Ann Rule's A Murder to Remember (2020 TV Movie) User Reviews

Based on the 1976 murder of Julio Torres by Thomas Brown in Mount Hood, Oregon

[Ed-Shullivan · 5/10 · 11 March 2021]

The names may have changed and some liberties were taken with the story line but this made for TV film appears to have been based on the real life murder in Mount Hood, Oregon, by 29 year old Thomas Brown who killed 21-year-old Julio Torres and then kidnapped his 16-year-old wife Candra Torres. Thomas Brown after repeatedly raping Candra in the deep woods he convinced her to tell the authorities his murder of her husband Julio Torres was a hunting accident and then the two of them could be a couple after Thomas Brown eliminated her husband Julio. At least that was the murderer Thomas Brown's plan until his rape victim the 16 year old (now) widow Candra Torres changed her false story she initially gave to the police and came clean.

There is a Forensic Files episode in season 9, episode 10, titled "Head Games" which aired in 2004 that depicts this crime in 30 minutes much better than this made for TV film does..

I give this film a ho hum IMDB rating of 5 out of 10

Spooked!

[lavatch · 5/10 · 24 May 2021]

In the structure of "A Murder to Remember," the filmmakers initially give the impression that Javy Rivera died in a hunting accident. But it turns out that appearances are deceiving both to the audience and to the grieving widow, Robin Rivera, who first heard the shot, then came upon her husband's dead body in the forest.

In the film's opening credits, there is a major giveaway in which the audience learns that the story is based on "The Stockholm Syndrome." The perceptive viewer will realize that Robin has been duped by the pathological liar Sam Turner, who utilizes sophisticated psychological "brainwashing" techniques to hold Robin captive for five days, rape her, and erase her memory of the truth.

The film was a by-the-numbers drama, as apparent especially in the routine scene in the psychiatrist's office in which Robin recalled her period of captivity through hypnosis. The best scenes were those involving a savvy police officer, Sheriff Watkins, who slowly comes around to identifying Sam Turner as a suspect, not a bystander.

The performances were solid, especially the young actress playing the distraught Robin. Still, the disturbing flashback scenes and the maudlin moments with Robin and her mother made for grim viewing. The condition of trauma and anxiety were well portrayed, but much of the film's content was difficult to sustain for ninety minutes.

Could have been worse

[dah-96788 · 5/10 · 15 May 2022]

I put this on while I was cleaning. Didn't have to pay too much attention to the plot. Wanted to see how an Ann Rule book worked as a movie. I thought the~ actress that played Robin was convincing in her role as a damaged young widow. The sheriff looked tough and weathered nothing glamorous. The murderer was certainly a creep.

.

Can't believe I wasted 2 hours on this CRAP

[seandiamondryan · 1/10 · 5 December 2021]

Robin Givens should never be allowed to direct anything ever. Acting was atrocious and story was so bad it was laughable. It even ends without finding out what happens to the antagonist!! Wow. Please don't watch this!!!

1 star is even to high for this

[sheela1979-791-56389 · 1/10 · 22 August 2020]

I see people give this movie a 10, now im not taking people realy serious who give movies a 10 rating, but who give this a 10 needs proffesional help, this is one of the worst movies i have ever seen. Do not watch this crap!

Bored me to death!!!

[wclass-55754 · 2/10 · 3 August 2020]

This was really bad even for a Lifetime movie. Sometimes I get pleasantly surprised with a good Lifetime movie but this one just disappointed from start to finish. The pace was extremely slow with constant flashing back and flashing forward which just didn't work in my opinion. The lead actress was more annoying than anything. Just nonstop crying throughout the whole movie. Maybe part of the problem was that I already knew the whole story because Forensic Files did an episode on it which I saw so there was no suspense for me but it was far too dragged out with a lot of filler I thought. I wouldn't waste your time with it.

So so SO bad. Even by Lifetime standards.

[JP95 · 1/10 · 3 July 2022]

One of very few one-star ratings from me. This is horrifically bad, even by the very low standards of Lifetime movies. Granted, they had a truly awful script to work with (how do you mess up a true story?), but the acting is comically terrible (all of them, but the police chief is worst of all - yikes). And why did they cast an actress who looks like she's twelve? It made the whole thing even less believable, and I just didn't care what happened to the characters one way or another. Please don't waste your time on this like I did.

Cringe

[IdgeE · 1/10 · 13 March 2022]

Ten minutes in and I'm not continuing. This is bad and horribly acted, rather it was overacted. That bug-eyed girl was annoying, or maybe it's the result of lame dialogue and shoddy direction (Robin Givens? That figures).

Ann Rule's A Murder To Remember

[a_baron · 8/10 · 21 April 2021]

Ann Rule is best remembered as the biographer of serial killer Ted Bundy, who worked with her on a suicide prevention hotline, if you can credit that.

Although it wasn't the first time she put pen to paper, that book launched her career as an author of crime non-fiction. I haven't read the book (or rather the chapter in a book) on which this film is based, although I have skimmed her book about Diane Downs and the aforementioned Bundy biography; if they are anything to go by, this is a factual rather than sensationalised account of a bizarre murder and its even more bizarre aftermath.

Having said that, some changes have been made. Names, of course, for the usual reasons; also, Thomas Brown (the real name of the killer) shot and killed the family dog after murdering the husband. There is no dog in this story. The events herein happened in 1976 not in the present as is clear from the computer on the sheriff's desk. Indeed, it is most unlikely a crime like this would have happened today because campers, hikers, and tourists usually carry smartphones, so tend not to get lost in the woods. The wife in the original story was even younger than here, a teenage bride.

Yes, Brown did pass a polygraph while his accuser, whose story kept changing, failed one, but polygraphs are junk science, which is hardly surprising as the so-called lie detector was invented by the creator of Wonder Woman. Also, polygraphs tend not to work on psychopaths, while nervous people often sound implausible.

There are no courtroom scenes, the film ends as the trial is about to open. Don't expect too much from this film, just remember that as usual the truth is stranger than fiction, though seldom as popular.

Don't waste your time

[sandybeard-94725 · 1/10 · 9 January 2022]

This movie SUCKED! The actress playing Robin-SUCKED and overacted. There's not one good thing I can say about it!!! Totally boring, bad acting, just a total SUCK FEST!!!

Poor and immature acting

[sudipmaitra · 3/10 · 30 September 2020]

It may have been a real incident but the movie was absolutely boring. The protagonist over acted and so did her mother. Throughout the you expected a twist but that never came. A straight forward boring movie. The only redeeming feature is the Sheriff who did a relatively good job.

A movie to forget

[martinsheridan-33732 · 1/10 · 20 August 2020]

A movie you should forget. Period It was just plain boring, skipped half through it

Terrible script and even worse acting

[joowals · 1/10 · 28 October 2021]

That was an absolutely shocking made for TV movie. Where do I start, the police woman's acting was beyond awful and I cannot fathom how she has ever landed any kind of acting role. The main actress was also terrible, she started the movie completely over acting, her facial expressions just didn't match any of the situations. I'm not sure the writer of the script has ever followed any real murder cases, but none of what took place would ever happen in real life. Thank goodness for the so called villain, he is the only reason I actually gave 1 star. I will never get that time back, I think watching paint dry or grass grow would be infinitely more entertaining.

Horrible

[jerseygirl49-674-599559 · 1/10 · 7 November 2021]

Terrible actors unreal stinky. Unbelievable stupid acting.waste of time dumb. Story not good enough for a movie. Not more to say bad movie. Well this is all I can say about this.

meh

[watcher2019 · 3/10 · 8 September 2020]

Thats a couple of hours i will not get back. Obviously this one was made for tv. The lead female was not so good. Well done the male "baddie" his acting was pretty intense and i think he will go onto better things at least i hope. This wasnt up to much so no dont bother. could have been so much more.

Falls apart at the end

[CranberriAppl · 8 May 2021]

Since this is actually based on a true story (and not just Lifetime insinuating that it is), they should have taken five minutes to show more about how they realized Javier (Julio) was actually murdered. One line by the sheriff doesn't cut it. They could have talked to the coroner or done some courtroom scenes. Something. They didn't even take a moment to confirm the time of death which the sheriff mentioned they needed early on. I believe the guy ended up confessing so they could have read some court transcripts or something and fleshed it out in the script. It was like they were running out of time or budget and just wrapped it up. I also found it curious that as close as mom and daughter, and in-laws (Javier's parents) seemed to be, did no one find it strange that they hadn't heard from them in 5 days? Nearly a week? This seems like a basic question that would have been answered within the investigation or eventual trial. From the movie, it seems like neither parents sensed anything was wrong. I don't remember any dialogue about the camping trip being planned for several days. Another thing that bothered me was I knew I'd read an article that said both Sam (Thomas) and Robin (Candra) passed a polygraph and yet the movie goes with Robin failing. That's a detail that is so obviously false, and it undercuts the story in my opinion. The movie changing it for dramatic license undercuts the whole Stockholm Syndrome aspect that was a part of it. She believed what he told her until her memory came back to her. Not a good change.

Wouldn't watch again, although the acting from Robin and Sam was good. It's just a really disturbing story to me, so it's not one I think I'll want to see multiple times. I really believed Robin's actress' shock and fear. She truly did look very young so that made the story even more terrifying. The mom was ok and the sheriff was trying a bit too hard to be steely. Yes I know she was on L&O but it seemed like she was channeling someone else's performance. Also the movie goes btwn sheriff and chief and even on imdb here it calls her Chief. Sheriffs and Police Chiefs are not the same....

Was surprised to see Amber Benson wrote it and Robin Givens directed it, so good for them.

A little Stockholm syndrome shocker!

[Chartreuse1 · 9/10 · 3 August 2020]

Robin Givens directed this and it's really quite good with a devious plot! Javier and Robin have been married 1 year and decide to go on a camping trip. However, they encounter a guy named Sam who really complicates Robin's life after her husband is accidentally killed and when she goes to report it to the police, Sam is with her. Why? You will have to tune in to find out. Definitely watchable based on a true-life story.

Horrific

[br_ha · 1/10 · 9 March 2021]

The stupidity of nearly every character in this "movie" is beyond comprehension. Ann Rule must have been drunk when she wrote it.

Not bad but not good

[tomfsloan · 5/10 · 22 April 2021]

I was hoping for a twist. There wasn't one. I was hoping Robin was delusional. She wasn't. If she turned out to be the murderer then it would have been more fun. But knowing who the bad guy was from the start was "meh", as another reviewer said. Robins acting was good. I was impressed with that. I also like the fact it was set in the woods and had old cars instead of fancy Hollywood or Toronto. Until the end, I thought every cop in Oregon City was a female. Robin Givens, I'm impressed too.

Are you kidding me🙄

[smorris-54806 · 3/10 · 20 October 2021]

Give me a break. The actresses in this were horrible. Overly dramatic and so emotional. This was a sad situation but to watch this movie made me want to throw up because of the wife being so needy from the beginning when everything was good. What kind of women acts like that? Seriously? Again. Not that she didn't have a right to have issues after what was done but from the beginning she was so giddy and dramatic I caught myself eye rolling and mocking her as if her mother had kept her in a love cage her whole life. And the sheriff? Ha I wouldn't take her seriously if my house was broken into and she was there to investigate. This could have been a really good show. So new director or cast??? You tell me.

Terrible directing, acting, script

[paulagayetter · 1/10 · 29 August 2022]

These cheesy movies often have overly dramatic, over-the-top acting and directing that's so silly it becomes irritating. While young love is sometimes giddy and silly, the acting by the young couple was so ridiculous you could hardly stand watching it. But the director apparently thought it was good to have these young actors overplay their parts, especially the girl. And speaking of directing, the director made the whole movie even worse. Many scenes were laid out so poorly, they were completely unbelievable. As you watched it, over and over you knew in real life people wouldn't do these things or behave this way. And of course the script was so unrealistic at times, you almost had to shake your head and disbelief. I kept trying to watch the movie because I thought it would be fairly well done. I wasted 30 minutes trying to watch it because I knew the story it was based upon, but it was certainly a wasted 30 minutes. I would advise to move on to a different movie.

I Can't...What?

[little-miss-demon · 2/10 · 7 September 2022]

I didn't read reviews before starting this movie, and I should have. The acting is not even cheesy, it's poor from almost all of the actors. The script wasn't really character building either. I actually laughed out loud at a scene, not because it was funny, but it was because they tried so hard to make a clip scary in the beginning of the movie, and it's just like wow let me guess he's supposed to be some creepy bad guy? I fast forwarded a little (since I knew I wouldn't be missing much) just to find even a clip or a scene that would grab my attention, but I didn't find anything. Just a ton of EXPECTED, POOR, and PREDICTABLE choices made by the main characters.

Awful

[everyhoureveryday · 1/10 · 22 December 2022]

This is based on a true story and had already been made into a movie in 1983 (The Awakening of Candra). That movie wasn't the greatest but is an 11 compared to this version. The writing and direction are bad and some actors over act making it silly then horror like at times. This wasn't silly subject. What Candra went through was horrible.

It seems as though the director was going for ant arty effect and it just felt off because it was based on actual events. Those events were passed over for fluff.

This movie fell apart at the end, which is weird considering they absolutely could have ended with the actual story.

Fun and captivating

[xpxmelody · 10/10 · 3 August 2020]

This movie was a lot of fun to watch and I especially loved how it was unpredictable. A very unique plot since it is based on a true story. Maddie did a great job capturing the emotion of the character, and TC Matherne was incredible! So impressed with Robin Givens directorial debut, fantastic job. This movie is so important for people to see. While a great movie, an important message of strength and perseverance as well.

Awesome

[jas-cenn-chargers · 5/10 · 4 April 2023]

Ann Rule's A Murder to Remember is a horror film set in Mount Hood, Oregon. Robin and Javier Rivera whose one-year anniversary camping trip turns deadly for the husband, leaving the wife alone in the wilderness. When she accepts help from another camper, she ends up putting her life in his hands. My favorite character is Robin because despite her being accused of murdering her husband she still retains her innocence. I liked the fact that the movie has such a great plot and grabbed my attention from start to finish. I would recommend this film to people who watch scary films.

This film has been getting negative reviews and I highly disagree with them. This movie is not a boring film in fact it is the super awesome that grabs your attention and never lets you go. I would give this film 5/5 stars for great acting and the great plot. Not to mention it kept my attention focused on the movie and not on my phone or anything else.