Cruel Instruction (2022 TV Movie) User Reviews

Made me yell at the tv

[pumping_iron-1 · 7/10 · 24 September 2022]

First, I don't know why Kayla's parents weren't upset when the teacher told them he had checked their insurance prior to suggesting they send Kayla to this behavioral treatment center. I would have been livd.

Secondly, what parents send their child to a place without checking it out. Yes. I know these under regulated treatment programs put on their best behavior when parent come sniffing around. But at least check it out before sending your children. Lastly, Kayla tried to tell her parents why she wasn't doing well in school and they weren't listening. Kayla's ordeal could have been avoided if her parents had only listened to what she was telling them about herself and about her feelings. I thought the acting was above standard. I thought Kelcey Mawema (Kayla) might have overacted just a tab. But the storyline was so intense and informative. Places like this do exist parents. They care only about milking your insurance. Insurance scammers. Be aware.

made for tv?

[watcher2019 · 6/10 · 14 March 2022]

I have seen a male version of this film. Who knew that in the usa you can be snatched off the street with your parents permission and sent to units like this and held there until you are 18. In the male version of this film it indicated that you could be held even longer than that? I dont think it portrayed the abuses enough. If you have male guards in places where young women are held the abuses must be tenfold. Well acted but not true enough. The ending where we are told that these facilities ex.=ist is very interesting. What do american parents think will happen to a son or daughter sent to such a place?

VIEWS ON FILM review of Cruel Instruction

[burlesonjesse5 · 6/10 · 15 March 2022]

Two teenagers are sent away to a Utah institution. Why? Because one got expelled and the other is attending to avoid a stint in juvie. While at said institution, they are put through the ringer by an evil headmistress with questionable behavioral methods. That's the gist of Cruel Instruction.

Released in March of this year, Cruel Instruction is a Lifetime Television movie that seems to hark back to the network's golden era (80s/90s). It's like a prison drama that doesn't take place in a prison (it's more of a residential treatment center). The young girl personas featured walk on eggshells throughout and almost need permission to breathe. You the viewer will harbor the same feeling even though "Instruction" feels the want to cut corners (in effective storyboard editing, character development, and overall diegesis).

Camryn Manheim and Kelcey Mawema star in "Instruction" as a Nurse Ratched type (Miss Connie) and a shy, misunderstood 15-year-old (Kayla Adams). Their performances are good and they undoubtedly anchor the film. But like a lot of goings-on in Cruel Instruction, their ending fates seem cryptic and all for naught. I mean did Connie eventually go to the slammer? And what the heck is Kayla going to do with her life after being thrown out of high school?

Cruel Instruction is longer in length than your typical Lifetime-r (maybe it was the commercials). Pretty much everyone in it (that includes the jugged love interest, the treatment center bully, the parents, the orderlies) fades in and out while being almost totally paradoxical.

Sure Cruel Instruction lays out the blueprint of damaged youth. Sure the film's military school environment seems cold (and harsh) and sure, everyone's popping meds without seeing much daylight. But does "Instruction" actually push the envelope? Nah. It's disturbing in parts but fails to reach the heights of say something like When You Remember Me (a confinement TV vehicle from the beginning of The Good Decade starring Fred Savage). "Cruel instruction manual".

Raw and real movie based on a true story!

[Chartreuse1 · 9/10 · 16 March 2022]

Troubled teen Kayla Adams' parents send her to juvenile detention center in Utah to get her the help she needs. Trouble is the people who run the facility need more help than she does! This was one of the BEST Lifetime movies this year acted with gritty realism! The acting, script and directing were top-notch. Kudos to Kelcey and Morgan for nailing their roles. Highly recommended!!!

Not Bad

[gab-67599 · 8/10 · 7 November 2022]

As expected out of LM it was average at best. The only reason I didn't rate it lower was because it made me cry. Only reason for that was (as a now adult) I myself have been in and out of MANY of these places. I know how it feels to be in a place just like this but 20 times worse. This place looked bad but what I went through could not hold a candle to it.

My issue with this movie was the actors sucked and at times I just could not relate with the lead. Pretty just could not act! I do like miss Campbell and miss Muñoz though. I have seen Muñoz in a few movies but I must admit this was a first for Campbell and I will be looking out for more of her. As far as this movie goes I would say watch it if you have been through it or if you have a child in a place like this.

I wish my parents had watched a movie like this... Shining light on a subject I feel should be known by ALL by now. These places can be worse then anyone can ever imagine. Everyone should know what goes on in the so called "Problem Child's" life! Just do not expect great acting because at times the movie was just laughable.

Moved me so much.

[sadieblackburn · 10/10 · 23 April 2023]

This movie is absolutely heart wrenching- in a good way. The way they represent the facility makes me feel like i'm experiencing it for myself. I connected with the characters and just wanted to hug them throughout the entire movie. These kinds of things do actually happen to real people, in real life. I'm so glad that this issue is finally being brought up in media more and I feel it was represented amazingly. I have not been through similar experiences, thank god, I feel as if anyone can relate to how they're feeling, at least somewhat. I haven't been so moved by a movie in a long time. I highly recommend this movie. I thought the acting was good, and overall I don't have any gripes with the movie. Seriously, go watch it.

The truth

[solaroha · 10/10 · 18 December 2022]

I thought this film was an exact representation of the real life accounts in places meant to "help" struggling teens, that have happened and are still happening around the world. A good example of this is a place called Trinity Teen Solutions, I have come across countless people on social media sharing their experiences with such a place as Trinity Teen Solutions, and when I began to watch this film Cruel Instruction I had a realisation that almost all punishments and requirements were painstakingly accurate to the accounts of the teens who had suffered at TTS. For some examples the isolation, abuse, strip search, lying about what the patients have done to the parents to keep them out of their bubble, and manipulating them into believing anything their child has or will mention is all an attempt to get out when really it's not, in fact everything they say is horrifyingly the truth, and just because they are still considered "children" and not adults that they have higher rights over them, which is most definitely not true and very very wrong. I am truly glad a movie such as this has been released so these places can be recognised and further taken down. It is against the law, how can any human being be this cruel.

Every teen parent MUST see

[stacypetty-84248 · 8/10 · 21 May 2023]

This was probably one of the best Lifetime movies I have seen in a long time. I was really shocked to see that this movie was based on a true story. As a parent to a teenage girl this movie really hit home and struck a cord with me. I'm not going to run through specific characters because I don't want to ruin it for anyone that hasn't seen it but I think every character brought their A game and something unique to this story. I am so glad that this film brought attention to something I had no clue even existed. This movie serves a great purpose for parents to REALLY do their homework. Don't just trust anyone with your child. Go tour the place and ask questions. Anyone can make a brochure look good. As parents we trust that professionals have the best of intentions. I think the parents and so many people in this facility failed these girls in every way possible. I am so glad Kayla broke the rules and got to that phone. I don't think Angela would have made it to her 18th birthday otherwise. I am so sorry that these girls had to go through this and I hope they got the help they needed to deal with the trauma.

RIVETING!!

[cdstokley · 10/10 · 16 May 2022]

I wasn't sure I wanted to watch this movie. I was thinking to myself I hope to God this is not a true story. I was disgusted at the treatment of the girls and the whole time I was watching I was thinking at how I would have handled the situation if I were in it. I don't think I could have refrained from punching someone in the face the minute my parents left me there and was taken in for the medical exam which was more like a strip search in a major prison. When I am done with this review I will be surfing the net to see if there were charges brought up against Ms. Connie (played by Camryn Manheim) I certainly hope so. I also hope the place was closed down and someone sued them.

Incredibly Intense, Excellent movie

[innerlooper96 · 10/10 · 8 April 2023]

Cruel Instruction is an amazing depiction of life in residential treatment. I didn't expect anything realistic, nor did I anticipate the excellent cast. As many of us may think, this movie (watched on LMN) was a random find for me on my program guide; I set the DVR and thought it would make a good 'while i'm on the elliptical' movie. It was, but I now want everyone to see it.

The story follows this beautiful young woman who is truly misunderstood. Her learning differences make school nearly impossible, which seems to reduce her self-esteem. Other students pick right up on that feeling, and of course, bully her. She develops crippling anxiety (very authentically, heartbreakingly portrayed by Kelcey M.) and her parents dismiss her as being disengaged with school.

Her school "helpfully" suggests this residential center, a place where she can 'break her bad habits' and also "be surrounded by people just like her!". The parents are fairly decent, with Mom being much more competent than stepdad, who has no idea what mental wellness is. A loving oaf, basically, is what the stepdad is...with a healthy helping of hubris.

Moving on: the movie shows Kayla's journey through the horrors of this correctional-pretending-to-be-therapeutic facility. It's definitely extreme.

As a person who has been in residential mental health treatment before, I found so much to be authentic; however, the extremes were not present in my experience.

In my experience, the measures taken to 'fix' people with mental illness or addictions are draconian, although not all of them are illegal the way that this movie depicts. I truly believe that there is some good to be had in *most* places, but there is so much toxicity, and underhanded sneaky behavior by staff, you just start to feel exactly as Kayla does: convinced that YOU are the problem, and you must have done something wrong along the way to "deserve" to be where you are.

The no-talking-to-family rule is real; the rigidity of ridiculous rules is real; the earning of privileges is real, although in my case, they were legitimately necessary because of the nature of my condition.

The over-extended treatment time? Real and sadly common. The insurance is maxed before one is released, in most cases. In addition, coping skills and positivity can sometimes be amiss. It depends on the care providers; I was fortunate to have an awesome MD on staff, but 95% of the staff otherwise were horribly incompetent.

The more extreme actions of this movie were not experienced in my time; the "obs" room, or the "investment" room; we also did not have to ask permission to cough, but we definitely had the same type of rigid rules. The excuse is "someone along the line abused the privilege of X, so now we cannot have X for anyone." Makes sense, until you realize "X" is using a children's glue stick, or talking together without the 'nanny' in the room. (Some of us are pushing 45 or 50 years old.) Bottom line: I can't begin to say how wonderfully this movie was made; the young women were phenomenal; the two main girls knocked it out of the atmosphere with realism, and the other cast members were excellent. Camryn Mannheim (sp) is incredibly easy to hate, she did such a good job.

Watch this movie, but be warned it is uncomfortable with some scenes related to both trauma/suicide, and physical violation of the patients.

Dickensian Horror Story

[lavatch · 8/10 · 20 August 2023]

In "Cruel Instruction," the filmmakers were successful in raising consciousness about unregulated "behavior modification programs" that exploit young people for financial gain.

Amanda Scheff and Kayla Adams were remanded to one of these centers in Utah. The parents actually believed that their kids were getting special care. But Kayla's high school counselor was bribed into referring the dyslexic student to the Utah center, which in turn reaped the benefits by collecting from the insurance company.

The sadistic treatment of the young women was appalling with no one in the facility willing to alert the authorities to the Fagin-like character of "Miss Connie." The saving grace for the young people was the bonding that took place in the prison-like environment.

There was a touching relationship between Kayla and her friend Martinez, as well as the concern shown by Kayla to Amanda when she became seriously ill and was denied treatment by Miss Connie.

There was nothing hokey about the emotions when the girls were finally released. This film was well-crafted, and it probed a vital topic that rarely receives attention in the mainstream media. One scene that was missing was the depiction of Miss Connie in an orange jumpsuit.

This was the kind of story that Charles Dickens tackled in his socially driven novels of the nineteenth century. It is tragic to consider how little progress we have made in some areas of social reform.

Cast billing - fixed

[henry999-1 · 14 March 2022]

There's something very odd going on here. The 'Storyline' begins

> Tells the story of Kayla Adams ...

OK. But when we look at the list of 'Top cast' we see 18 actors - but there is no character called 'Kayla'. So, let's go to 'Full Cast & Crew'; what do we find there? A list of _24_ actors - but still no 'Kayla'. Finally, down at the bottom, in the 'Rest of cast listed alphabetically' we find Kelcey Mawema, portraying Kayla Adams.

Is Kelcey Mawema not the star of this picture? What in the world is going on with this billing?!?

HA HA -- now they hve fixed it!

Was decent..

[ts-0000 · 13 March 2022]

But feel the lead girl(Adams)professional acting skills wasn't developed well enough,the way she acted & reacted was unusual.

Her parents bothered me.. Didn't really take much to see,that she wasn't a bad kid & struggled from issues not in her control.

Felt like the step-dad was finding any reason especially,to justify what he did or didn't do for her.. The mother needed a bigger spine seemed like many guys from the spouse,principal to the recruiter/counselor influenced her.

Sad places like this for struggling kids exist still,but frankly parents need to be more diligent on what is really best for their kids & not just on a strangers word.

Why does parent(s) just blindly send their kid to a strange location,hours to days away & accept it?.. Because the glossy brochure looked,great? I would think touring the program,credentials of those in charge & so forth would seem responsible.

Worth a watch,if you haven't viewed it.