factor/Suspense: Not much of a scary movie but rather a tension-filled plot where Jake's instability intensifies erratically.
Character Development/Writing Quality: Constant inner turmoil within the villain, Jake tightens each uncertain moment. When will he blow? He's edgy and easily angered, not unlike my ex-boyfriend--eerie.
Values: The mom/daughter relationship is treasured, though terribly broken when daughter Cami falls for the bad boy.
Content (sex, language & violence): Sex is not shown, only a couple in bed under blankets after the act. Mild language once or twice. Violence is infrequent, but somewhat intense when it occurs.
Scare Factor/Suspense: Not much of a scary movie but rather a tension-filled plot where Jake's instability intensifies erratically.
Great message about how society treats felons.
alannapower14 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
It's not the highest of budgets since its Lifetime, but it deserves a way way high rating for its moral.
At first I thought this was going to be one of those, met guy online, he turns out to be abusive, mom saves perfect daughter.
I'm a mother of two daughters, and I had my eldest when I was young, so I actually still remember what it's like to be young. This shows a good story about parents who smother their kids, and don't expect their teen daughter that's 17 to be into boys.
BUT THE BIGGEST POINT THAT IS VERY MUCH REAL, is showing what it's like for people when they get out of prison. He makes a dumb mistake, as a 19 year old kid, getting caught in some easy money with the wrong crowd.
He gets out of prison after 3 years, after getting his electrician certification in prison. He does his time, he wants to go out and get a real job, get married, settle down with a good girl, and have a family. But the first place he goes, they don't even give in the time of day when he tells them he's a felon.
Society has people do their time, then slaps this label on them for the next 10 years so they can't get a job, a decent place, nothing. That's only if they get the money together, and haven't been in any trouble for that 10 years, to hire a lawyer to get the charge quashed.
As someone who was with a felon for many years, I saw the struggles. He had to start by not even making enough to live on for years, and we were stuck living in the worst neighborhoods. Even though he's been good for over 10 years now, he still has to come up with $1,000's to get the label of felon off.
If I wasn't there as the main breadwinner, and he didn't have supportive parents, which the guy in the movie doesn't, he wouldn't have got where he is now.
People wonder why "felons" go back to reoffending when they are forced in jobs they can't live on, and back into the crime and drug infested neighborhoods?
At first I thought this was going to be one of those, met guy online, he turns out to be abusive, mom saves perfect daughter.
I'm a mother of two daughters, and I had my eldest when I was young, so I actually still remember what it's like to be young. This shows a good story about parents who smother their kids, and don't expect their teen daughter that's 17 to be into boys.
BUT THE BIGGEST POINT THAT IS VERY MUCH REAL, is showing what it's like for people when they get out of prison. He makes a dumb mistake, as a 19 year old kid, getting caught in some easy money with the wrong crowd.
He gets out of prison after 3 years, after getting his electrician certification in prison. He does his time, he wants to go out and get a real job, get married, settle down with a good girl, and have a family. But the first place he goes, they don't even give in the time of day when he tells them he's a felon.
Society has people do their time, then slaps this label on them for the next 10 years so they can't get a job, a decent place, nothing. That's only if they get the money together, and haven't been in any trouble for that 10 years, to hire a lawyer to get the charge quashed.
As someone who was with a felon for many years, I saw the struggles. He had to start by not even making enough to live on for years, and we were stuck living in the worst neighborhoods. Even though he's been good for over 10 years now, he still has to come up with $1,000's to get the label of felon off.
If I wasn't there as the main breadwinner, and he didn't have supportive parents, which the guy in the movie doesn't, he wouldn't have got where he is now.
People wonder why "felons" go back to reoffending when they are forced in jobs they can't live on, and back into the crime and drug infested neighborhoods?
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