Swim Instructor Nightmare (2022) User Reviews

Cheesy title, but a good Lifetime movie...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 9 November 2022]

When I sat down to watch the 2022 Lifetime thriller "Swim Instructor Nightmare", I must admit that I wasn't really harboring much of any hopes or expectations to the movie. I mean, the title alone just doesn't really invoke images of a grand movie experience. But since I hadn't already seen the movie, of course I opted to give it a fair chance.

And for a Lifetime movie, I will say that writer David Chester definitely upped the game and delivered a very enjoyable script and it made for a surprisingly good movie from director Doug Campbell.

Sure, the storyline was pretty generic, I mean, you already know the formula that these Lifetime movies follow, but there was still something unique about "Swim Instructor Nightmare", aside from the title, that made it a good movie.

And that thing was Sydney Hamm (playing Sabrina), talk about a great performance. Now, I am not familiar with Sydney Hamm from other movies, but she really put on a memorable and good performance as the somewhat disturbed young lady Sabrina that takes on the role of swim instructor for Ashley (played by Kiarra Beasley). The movie also had a good performance from Cj Hammond (playing Parker).

I actually was genuinely entertained by "Swim Instructor Nightmare". And if you can get past the cheesy title, then you should give director Doug Campbell's 2022 movie a chance.

My rating of "Swim Instructor Nightmare" lands on a six out of ten stars.

Another swim thriller!

[Chartreuse1 · 6/10 · 2 March 2022]

Sabrina is a second-string swimmer who's also a nutjob! She responds to a job for a wanted swim instructor to teach a 10-yr old girl how to swim but she really has the hots for the girl's dad! This was a pretty good thriller and kudos to Sydney Hamm as the psycho in her first starring role and hopefully more acting to come! Definitely recommend!

VIEWS ON FILM review of Psycho Swim Instructor

[burlesonjesse5 · 5/10 · 5 September 2022]

2022's Psycho Swim Instructor is about as low budget a thriller as I've seen on Lifetime Television. I mean you can literally count the shooting locations on one hand (rehab center, indoor pool, house, other house, outdoor pool). Hey I'm not saying it's a bad thing but boy is it noticeable. These locations feel soundstage-free as the producers probably paid the actual tenants to use said locations.

So yeah, Psycho Swim Instructor is pretty unambiguous. I mean it is about a cray cray swim instructor and in terms of movie titles, that's how Lifetime rolls. Except for one scene where a family member's body is completely gotten rid of by the use of hydrochloric acid (there's a new one), "Swim" is formulaic as water is wet (ha ha). It's as if "Swim's" director (veteran Doug Campbell) watched a bunch of past Lifetimer-s, took some memos, and proceeded to shoot the flick on a weekend. The only obligatory thing missing from Psycho Swim Instructor is that annoying best bud who's always in the ear of the vulnerable protagonist. I'm actually okay with that omission.

Psycho Swim Instructor checks all the Lifetime movie boxes. It's par for the course. You have the shocking opening sequence that the filmmakers come back to in the last twenty minutes (check). You have the remorseless nature of the baddie that's established in the first five (check). You have the dad character who is oblivious to the sneaky wrongdoings of the female who's mentally screwed (check). You have the happy ending that bypasses all the legal ramifications (check it). Finally, you have that LA, suburbanite setting with a couple of aerial shots of actual downtown (check yo self).

Minus a thumping amount of in the cards stuff, "Swim" is well-plotted, not too campy, and goes down easy if your mission is to kill 85 minutes on a Saturday afternoon. But if it's freshness dating you're looking for in 2022, Psycho Swim Instructor is more or less a weak "pedagogue".

Sleep with the Swimmer or Else Sleep with the Fishes

[lavatch · 7/10 · 24 February 2023]

Sabrina Jameson was a kid with a dream. She was a talented swimmer with visions of the summer Olympics. But she also had a daddy fixation that landed her in trouble when older men grew tired of her neediness. After setting her sights on her coach and getting rejected, Coach Sharky nearly slept with the fishes. Now, Sabrina finds a new target in a good family man named Parker Scott.

When Sabrina's mother recognized that her daughter was obsessing, she told her, "You're doing it again, Sabrina." That was the end of Mrs. Jameson, who made a quick exit from the film at the bottom of the bathtub.

Water figures prominently in the film. In addition to Coach Sharky and Sabrina's mother, Donna Dorn, an Olympic medalist, is hired by Parker Scott to coach his young daughter, Ashley. Eventually, Donna will be sleeping with the fishes.

There was a clever and compelling action in Sabrina's ability to worm her way into the life of Parker Scott, through appealing to little Ashley. Sabrina is a caring swimming instructor, and young Ashley responds well to her instruction. But Sabrina must face a greater obstacle in eliminating her rival, Ellen Scott, from the picture.

The film's ending was a little too pat and contrived. Ellen escapes from her rehab center to meet with Coach Sharky. Then, her memory suddenly returns to reveal that she had eaten the poisoned cookie prepared by her nemesis. She then arrives on cue to save the life of her philandering husband, who was unfaithful to her and at least contemplated momentarily that Sabrina might become the next Mrs. Parker Scott.

Sabrina had a pipe dream of going for the gold. But it appears she must settle for the color orange, as she will likely be sporting an orange jumpsuit for many years.

By the Book Fun

[Droid_Gunner · 7/10 · 21 February 2022]

Completely by the book Lifetime formula, but still enjoyable. The performances were all-around solid, particularly the unhinged antagonist who pulled off the routine psycho performance in a charming way. A couple twists tossed in kept the pace moving quickly and elevated it over the usual Lifetime films. Worth checking out if you're into the genre.

Psycho in the Pool

[CranberriAppl · 17 March 2022]

I love the water and swimming, so this theme always grabs my attention. The shark ones do as well although they're terrible lol. This was solid and I'm glad that they changed it up from a dead parent cliche to one with issues that separated them from the family. This movie reminded me of one from last year called Designed to Death, which also had a nutjob who imagined everything and tried to replace the mom (who was away constantly for work instead of rehab).

I realize Sabrina "had" to kill ******* since that was the only person in the movie who 1.cared about her and 2. Could expose her, but that was so evil. Because this is Lifetime, I shouldn't have been surprised, but I kind of expected a fake out, but at the same time how do you come back from that? I kind of wish they hadn't since the opening scene had a different result, so it just made Sabrina seem extra psychotic and much less sympathetic even though she was playing out her daddy issues. The way she got rid of the evidence was like Rhoda Penmark levels of evil and unbothered.

I like that the mom was throughout the movie and didn't just show up in the climax. (Her resemblance to Aaliyah is strong). In so many Lifetime flicks, we're lucky if we get a villain monologue, so it was good to see them attempt to make Sabrina's motivations make sense. The constant shade at her lack of medals and lack of being on the "summer games" team helped ramp up her insanity. The "swim off" was a bit crazy because it makes no sense that the pool would not have cameras.

The parents had great chemistry with the little girl and the family scenes were touching. However, um, the father broke his wedding vows. At the beginning of the movie, Ellen's (mom) alcoholism was the major issue in their family, but by the end, Parker (dad) had his own indiscretions...like overly so. Near the climax (after he slept with psycho), he really fell off because none of his actions made sense. It would have been nice to see him resist Sabrina even a little bit and I hope he confessed to his wife. He literally brought the psycho into their lives.

Some pretty good details to mention like Ellen stealing the car keys and having to find the car in the lot and the astroturf golf area in the backyard. I'm also glad that this movie took place over months and not days where none of this would have made sense.

This movie aired under the title Swim Instructor Nightmare, but IMDb calls it Psycho Swim Instructor, but if Vivica were somehow in this, The Wrong Swim Coach would have worked perfectly.

Another sidenote: this is the second 2022 movie in a week that had a mom in rehab.

Unexpected thriller.

[keirondarbyshire · 6/10 · 2 December 2022]

Well that wasn't what I expected.

I expected a cheesey thriller, but got a rather thrilling thriller.

Good acting, good story. Good directing.

The lead psychopath was very well played. I'd avoid her in the street if I saw her haha.

I'll not be watching it again, but I enjoyed watching it.

It was a play it by numbers movie that was done well.

But what's with the title?

I noted that the director has form of terrible film titles, that would be a put off to anyone who appreciates a good film, but don't let it stop you watching this.

I'll be trying another of his films on the basis of watching this.

Now I know why I stopped watching these movies for over 3 years.

[ThunderKing6 · 10/10 · 8 April 2022]

It's the same old psychopathic formula. The same old formula to a T (Whatever that means). A mentall ill female stalkers, hurts people, lies and plays a trickster god. To make a Lifetime movie requires you to be a dog lover apparently because these films lack skill, promise, moral code, pleasure, edutainment, something new. These movies are awful. After you've seen 2 to 3 you begin to realize how annoying these movies are.

Every time something happens I always say "You didn't see that coming?"

Again, these movies were made by dog lovers.

About: A psychotic, attractive female who can't find a boyfriend. She becomes a Loki, psycho stalker, murderer and is obsessed with men that don't even want her.

Story: Lame

Production: Horrible actors.

Highlight: Main chick is fine, but her acting makes her kind of unattractive

Moral Code: 3.

Unworthiness Level: 3

Should you watch this? No. Lifetime movies in the last 15 years have been the same psycho horror movies that require no skill except to be a dog lover. These movies are horrible and lazy. You've seen one of these, then you've seen them all.

If you do find yourself watching these movies, enjoy the eye candy. The actresses in these movies are way hotter than Hollywood actresses. Lifetime Actresses, look biologically natural and hot.

Immoral at its Best

[gipsonrhonda · 19 March 2024]

I already knew how the movie would end when I saw the way the husband treated his alcoholic wife. He showed no compassion and didn't listen to or support her. Everything she told him about the swim coach was cut down by him.

Who goes swimming with a young attractive swim coach at night while his wife is supposedly sick? Then they are half naked, kissing in the pool and she takes off her bottoms. I missed where he told her he is married. They end up in the bed as if this is not immoral. Bad acting. He was clearly a narcissists and only liked sex. She didn't seduce him. He could have prevented everything that took place.

Men love this kind of acting wherein the husband has no respect for themself, their wife or children. And the wife actually let her into her home. As another post read, clearly this movie doesn't make sense.

He looked as if he thought he was entitled and showed his wife he did not value her. Same Ole same ole lmn movie with women letting a young woman into her home.

I'd already said that at the end he and the wife would be kissing and cuddling and he would offer her no apology.

And the scene where she left the rehab and no one was looking for her after seeing her leave the session was poorly written.