I love Melissa, so I had high hopes for this one. It wasn't terribly written or acted, and the storyline was unlike any other lifetime movie I've ever seen which is good. However, the last 30 minutes of this film are complete garbage. Such missed opportunities for redemption and healing. Just so, so sad and confusing.
20 Reviews
First hoarding movie - finally!
deedrala12 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I used to watch the real-life hoarding shows until I couldn't take the frustration of seeing the clutter and disorganized messes anymore - it caused my normal anxiety to increase too much. So having seen the real-life hoarders with their personality disorders and mood swings and shame about their "dirty little secret", I was anxious to see the first movie ever made about the subject (that I know of).
It was realistic and well-acted - (Lizzie Boys is a talented young woman) - in showing the mental illness of a typical hoarder and how it negatively affects their family members. It was watchable and understandable until the end. I know the daughter was compelled to protect her mom's hoarding from the world, but the lengths she went to at the end were over the top and hard to believe. When her mom was killed by both her asthma and her hoarding compulsion at the same time, the daughter was afraid of the hoarding being broadcast on news outlets when her mom's dead body was taken out by paramedics, but there are HIPAA laws in place that would have prevented that from happening. The paramedics would not call the media because of a hoarding situation at the house they were called to to remove a corpse. So the "Gilbert Grape ending", as the first reviewer here accurately described it, wasn't necessary. I hated seeing her throw away so many perfectly good items that could've been donated or sold at a yard sale. I chalked up her senselessly extreme actions after discovering her mother's dead body to a nervous breakdown brought on by years of the burden she carried for her mother's sake, and her stubborn resolve to protect her mom's secret no matter what. But her explanation at the very end, that she "let the secret go", ignored the fact that there were other, less extreme, saner ways to let it go, which would have been much easier on her and her siblings. The way she chose to do it will be yet another burden she'll carry the rest of her life.
Grade C / 6 out of 10.
It was realistic and well-acted - (Lizzie Boys is a talented young woman) - in showing the mental illness of a typical hoarder and how it negatively affects their family members. It was watchable and understandable until the end. I know the daughter was compelled to protect her mom's hoarding from the world, but the lengths she went to at the end were over the top and hard to believe. When her mom was killed by both her asthma and her hoarding compulsion at the same time, the daughter was afraid of the hoarding being broadcast on news outlets when her mom's dead body was taken out by paramedics, but there are HIPAA laws in place that would have prevented that from happening. The paramedics would not call the media because of a hoarding situation at the house they were called to to remove a corpse. So the "Gilbert Grape ending", as the first reviewer here accurately described it, wasn't necessary. I hated seeing her throw away so many perfectly good items that could've been donated or sold at a yard sale. I chalked up her senselessly extreme actions after discovering her mother's dead body to a nervous breakdown brought on by years of the burden she carried for her mother's sake, and her stubborn resolve to protect her mom's secret no matter what. But her explanation at the very end, that she "let the secret go", ignored the fact that there were other, less extreme, saner ways to let it go, which would have been much easier on her and her siblings. The way she chose to do it will be yet another burden she'll carry the rest of her life.
Grade C / 6 out of 10.
It is obvious that the ending spoiled the film for many who watched it
Ed-Shullivan10 February 2023
No spoilers here so please read on. Dirty Little Secret is about a mother and daughter living with a mother's illness that many people suffer from which is hoarding and compulsive purchasing of on line goods. Outside of their home Joanna (Melissa Joan Hart) lives a somewhat normal life at work and wishes to start dating as a single mom supporting one of her three daughters Lucy (Lizzie Boys) who remained at home after her husband and two (2) other daughters moved out of their home not wanting to tolerate her mothers hoarding any longer.
Joanna even meets a wonderful man but before the relationship can even get to first base Joanna quickly realizes that she cannot have anyone see what a mess her home has become so she breaks off this potentially loving relationship. Joanna's daughter Joy (Lizzie Boys) certainly realizes that her mother has a difficult yet incurable illness with her hoarding and non stop purchasing of on line orders. Joy is the most affected by her mothers illness which leaves her no choice but to continue to create white lies about her homelife to her friends and her school's guidance counsellor.
There is a natural magnetism that occurs between a parent and their children and flaws in a persons character whether they are physical or mental are regularly overlooked with the hope that their problem(s) will simply go away on their own. Such is not the case, certainly not in this made for TV film although who of us can really understand the family dynamics unless we lived it ourselves. I am eternally grateful that my own parents were stable hard working and loving parents and their biggest problem was their own children (including myself) leaving our bedrooms a bit messy.
So for those who did not like the film due to the strange ending (no spoiler here) please try and consider that there are real problems out there and when a film producer and director have approximately 90 minutes to share their story with us accept that there is a lot more to a families story that we are thankfully shared the misery of exploring.
I give the film a respectable 6 out of 10 IMDb rating.
Joanna even meets a wonderful man but before the relationship can even get to first base Joanna quickly realizes that she cannot have anyone see what a mess her home has become so she breaks off this potentially loving relationship. Joanna's daughter Joy (Lizzie Boys) certainly realizes that her mother has a difficult yet incurable illness with her hoarding and non stop purchasing of on line orders. Joy is the most affected by her mothers illness which leaves her no choice but to continue to create white lies about her homelife to her friends and her school's guidance counsellor.
There is a natural magnetism that occurs between a parent and their children and flaws in a persons character whether they are physical or mental are regularly overlooked with the hope that their problem(s) will simply go away on their own. Such is not the case, certainly not in this made for TV film although who of us can really understand the family dynamics unless we lived it ourselves. I am eternally grateful that my own parents were stable hard working and loving parents and their biggest problem was their own children (including myself) leaving our bedrooms a bit messy.
So for those who did not like the film due to the strange ending (no spoiler here) please try and consider that there are real problems out there and when a film producer and director have approximately 90 minutes to share their story with us accept that there is a lot more to a families story that we are thankfully shared the misery of exploring.
I give the film a respectable 6 out of 10 IMDb rating.
The ending ruins it
haa413 June 2022
This was really decent up until the last 20 min when it went completely off the rails. Missed opportunity for redemption and a better ending. Two stars for great acting by Melissa Joan Hart and Lizzie Boys but this was truly awful. No idea what the writers or producers were thinking here but it doesn't add up.
Well.. Spoilers ahead!
ts-000012 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
What in the Gilbert Grape,type ending was that? Ok take that back,at least it had better closure.
When mom couldn't find inhaler was predictable,that either.. 1. Daughter finds her & calls ambulance.
2. Doesn't realize she died until a foul smell appeared,until than assumed mom left after fight & never returned.
However.. Than she pulls pictures out & puts them on mom,while covering her up better so.. Thought at one point she was going to bury mom under the mess,live her days at home in lies with others(siblings,etc.)until she died or was found out.
But when she started the fire was like,well she took a dark turn.
Was dumb how things ended with her lab partner/boyfriend,did she get in trouble & so forth.. Instead get a clichéd type,monolog & fade to black.
Decent cast,overall acting & cinematography considering but unfortunately.. Not worth seeing,again.
When mom couldn't find inhaler was predictable,that either.. 1. Daughter finds her & calls ambulance.
2. Doesn't realize she died until a foul smell appeared,until than assumed mom left after fight & never returned.
However.. Than she pulls pictures out & puts them on mom,while covering her up better so.. Thought at one point she was going to bury mom under the mess,live her days at home in lies with others(siblings,etc.)until she died or was found out.
But when she started the fire was like,well she took a dark turn.
Was dumb how things ended with her lab partner/boyfriend,did she get in trouble & so forth.. Instead get a clichéd type,monolog & fade to black.
Decent cast,overall acting & cinematography considering but unfortunately.. Not worth seeing,again.
Melissa Joan Hart All star acting!
ranallopa13 June 2022
This movie was almost disturbing to watch, which means the lead character, Melissa Joan Hart killed it in this role! You could really feel that she has a disorder and the moments she freaks out in the movie are that of a real life hoarder. I do wish the movie had a more uplifting ending, but not all stories have a happy ending.
First movie I've seen about hoarding, unfortunately not a good one
AlexTheGreyWolf12 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Dirty Little Secret is about a daughter, Lucy, who lives with her ocd mother. At first the mother was a neat freak and it drove her husband away. She must have been so traumatized by him leaving that she became a hoarder, the complete opposite of neat freak.
Lucy actually has two older siblings. Sometime after the mother became a hoarder the children's aunt comes for a visit and was horrified by what she saw. Not understanding the dynamics with hoarding the aunt thought it'd be a nice idea to clean up the place before their mother arrived. Well she quickly learned it's a really bad idea as their mother arrives and almost has a heart attack and has a huge tantrum and attacks her sister actually making her bleed. Their mother tells her sister to never come back and that she's forbidden from ever seeing her nieces and nephews. Sometime after that Lucy's older siblings move out, leaving her alone with their mother.
The middle act was also enjoyable it featured Lucy getting to know one of her classmates who happened to live with a mother who's struggling with an alcohol addiction, and a former patient of the mother's who is attracted to her and asks her out on a date. Both relationships were progressing nicely before the dark and bizarre final act arrived.
Just as things were becoming romantic between Lucy and her.classmate Lucy's inability to bring him over to her house because of her mother's ridiculous mess stirs up a big argument between Lucy and her mother. After her fight with her daughter she tells her love interest that she needs to take a break and he brilliantly retorted with "how can we take a break if we haven't even started anything."
The mother finally realizing that her hoarding is driving everyone she loves away from her decides to clean up the place, by herself. She only manages to throw away a couple bags which were already bagged up by her daughter previously before she falls under a mountain of her own junk and passes out due to her asthma.
When Lucy finds her mother unresponsive she thinks about calling 911 but then imagines the mother's hoarding being on the news and decides not to call 911. She tries calling her brother but he's on vacation and doesn't have good reception where he's at, and she texts her sister but gets no response. Lucy then decides she will clean up the house so that no one would know the mother had a hoarding issue. She quickly runs out of bins to throw the junk out so she starts using other people's bins and dumpsters.
Lucy forgot she was supposed to go to a party that night so her friends come pick her up and she goes with them because they told her if she goes back inside the home they will go in there and drag her out so she went with them because she didn't want them to see inside her home. I felt it was a bit strange how incessant her friend was at getting Lucy to go to the party.
So Lucy arrives at the party and tries to make a getaway but her classmate sees her and asks if she's okay. She says she's fine and leaves but he didn't buy it and should have followed her. Instead he sends her a text asking if she's okay. She manages to walk all the way back to her home and sees her sister arrive but she refuses to let the sister come inside and tells her sister to go away. The sister gets upset and says she will call her mom the next day and leaves.
Lucy resumes cleaning the house until she realizes there's just way too much junk in there and there's no way she'd finish that night so she comes up with the idea of burning everything up including her mother by starting an electrical fire. After starting the fire she escapes by breaking the window with the sewing machine her mother had been looking for throughout the movie. The movie ends with Lucy watching the firefighters fighting the fire, no emotions on Lucy's face as she says "I let the secret go."
This was an awful ending because if something like that happened in real life the fire department would know there was a hoarding issue and they'd know the fire was started intentionally and they or the police would know that the window was shattered by an object thrown from the inside. Lucy was seen by people at the party especially her classmate. If the detectives ask her friends or her classmate they'll probably find out she was at the party that night and they'd think she was trying to establish an alibi.
If the police interview her sister it wouldn't surprise me if the sister accuses Lucy of murdering their mother because honestly Lucy's behavior that night was bizarre to say the least. It was a tragic ending the entire movie you're hoping things go well for Lucy you hope she can go to the college in New York and finally be free from her mother but instead she becomes the creepy villain. The ending ruined the movie for me.
Lucy actually has two older siblings. Sometime after the mother became a hoarder the children's aunt comes for a visit and was horrified by what she saw. Not understanding the dynamics with hoarding the aunt thought it'd be a nice idea to clean up the place before their mother arrived. Well she quickly learned it's a really bad idea as their mother arrives and almost has a heart attack and has a huge tantrum and attacks her sister actually making her bleed. Their mother tells her sister to never come back and that she's forbidden from ever seeing her nieces and nephews. Sometime after that Lucy's older siblings move out, leaving her alone with their mother.
The middle act was also enjoyable it featured Lucy getting to know one of her classmates who happened to live with a mother who's struggling with an alcohol addiction, and a former patient of the mother's who is attracted to her and asks her out on a date. Both relationships were progressing nicely before the dark and bizarre final act arrived.
Just as things were becoming romantic between Lucy and her.classmate Lucy's inability to bring him over to her house because of her mother's ridiculous mess stirs up a big argument between Lucy and her mother. After her fight with her daughter she tells her love interest that she needs to take a break and he brilliantly retorted with "how can we take a break if we haven't even started anything."
The mother finally realizing that her hoarding is driving everyone she loves away from her decides to clean up the place, by herself. She only manages to throw away a couple bags which were already bagged up by her daughter previously before she falls under a mountain of her own junk and passes out due to her asthma.
When Lucy finds her mother unresponsive she thinks about calling 911 but then imagines the mother's hoarding being on the news and decides not to call 911. She tries calling her brother but he's on vacation and doesn't have good reception where he's at, and she texts her sister but gets no response. Lucy then decides she will clean up the house so that no one would know the mother had a hoarding issue. She quickly runs out of bins to throw the junk out so she starts using other people's bins and dumpsters.
Lucy forgot she was supposed to go to a party that night so her friends come pick her up and she goes with them because they told her if she goes back inside the home they will go in there and drag her out so she went with them because she didn't want them to see inside her home. I felt it was a bit strange how incessant her friend was at getting Lucy to go to the party.
So Lucy arrives at the party and tries to make a getaway but her classmate sees her and asks if she's okay. She says she's fine and leaves but he didn't buy it and should have followed her. Instead he sends her a text asking if she's okay. She manages to walk all the way back to her home and sees her sister arrive but she refuses to let the sister come inside and tells her sister to go away. The sister gets upset and says she will call her mom the next day and leaves.
Lucy resumes cleaning the house until she realizes there's just way too much junk in there and there's no way she'd finish that night so she comes up with the idea of burning everything up including her mother by starting an electrical fire. After starting the fire she escapes by breaking the window with the sewing machine her mother had been looking for throughout the movie. The movie ends with Lucy watching the firefighters fighting the fire, no emotions on Lucy's face as she says "I let the secret go."
This was an awful ending because if something like that happened in real life the fire department would know there was a hoarding issue and they'd know the fire was started intentionally and they or the police would know that the window was shattered by an object thrown from the inside. Lucy was seen by people at the party especially her classmate. If the detectives ask her friends or her classmate they'll probably find out she was at the party that night and they'd think she was trying to establish an alibi.
If the police interview her sister it wouldn't surprise me if the sister accuses Lucy of murdering their mother because honestly Lucy's behavior that night was bizarre to say the least. It was a tragic ending the entire movie you're hoping things go well for Lucy you hope she can go to the college in New York and finally be free from her mother but instead she becomes the creepy villain. The ending ruined the movie for me.
Hoarding disorder uncovered!!!
Chartreuse118 June 2022
Melissa Joan Hart as Joanna and Lizzie Boys as her daughter, Lucy, both shine in this Lifetime movie about a woman who is essentially, a pack rat and will not part with anything. It gets so bad that she loses her husband and her 2 older children move out. Lucy and her mom keep her secret well guarded. Their house looks like a wall-to-wall garage sale. I never knew that this was actually a sickness, The movie has an unhappy ending, though. More like this!!!
Bad...even for Lifetime
julieact12 June 2022
There are just so many problems with this movie! I've always liked Melissa Joan Hart so I thought I'd watch. It was mediocre at best. They barely scratched the surface yet didn't go completely over the top until the end like a lot of these Lifetime movies do. It was about a teenage girl who is embarrassed by her mother who appears to have it all together at work as an intelligent hard working nurse until you see their house and the mom is a hoarder. As it turns out, she was a complete neat freak before the father left because of it and now she's gone the other direction. There are also 2 older siblings that have moved out and don't come around much. Well, in the end this takes a VERY DARK, DISTURBED AND UNDESERVED turn. And I'm saying this about a Lifetime movie mind you!! This is not the way you treat people with mental illness!! I wouldn't recommend this film on that alone.
No way to treat mental illness
pumping_iron-113 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The last part of this movie was a total disappointment. Lucy was preparing to go away to college and leave her hoarding mother. However, the movie took a dark turn after mom had an asthma attack. Lucy found her mother passed out on the floor. Instead of calling 911, she decided to try to clean up at least nine years of hoarding. She kept saying she didn't went anyone to know the secret. But all I saw was selfishness. She placed hiding her mother's hoarding above trying to save her life. Her sister came over in response to her emergency call to her, and she lies and says that mom's alright. Why didn't she tell her sister the truth snd ask for her help. They could have called 911 and dragged their mother outside. Instead Lucy decided to burn down the house with mother inside. During all this time she's telling her mother how much she loves her. This was not my idea of love. All three children failed their mentally ill mother. Lucy may have let her mother die because of her own shame. This wasn't love. This was selfishness.
Good topic and amazing actors
RandiFerrari16 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Love that this is a movie about hoarding. The actors were incredible and the story was unpredictable. I understand why she wouldn't call for help at the end of the day she was a teenager not fully developed and she had been conditioned since childhood to hide this secret. I think it was beautifully done and is realistic to the years of trauma Lizzie's character endured therefore in a state of shock couldn't reason being she was a child for 1 and 2 a victim of childhood trauma along with wanting to please her mother at any cost out of grief and shock. I really hope there will be a second movie because I think it had hints of the older sister with some of her mother's traits. I would be interested to see how the three children cope with this trauma in the aftermath.
Started great, then went off the rails
Trivioid18 December 2022
"Dirty Little Secret" starts out good and effectively sets up the plot for how Hart's character, Joanna, became a hoarder, and the effect her disorder has on her children, particularly Lucy (Lizzie Boys). We see Lucy go on a path to discovery of what a normal functioning family looks like, and sees how a boy in her class has come to terms with his mom's recovery from alcoholism, and we develop hope that she will gain inner strength and feel empowered to lead her mother to admitting her problem and get her on the path to redemption. And the storyline does get us to the point where Lucy confronts her mother, and Joanna does show signs of realizing her problem. The viewer has hope that Joanna will be redeemed and Lizzie will prove mature beyond her years.
Then it all goes downhill from there. Everything gets weird and nonsensical. I won't give away the details, but the last 30 minutes was bizarre.
I think the Lifetime network should have a contest of its viewers to see who can write a better ending to this otherwise pretty good movie.
Then it all goes downhill from there. Everything gets weird and nonsensical. I won't give away the details, but the last 30 minutes was bizarre.
I think the Lifetime network should have a contest of its viewers to see who can write a better ending to this otherwise pretty good movie.
Darn, well....it was good at first
AdrienneGrayceMusic16 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I was so excited to see a lifetime movie about something different than cheerleaders, cheating spouses and crazy nannies, and to see one of my fave actresses in it, but dang, the ending was gosh awful and i feel duped. It was the most anticlimactic ending to a movie I've ever seen..melissa joan hart deserved better than this. She was so good in it. The ending made me rate it a 2. The 2 was for the acting alone.
Mother/daughter version of the Collyer brothers. sort of
CranberriAppl20 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
That's not a spoiler because it's a hoarding movie. Not the ending I expected but it is on brand for Lifetime. It is dark. If taken from the pov that tragedy causes reactions one might not have otherwise, then maybe it works for the movie. These two characters were clearly broken. Short of that, you might feel empty by the end. I don't think the first part of the climax is necessarily outside the realm of possibility, but the second part was definitely a bit more extreme.
I know this is based on a book but one thing I found disappointing was that I expected Lucy to have a clean room. Just to show the contrast and maybe a form of protest. But at the same time, her siblings had a different view of what went on in their childhood than what Lucy remembered. So it makes some sense that she would placate her mom over the years since she was the only one left. IDK seeing that even her own space was overwhelmed by her mother's influence was a hard thing to see. The hold her mother kept on her simply because she was the youngest and didn't leave her was awful. I also found it strange that Lucy's one friend noticed things but Mom's coworkers and bosses at work did not? They both did go to great lengths to conceal what was going on but the daughter showering at school stood out enough. Was Mom doing the same at work? They only showed the Mom's POV from her budding relationship's angle, but missed the opportunity to build some development through things falling apart at work.
I remember Lizzie Boys from a Hallmark movie a few years back, but I also recently saw her in My Mom Made Me Do It on Lifetime. Between that movie and Dirty Little Secret, DLS is better imo. Melissa Joan Hart did pretty good as well, far better than the Christmas movie she did for Lifetime last year. I almost hate to say it, but her character wasn't all that sympathetic given that she alienated everyone who cared about her and manipulated Lucy to keep her secrets.
The ending is jarring and unsatisfying and someone is going to jail or mental institution, but it's still a decently well written movie and one of the better 2022 ones from the network.
I know this is based on a book but one thing I found disappointing was that I expected Lucy to have a clean room. Just to show the contrast and maybe a form of protest. But at the same time, her siblings had a different view of what went on in their childhood than what Lucy remembered. So it makes some sense that she would placate her mom over the years since she was the only one left. IDK seeing that even her own space was overwhelmed by her mother's influence was a hard thing to see. The hold her mother kept on her simply because she was the youngest and didn't leave her was awful. I also found it strange that Lucy's one friend noticed things but Mom's coworkers and bosses at work did not? They both did go to great lengths to conceal what was going on but the daughter showering at school stood out enough. Was Mom doing the same at work? They only showed the Mom's POV from her budding relationship's angle, but missed the opportunity to build some development through things falling apart at work.
I remember Lizzie Boys from a Hallmark movie a few years back, but I also recently saw her in My Mom Made Me Do It on Lifetime. Between that movie and Dirty Little Secret, DLS is better imo. Melissa Joan Hart did pretty good as well, far better than the Christmas movie she did for Lifetime last year. I almost hate to say it, but her character wasn't all that sympathetic given that she alienated everyone who cared about her and manipulated Lucy to keep her secrets.
The ending is jarring and unsatisfying and someone is going to jail or mental institution, but it's still a decently well written movie and one of the better 2022 ones from the network.
Pointless
gab-6759930 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
There was no rhyme or reason to this movie. Just stupid would be a good title for it. So her mother dies and she goes to a party but does not stay and her boy/f never goes to check on her. Or even go with her to help her when she left the party? What a crappy boy/f! The sad thing is this movie could have actually been good if they had just changed a few things. I was invested up until she didn't call 911, then the rest of the movie just sucked! Not worth seeing in the first place. Also the daughter and brother cannot act, everyone else was believable.
I'll Rewrite The Ending For You
mscarly-6062621 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
As soon as I learned the mom had asthma, it was easy to predict that at some point she'd lose her inhaler among the "treasures."
New Ending: Johanna has her asthma attack and cannot find her inhaler. Lucy comes home to find her mom passed out and calls 911. Johanna survives and the two have a heart-to-heart in the hospital. Johanna promises to get help. With the help of a garage sale and donations from the hospital co-workers, she is able to seek therapy. Lucy is able to attend FIT with the help of scholarships. The house is finally cleared and cleaned as Johanna is happily reunited with all of her kids. Cherry on top is she uses the red dishes to make souffles in a clean kitchen.
Was that so hard, Lifetime?? Why go for such a dark ending? Johanna needed to get help, not die. And for Lucy to be so concerned with humiliation she sets her own home and mother's body on fire? What the WHAT??
Another Lifetime movie with wasted potential.
New Ending: Johanna has her asthma attack and cannot find her inhaler. Lucy comes home to find her mom passed out and calls 911. Johanna survives and the two have a heart-to-heart in the hospital. Johanna promises to get help. With the help of a garage sale and donations from the hospital co-workers, she is able to seek therapy. Lucy is able to attend FIT with the help of scholarships. The house is finally cleared and cleaned as Johanna is happily reunited with all of her kids. Cherry on top is she uses the red dishes to make souffles in a clean kitchen.
Was that so hard, Lifetime?? Why go for such a dark ending? Johanna needed to get help, not die. And for Lucy to be so concerned with humiliation she sets her own home and mother's body on fire? What the WHAT??
Another Lifetime movie with wasted potential.
Horrid Ending - Expected Better
pamelajo-1190829 May 2023
It was an okay movie up to the point of Melissa Joan Hart's character being vilified, then left for dead. OCD Hoarding is a disease, not a death sentence. Would have appreciated a more compassionate portrayal of the compulsive hoarder than it was given. Hart overacted in her role, that perhaps she really didn't identify with in the first place.
It was an awful ending. For someone afflicted or affected by hoarding watching the film it is a wound to the heart to see how her family and those around her portrayed the character ie., as someone unworthy of being loved or treated with dignity rather than a piece of trash.
It was an awful ending. For someone afflicted or affected by hoarding watching the film it is a wound to the heart to see how her family and those around her portrayed the character ie., as someone unworthy of being loved or treated with dignity rather than a piece of trash.
The Little Pack Rat
lavatch28 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Johanna is a caring nurse whose devotion to her patients is unsurpassed. But on the home front, she is a Jekyll and Hyde. Possibly suffering from OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), Johanna recognizes on some level that she is a "crazy hoarder."
Her home is so packed with debris from the past that her daughter Lucy must shower at school and never invite friends home. The kind high school guidance counselor recognizes that something is amiss as Lucy seems burdened in a way that suggests abuse. At some point, the counselor came close to phoning child protection services. The viewer was desperately hoping she would place the call.
The film was successful in developing the impact of a family secret. Lucy's husband walked out on the family. Likewise, the two older siblings of Lucy left her as the caretaker for their disturbed mother. Johanna herself refuses to let a decent man Drew into her life as she herself is overwhelmed by her secret.
The climactic scene seemed to defy the internal logic of the film. Lucy was on cusp of adulthood and seemed prepared to develop an autonomy that would allow her to attend college away from home. It seemed out of character for her not to attend to her stricken mom. It was as if the filmmakers wanted a powerful dramatic symbol to represent the end of this family dysfunction, and so they chose the fire. Unfortunately, it didn't work and left viewers with an overwhelming sadness for young Lucy.
Despite its flaws, the film conveyed powerfully the impact of family secrets and the unbelievable toll they may exact on human lives.
Her home is so packed with debris from the past that her daughter Lucy must shower at school and never invite friends home. The kind high school guidance counselor recognizes that something is amiss as Lucy seems burdened in a way that suggests abuse. At some point, the counselor came close to phoning child protection services. The viewer was desperately hoping she would place the call.
The film was successful in developing the impact of a family secret. Lucy's husband walked out on the family. Likewise, the two older siblings of Lucy left her as the caretaker for their disturbed mother. Johanna herself refuses to let a decent man Drew into her life as she herself is overwhelmed by her secret.
The climactic scene seemed to defy the internal logic of the film. Lucy was on cusp of adulthood and seemed prepared to develop an autonomy that would allow her to attend college away from home. It seemed out of character for her not to attend to her stricken mom. It was as if the filmmakers wanted a powerful dramatic symbol to represent the end of this family dysfunction, and so they chose the fire. Unfortunately, it didn't work and left viewers with an overwhelming sadness for young Lucy.
Despite its flaws, the film conveyed powerfully the impact of family secrets and the unbelievable toll they may exact on human lives.
Were they trying to mimic What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
Samurai14063 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Now I've seen Lifetime movies imitate Single White Female, and now they're taking elements from What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Girl (Lucy) has a mother who can't stop hoarding, causing her to be distant from having a life of her own, and won't let anyone know about it. That sounds a lot like Gilbert Grape to me.
I hate to say it, but Lucy is pretty dumb to not call 911 out of fear of the secret becoming public. At least Lucy prevented her mother from being a joke to the world by setting their house on fire. I wonder where they got that from.
I love Melissa Joan Hart, but I think she can do better than this one.
I hate to say it, but Lucy is pretty dumb to not call 911 out of fear of the secret becoming public. At least Lucy prevented her mother from being a joke to the world by setting their house on fire. I wonder where they got that from.
I love Melissa Joan Hart, but I think she can do better than this one.
story lacks drama
SnoopyStyle25 February 2024
Shy high school student Lucy (Lizzie Boys) tries to keep to herself. She has one friend and never invites her home. There's a reason. Her highly-skilled nurse and functioning mother Joanna (Melissa Joan Hart) is actually a hoarder. She's always afraid of getting her mother in trouble.
It's Lifetime. It's Melissa Joan Hart. The story lacks drama. I've never considered a child's fear of children services although that would work better for a younger daughter. I don't know where the premise could go. For the drama, Lucy needs to be isolated. She shouldn't have a friend or even siblings. The story could unfold that she starts to open up and that's where the drama comes in. Lizzie looks like a prom queen and it doesn't fit. The last part could be dramatic but some of it seems laughable.
It's Lifetime. It's Melissa Joan Hart. The story lacks drama. I've never considered a child's fear of children services although that would work better for a younger daughter. I don't know where the premise could go. For the drama, Lucy needs to be isolated. She shouldn't have a friend or even siblings. The story could unfold that she starts to open up and that's where the drama comes in. Lizzie looks like a prom queen and it doesn't fit. The last part could be dramatic but some of it seems laughable.
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