Kept Woman (2015 TV Movie) User Reviews

I wouldn't keep it, but I might rent it out...

[wrightiswright · 5/10 · 16 August 2015]

A couple have their flat broken into. They go inside BEFORE phoning the police, and promptly get more stuff stolen by the homeless guy still there, who holds them at gunpoint. Deciding to move house, they end up living next door to a weirdo who dresses like a throwback to the 50's. He abducts the female to keep as his own personal slave in an underground shelter, making her a 'kept woman'. Will she ever escape? Can she ever rid herself of the awful dresses she's forced to wear? And who'd thought the police force could be so stupid?

Yes, I KNOW this is supposed to be a Made For TV Movie, but c'mon... the creep in the dapper suits and bow tie has been linked to the disappearances of students and has even been questioned by the police... So why isn't he linked to the investigation? Who knows. And the fact the husband believes his wife left him permanently after the most minor of arguments, leaving behind her phone and various other possessions... Hear that creaking noise? That's credibility being stretched to breaking point.

Still, it's not all bad. The movie paints a picture of a claustrophobic environment well, where Stockholm Syndrome can easily set in and your old life could soon fade to a distant memory. The acting is of a higher calibre than usual for this kind of production, and the intense moments scattered throughout will probably have you watching until the end. Until the climax, that is... When all the subtlety and understatement goes out the window in favour of a brainless violent confrontation, not to mention the cheesiest of 'uplifting' messages tacked on as an addendum. Yawn.

Still, seen much worse. Oh, yes I have... 5/10

Kidnapping and Murder Wears a Bowtie!

[TheJonesBones · 7/10 · 4 April 2022]

Alrighty then! This is a glossy, well-made gem of a film about the psychopath next door. Who has a basement dungeon a-la 'Fifties-style and a fetish for pretty young ladies drawn - rather irrationally - from his inner social circle. Which makes him a suspect after each disappearance.

Fortunately for our goody-goody bad guy - Shaun Benson (as Simon) - he's super smart, super slick and super nerdy. It's the nerdy part that throws you. 'Cause, you know, nerds are supposed to be weird but meek.

This guy is weird and potentially murderous. So, when Courtney Ford (as Jessica Crowder) and Andrew W. Walker as (Evan Crowder) move next door, they have no idea that their skippy little bowtie-wearing neighbor has had Rachel Wilson (as Robin Simmons) imprisoned in his basement for years! Enjoy Troy Blundell (playing Tyler Haynes) as a thoroughly professionally and equally menacing policeman-friend who, in cahoots with Jessica's rotund detective-wannabe pal - Jesse Camacho (as Oscar Garrett) - will ultimately... well... just watch!

Dig the 'Fifties stokes, y'all and try not to see Ted Bundy in Mr. Benson's fine performance. That way, you won't see him coming! Redrum! Redrum! Redrum!

A good thriller

[jonsid57 · 7/10 · 20 November 2021]

A good b grade level thriller which holds you until the end . The villain Simon is well played by Shaun Benson . The film has a few twists : it did remind me of a few real life cases where someone was kept in the basement against their will.

Based on a not so true story but certainly a wild imagination

[Ed-Shullivan · 6/10 · 12 June 2018]

Of course there have been tens of thousands of real women who have been held captive against their will. As an example there were the three (3) young ladies that were held captive against their will for almost ten (10) years in Cleveland by the serial predator and rapist Ariel Castro. The 2015 film titled Cleveland Abduction documented in detail what these three women went through and how they eventually escaped Castro's in-house prison. (You can read my IMDB review on this film dated May 05th, 2015.)

This Lifetime film was deeply unrealistic by how blatantly neglectful both the local police and newspapers were in not covering the abduction story of missing women if it really did occur. This is a very much exaggerated "women held prisoner" by a neat and tidy wacko neighbor. Although the story line is an interesting concept in which the captor is still living in the 1950's based on his physical appearance, the car he drives, and how is basement prison is decorated with retro 1950's furniture and appliances, there doesn't seem to be any Dick Tracy around to solve the case of these missing women.

As in many other films, the ending leaves a lot to be desired and was a letdown for me. I give the film a 6 out of 10 rating.

Creepy villain

[corrigan-24680 · 7/10 · 3 December 2021]

There are some annoying plot holes, but the good acting made up for it. The ostensibly polite and helpful neighbour was a convincingly creepy villain. Less your out and out bloodthirsty sadist and more of a delusional but clever incel determined to bend women to his will. There was tension as we saw the heroine under Stepford wife indoctrination and I really wanted Simon to get his comeuppance.

Formula Fun Abduction Fantasy

[wes-connors · 6/10 · 5 March 2015]

After a frightening apartment robbery, attractive graphic designer Courtney Ford (as Jessica "Jess" Crowder) and her handsome fiancé Andrew W. Walker (as Evan Crowder) move into a picturesque suburban house. They are immediately welcomed by quirky-looking neighbor Shaun Benson (as Simon), a professor in "Men's Studies." He comes from a 1950s "traditional background," having a father who worked and a mother who cooked. Also an amateur crime investigator, Ms. Ford does not cook. She doesn't watch "Lifetime" TV Movies, either, or she would have known better than to get too chummy with quirky neighbors...

"Kept Woman" follows the formula for making these television movies fun. A great looking cast in an abduction fantasy, with some subtle humor; it's marvelously played. Michel Poulette's direction and the cool set design are quite nice, so stay tuned. The opening scenes are not strong, but they move the story along quickly. It would have been nice to build up more suspense between Ford and Mr. Benson, who is positively delicious as the male chauvinist professor. The "family" formed by Benson could have been further developed, also. Still, it's better to leave viewers expecting to see more, than wanting to see less.

****** Kept Woman (2/28/15) Michel Poulette ~ Courtney Ford, Shaun Benson, Andrew W. Walker, Rachel Wilson

Got a little better

[Nevergivea10 · 4/10 · 5 April 2022]

I almost bailed before the opening credits had started. A NYPD cop shows up to a burglary dressed in a uniform that looked like a five year olds Halloween costume. I know it was filmed in Canada but the could have ordered an authentic uniform on eBay. Then the kidnapper's occupation: professor of Men's Studies. It Couldn't get more ridiculous than that. After that it gets slightly better. It's nothing you haven't seen a hundred times. Okay if you need to kill an hour and a half.

Best Lifetime Movie in Years

[kacarrol-772-445447 · 10/10 · 21 February 2016]

Not only was this movie believable, it was the best Lifetime movie I'd seen in the last 5 years. I had become so bored with the way the movies have morphed into the same online girl looking for love or adventure, or compromised teachers, or killers so silly that I didn't care what they did just as long as I could turn the channel. This story line was carefully written and pieced together, with great acting, so that it kept be on the edge of my seat throughout. The foreshadowing and clues leading to the climax and ending couldn't have been better. The movie deserves a second viewing to catch every aspect of the suspenseful writing. Wonderful...can't say enough good things about this movie.

Sometimes the City is safer than the burbs

[phd_travel · 7/10 · 24 November 2016]

There have been quite a few locked in the basement abductions and kidnappings with Ariel Castro in the news. This is an obvious fictional but neat and slightly glossy version that works well in a TV movie.

A young couple Courtney Ford and Andrew Walker flee the city after a break in and move to a suburb. Their neatly dressed, pleasant but slightly eccentric looking neighbor is well played by Shaun Benson. When he decides to keep her in the basement where there is a prettily set up home and another woman, the creepiness is quite well done. Things are kept plausible enough even if the basement is a little too attractive and efficiently done.

Lesson: Sometimes the City is safer than the burbs.

6.2 wtaf?!

[amyfleck · 3/10 · 22 April 2022]

Suspicious about 'extra groceries', really? Im a single woman who brings in 150$ (5-6 bags) worth of groceries at a time because I hate shopping. I end up with a lot of throw-away, unfortunately. He had 2 bags of groceries and she's suspicious of that. A stretch to produce a plot. That's the ridiculousness of this movie. I'm kind of shocked at the average 6.2 rating. This Is definitely a far-below-average movie. The dialogue is corny, the plot, stupid, the 'based on a true story', absurd, the acting, OTT and subpar, it's totally corny. I've seen FAR better movies with a lesser rating.. perhaps people are rating on a Lifetime movie scale? If you enjoy the after school soap opera, maybe its great. If not, don't bother.

This movie is definitely better than its rating. I recommend it.

[brad_notpitt · 8/10 · 29 April 2021]

I support all things Canadian so I gave this movie a go. Of course we all know that Canada doesn't have the huge Hollywood budgets. So if you go in knowing that, then you'll enjoy this movie.

A bit far fetched at times, even a bit surreal. But overall a nice flowing story. Acting was solid, again considering the cast isn't Hollywood A listers.

I recommend this movie to any true movie fan.

It's Worth Your Time

[edwardhutchinson · 7/10 · 27 November 2021]

It's a B movie for sure and at first it might seems like a Hallmark quality flick but the storyline is decent. The ending is predictable but it's fine.

Who wrote movie description? Are you kidding me?

[extremecraigfan · 1/10 · 2 March 2015]

Directly below is a partial quote taken from the description of this movie:

...'finds comfort with a man trapped in a modern day society after being left behind in a botched time traveling experiment from the 1950'...

This is NOT what this movie is about AT ALL!!!!! She does NOT find comfort!!!! She is stalked and kidnapped!!!!!

'left behind from a botched time traveling experiment' NOT TRUE AT ALL. There is nothing in this movie re: time travel botched or otherwise!!!!! (just because the protagonist had a containment room decorated in the style of a previous decade does not make it 'time travel')

I wondered why this movie was labelled as a Drama if it involved time travel I thought there should also be the label of Fantasy. BUT...There is no time travel. AND....If she was truly finding comfort then yes, maybe label as drama......HOWEVER....as mentioned previously she was not finding comfort...she was kidnapped by a serial killer.... HENCE....this is nothing more than a Horror film and should be labelled as such with a proper description as the whole description on this site is nothing more than a mishmash of words that mean nothing at all.

It is almost as if someone was confused and copied and pasted a movie's description on to this movie and it actually belonged to another film.

All that aside. On top of being angry as all get out when watching this, waiting for things that never happened.....it is a cheaply made, all round bad movie....not worth watching at all.

*****It was brought to my attention after 5 days of posting this review the movie's description was changed. IT NOW HAS A PROPER PLOT DESCRIPTION. Thank You. :)*****

Making most of what I wrote a moot point.

Lipstick and rhubarb pie

[Howling_at_the_Moon_Reviews · 6/10 · 7 June 2022]

I was pretty surprised at this one, it was much better than I was expecting for a TV movie. Story was good with a couple clever tricks up it's sleeve. It kept my attention and was entertaining with a solid cast. Everyone did a great job especially the leading lady. I wish as a whole it was a tad darker and creepier but, again, it was a made for TV movie. Give this one a shot, I would recommend.

Some logistical flaws to the story, but it was good enough

[burgerman93 · 7/10 · 25 November 2022]

The first few minutes almost swayed me away - the robber sucked at acting. But despite being a made for a TV movie, this had some thrills and chills throughout.

I thought the two leads (Jessica & Evan) and the neighbor (Simon) played their roles with tenacity. Simon's character had a dark and ominous aura to him, specifically with the voice that he used.

The limitations were that the viewer doesn't fully understand Simon's motivations for entrapping women into his basement and making the room into a 1950s atmosphere. Also Evan and the police officer (Tyler) each entered Simon's home without any backup. They had substantial evidence that Simon was sadistic and creepy, and yet they just mosey on into his home without a care in the world.

Ultimately it was a decent movie, slightly gory but with a strong script.

**1/2

[edwagreen · 6/10 · 1 March 2015]

This is such a diabolical plot. Having walked in on a burglary in their home, a young couple move to the suburbs to escape the so called crime in the city. What they come upon in their new digs is just too incredible to believe. Their neighbor is a young college professor who waits until the couple has a tiff and invites the woman to his home.

He then proceeds to kidnap the woman and place her in the basement in a bunker like atmosphere. Another woman, totally complacent and in a trance is also being held there.

The only way our recent victim can survive is to play along with her captive. This provokes eventual jealousy from the other woman and gets the latter killed.

A cop friend of the couple meets a similar fate when he begins to suspect what is occurring. Our killer sends emails to her boyfriend telling him that she has left him for another man.

Playing along is the only way for survival and eventual freedom. Quite eerie to say the least.

Don't know if its true or not

[nightroses · 4/10 · 20 July 2021]

The film itself was okay through the first part. Nobody's suspicions were raised when Jessica disappeared and left her phone behind, and no one else heard from her. And Evan's friend being found dead wasn't viewed as suspicious to anyone. Only Jessica's internet friend did a little connection of dots and voila. I don't accept that this is a true story although it might be loosely based on it.

One of the best LMN thrllers!

[haroot_azarian · 8/10 · 30 July 2021]

I loved the movie. It wasn't a typical cheesy LMN tv-movie. I thought Courtney was excellent, and this is Benson's second LMN movie where he plays the psycho bad guy, Prescription for Danger (2017). Oh and there are two more recent movies which are similar in concept, a British movie called Crawl to Me Darling (2020) and the recent Anna Marie Dobbins movie Women (2021). All three great movies!

Lifetime & movies,either a hit or miss..

[ts-0000 · 26 April 2020]

Although a bit far-fetched in certain spots,it was a decent story. Enjoyed the choices,in actors & viewed it a few times. Worth checking out,if you haven't.

good potential

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 25 May 2022]

Jessica (Courtney Ford) and Evan Crowder (Andrew W. Walker) decide to leave NYC after a robber breaks into their home. They move to the country where they hope to live a safe suburban life. Jessica is concerned about their oddball neighbor Simon (Shaun Benson) who later kidnaps her. She is held captive along with Robin Simmons (Rachel Wilson) in his 50's lifestyle basement. Evan seeks help from his NYPD friend Tyler Haynes and Jessica's fellow amateur sleuth Oscar Garrett.

The creepy story has some potential and I like some of these actors. Somehow, this feels a little light despite the brutal violent story. It's probably the lower budget and some less than stellar plot points. I do come back again and again to the basement decor. I get the idea of the 50's looking prison. It's a trap. It's not scary enough but it's not real enough. It's fake at a lower price point which takes away some of the intensity. This has the potential of a good indie horror but it doesn't quite hit its target.

Nice guy until you get to know him

[kapelusznik18 · 5/10 · 29 November 2015]

***SPOILERS*** Coming home one night after seeing a play Evan & Jessica Crowder, Andrew W. Walker & Courtney Ford, find their apartment broken into and end up getting ripped off-at gunpoint- of all their valuables including Jessica's engagement ring by the friendly neighbor crack-head Matt Enos looking for his latest fix. Determined to start a new life in the, so they think, crime free suburbs the two get into hock by buying a house in Monroe County even if it cost more then they can afford. It's then that the Crowder's next door neighbor collage professor Simon,Shaun Benson, starts snooping around their home and trying to get friendly with them.

It soon turns out that after Simon saw Jessica tossing a salad while chit chatting with her husband Evan a light went out on in his head to both kidnap and make her his personal sex slave. It didn't take long for Simon to get Jessica under his control by first kidnapping her and then locking her in his sound as well as bomb proof bunker under his house to do whatever that his sick mind wan't to do with the helpless woman. It also turns out that Simon has another sex slave hidden in his bunker the Mooonie and brain dead like Robin Simmons, Rachael Wilson, who's been trapped there for the last four years!

***SPOILERS*** As it turned out Simon had no idea what two women under one roof can cause with them fighting, at least Robin, over his affections towards them which ends up with Bobbie getting the far worst of it! That with Simon slashing her throat when she tries to get him to do the same to Jessica whom he now, feeling that Robin is damaged goods, makes his main and only squeeze! It's in the end that Simon who by now has gone completely out of his mind who lets his guard down and gets clobbered by Jessica when her husband, who thought she ran out on him, Evan finally put two and two together and confronted the crazy as a mad hatter Simon in his bunker. Now behind bars and facing a bleak future Simon gets a visit from Jessica in prison with her new published book "Kept Woman" so he can spend his time reading about his exploit and seeing just how crazy he was back then and, from the looks of him, still is.

I'd say watch this!

[nickychippendale · 10/10 · 24 July 2021]

Great movie and an easy watch! Scarily believable but acting was superb. I'd watch it again to take in all the details missed which made this so cleverly made.

Just my type of film...

Just too funny.

[agreenskeeperscorp · 6/10 · 23 February 2024]

The guy who lives his life in the late 50's-60's. Funny. Dresses 50's-60's like funny. House so out of place it's ridiculous. Funny. Driving an early 60's Corvair? Pretty cool. Nothing strange about anything there? So many things that make this movie somewhat watchable. Jess asking the neighbor why he has two bags of groceries. Funny. Jess just takes off?? Funny. Husband after two months of her "taking off" puts the house of for sale. Funny. The neighbor played a pretty good creep that's for sure. The husband was a total tool. Let's hang out with creepy neighbor guy and watch a game drinking beers? If I were his wife, I really would've ran away well before I bought a house with the guy. Entertaining somewhat. The goofiness saved it for me.

Great title, not so great movie

[paintingourforevers · 3/10 · 12 May 2022]

I remained watching due to curiosity and nothing more.

The movie has a good plot but I felt that the acting left much to be desired. The villain did a good job and I did find myself sympathising with him.

I think that there were so many holes in the movie and if you're a logical thinker then this isn't your cup of tea. The movie had potential to be better, perhaps better theme music and a bit more touch with reality could've helped.

Spoilers: A woman loses her jewellery that is clearly of sentimental value but is more worried about an engagement ring?

How does a stranger's invitation to look at a surprise not spook anyone?

How does a cop follow up on a suspect of this nature without informing anyone?

Robin's character was also quite strange. I get the idea of stockholm syndrome but her level of contentment and form of deception were unheard of. It made me wonder if a bit more background information on her would've helped the story.

Let's not forget about the ending, why?

Really????

[jbmflutist · 4/10 · 4 April 2022]

This movie is stupid!! You can tell it's weakly made! I mean gad, the police has to wear a black lettered white sticker on his uniform so we know he was police (?)!!! Ugh! I'm not sure if this could be believable with such a creepy man next door living alone! I also think Jessica could tackle and beat him up! Where are all the neighbors? Where are the friends and family of the other woman? Why hasn't the police been wondering about the neighbor? How did he build and collect all that 50's stuff to make the boom shelter! It's difficult to watch all modern respectful relationships go down the drain, that women have gained over the years! The kitchen set-up reminds me of my old home Ec class! Table set just right! The actors were pretty good since the whole movie made me gag!

I guess you can tell I started this review before I viewed the complete movie! Very difficult to watch so I turned to FOX News!!!