The Surrogacy Trap (2013 TV Movie) User Reviews

Womb for Rent

[wes-connors · 5/10 · 23 June 2014]

At work, attractively pregnant brunette designer Mia Kirshner (as Christy) appears to go into labor. Unfortunately, it turns out to be another miscarriage – and Ms. Kirchner is now unable to bear children. One year later, she and scruffily sexy husband David Julian Hirsh (as Mitch Bennet) are sitting in a small bathtub, celebrating their happy marriage. They still want a baby of their own, though. Obviously wealthy, the couple sees a professional woman who arranges surrogate mothers. They are matched up with pretty blonde Rachel Blanchard (as Mallory Parkes), who seems too good to be true. She agrees to be implanted and carry the Bennet baby for $35,000 a month, plus expenses. For that kind of money, you'd think the agency would provide some strict boundaries and helpful guidelines for the happy trio...

Think again...

Many "Lifetime" TV stalker movies have characters and situations which make no sense, so "The Surrogacy Trap" could be considered average. One suggestion for this one would be to have the couple portrayed as financially strapped, and go to a shady dealer in surrogacy. Then, we could dispense with extras like their huge mansion and late-hired nanny. The prior infidelity is good, but should have been brought into the plot earlier. Beautifully blonde Blanchard is the most entertaining part of the story – we get to see her act as girlish innocent, hormone-crazed sexpot, and scraggily-haired loon. Best played scene may be when she hammers a water pipe to get herself all wet, then calls Mr. Hirsh to come over and help – hoping to seduce him. How Hirsh handles the situation is truly inspired.

***** The Surrogacy Trap (1/1/13) Adrian Wills ~ Rachel Blanchard, Mia Kirshner, David Julian Hirsh, Emma Campbell

So predictable but enjoyed watching

[lovejoiie89 · 5/10 · 19 May 2016]

If u saw Beyoncé obsessed movie than u should know that this movie has a few similarities. The only difference is there's an obsessed and delusional surrogate who wants and craves for a family instead of a temp assistant.

That's all I will say.

There is always a chance for couples to have a child, even if they can't conceive it on their own. Surrogacy is one of the alternate ways for them to fulfil their long-awaited dream. But what if the surrogate mother at the end of the term disagrees to give away the child she carried all nine months. I knew how the plot would turn out the moment the two main characters got info on the surrogate.

Enjoyable if predictable

[MattyGibbs · 7/10 · 10 August 2014]

The Surrogacy Trap is a predictable tale of a couple who go down the surrogacy route in order to get the family they want. Their choice doesn't go as well as they had hoped.

It's all a bit far fetched and you know exactly what is going to happen right down to the clichéd ending. However thanks to really good performances from the three leads it actually manages to overcome these obstacles and still manage to be entertaining from start to finish.

You shouldn't expect too much from this film but if you're in the mood for an easy watch on a rainy afternoon you could do far worse than this. One of the better TV movies.

Great movie with an unnecessary plot twist

[missraze · 4/10 · 1 May 2021]

This would've worked just fine if the surrogate was genuine from the start but eventually wanted the baby and the sperm donor husband.

I also hated the wife/mom/egg planter? She was an itch, and I don't blame Mallory for hating her lol. This movie also made me hate rich people. Why were they not scarred at all and right after the police detained the kidnapping surrogate at the hospital the day of delivery, WHY did she STILL hire a stranger to be the nanny. Why do people hire nannies? She wasn't constantly out of town. You care so much about having a baby but don't want to take care of it? Lol excuse me? Also, why was there no security system, cameras, locks on the windows, curtains, or why were these things not updated? Also. The cop was very realistic and told them advice that any adult should know lol and the wife had the nerve to say, "you expect us to stay here and do nothing until something happens?" That's exactly what you WERE doing and why the nanny ended up getting invaded. Also, why didn't they move. Surely a nice home is easy to come by, with these people. Just sell and move elsewhere. Until then, invest in curtains? I started off with 10/10 stars but for every few illogical act of negligence I had took a star off.

The Mallory actress was phenomenal. At first I thought I wouldn't be able to tolerate the chipper blonde act but playing a psycho is her forte I guess. She did a good job because she shows the instability and stupidity of baby fraudsters and nappers who keep the child. Her story makes me sad. She wants to be a mom. Tbh I would just let her have the baby lol I would just move on and pay another surrogate. If it was her actual biological, delivered child I could see the issue. I didn't empathize with them this entire movie because of their presumptuous neglect and callous scheming but I do see, (only due to Mallory's character and portrayal rather than the couple's), that Mallory is crazy and finally she became annoying not her actress. But the final showdown between Mallory and the wife was satisfying. However my only issue with Lifetime movies is that they never show flaw or fault or accountability with the rich victims in these movies. They are victimized the entire time and we "must" root for them, take their side, and the backstory of the protagonist is mere written off melodrama. Which is unfair. However these movies are also Christian, which I love but which explain why the bad guy gets no say or sympathy.

However one scene that bothers me is acting out the chloroform attack in front of the baby actor. They should have put a stunt double baby doll and soundbite crying noises. Like usual with babies and regular people in action scenes. Wouldn't be surprised if the baby actor grows up and becomes a violent Ted Bundy type due to this early childhood trauma of seeing inexplicable violence that won't make sense until he's older when it's too late.

What unbelievable hogwash

[claireglcohen · 2/10 · 24 January 2014]

OK I'll admit right now that I missed the beginning and am writing this review while the end bit is still going on in the lounge.... But I just couldn't keep watching this hogwash.

It is too unbelievable to me that a couple would choose a surrogate without going through a proper agency and/ or making sure that the woman who is going to carry the child goes through some major background and psychological checks first. There is no way this fruitcake would have passes any half decent check. I mean, didn't they ask about what support structure she had? How she was going to cope with the rigours of pregnancy. Etc etc etc.

Then you have the sudden "labour' that is just braxton hicks. It does NOT send you doubled over in pain all of a sudden.

But the thing that made me leave the room....as a mom who gave birth myself 5 months ago... Is a 7 month pregnant woman declaring at the breakfast table that she had a really great nights sleep!!!!

Huh!!! I haven't had a good night sleep since like....sigh...somewhere around month 3. Once the frequent loo trips that come with early pregnancy passed and before my little one started trying to kick me to death from the inside. Yeah, I may have gotten a night or two around then.

Another surrogacy horror story

[jenn_alcala · 2/10 · 22 July 2019]

This is a gross misrepresentation of surrogacy as are all other surrogacy based movies I have seen. There was nothing that showed the actual process of surrogacy and what it's actually like for the surrogate or the intended parents. Such a disappointment.

creating the perfect family my a$$

[seattleinsider · 3/10 · 4 March 2013]

this is a joke right . I think the evil person in this movie is the rich pompous women who pays 35k to the surrogate mother like shes a high class escort. She makes the comment "I'm gonna be a mother with out the baby bump" just prior to her and her husband about to get busy.Later referring to her as a "total stranger carrying our baby". Then does everything in her path to butt her out of her life like shes a used bathroom tissue. I agree the whole surrogate / new mother relationship is odd and am glad there's a film involving this sensitive topic; however, after watching this condescending rich snob act like this towards someone shes paying to "have her baby" just makes me resent "Christie" the women who cannot be pregnant. The Guy is a d-bag but so is every male on lifetime movies. I know "Mallorie" the Surrogate mother is crazy but I don't resent towards her or see her as the Villain. The pompous women who thinks she can buy her baby and make her life better. It was a okay movie worth watching 3/10

Enjoyable and underrated.

[jenpaul-52235 · 8/10 · 25 May 2019]

Very enjoyable watch, not many films offer this premise and I personally think it was delivered well and delved into the characters emotions. Not your typical lifetime movie.

Peeves me off when people are writing reviews to down vote a movie they have caught 15 mins of, 15 mins in the wrong part of avengers could be considered crap too- watch from start to finish and then review.

fake

[awp-sht · 1/10 · 29 April 2013]

i saw the last 15min of this movie and i found it to be really awful. the way they negotiated to meet up in the motel. the police would have not left the lady at home by herself crying. also they would have been more sneaky when entering the motel complex.

when it goes back to the house the baby monitor is crying, which means the lady snuck into the house upstairs, put the baby their, went back down stairs, and turned on the monitor, i found that really cheesy. the fighting scene was also really weak, the ladies of course not knowing how to fight, but still, they both lost dominant position multiple times, and the dark hair lady came back with a double fist to the back knocking the lady down with the knife, very fake. it ended with the lady being thrown off the balcony which is totally typical. how did she get that much strength to do that, when she couldn't even maintain mount position during their scuffle? rated 1/10

Really??

[midovich · 1/10 · 18 March 2022]

Are those people who stolen the child from his mother just after few seconds from the birth, without even give her a chance to hug him and don't care about the mother's tears are the good guys and she is the bad one ? Really???

Great movie, crazy surrogate

[carmenrushka · 5/10 · 5 September 2019]

Makes me scared to ever try a surrogate.

Enjoyed the movie just found it odd that I can't find a filming location for this movie till the actual end of credits.... But nice to see "Kristy" in something other then "The L Word" (which she was amazing in though)

RUN, DO NOT WALK....

[Hclambake · 1/10 · 4 September 2019]

WORST MOVIE EVER. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID. THE END.

Why didn't she just leave?!

[audio_until · 2/10 · 10 November 2019]

Saw this movie tonight on CTV. What irks me is that in the fight scene near the end - after Mallory stomps on the cellphone, the other lady has 2 chances to just leave - to run out the door of the house and get away knowing Mallory would not hurt the child she believes is hers anyway - but (and this is stupid and reckless in my opinion) instead she pulls on Mallory first, and secondly she jumps on her and repeatedly hits or slaps her. Makes no sense at all and imo not very realistic as I believe in real life a person encountering someone like this would just want to get away from them when given the opportunity which Mallory's rival had.

Is Lifetime advancing s step or two?

[alannasser · 8/10 · 4 January 2013]

Something remarkable may be afoot at Lifetime: movies that are not aggressively chintzy. Recently the network aired Dark Desire, released by The Asylum -notable in itself- , and very much unlike the typical Lifetime dreck. This was well acted, nicely directed by a director with a few above average pictures to his credit, and written in a way that kept up the pace and sustained the tension. The Surrogacy Trap is at least as good, with an acting and directorial style unlike what we've come to expect from Lifetime. The female lead does not have a smiley, wholesome friend with whom she shares cute, warm, folksy quips. The forced upbeat, uplifting character interactions are entirely absent. The patented ending remains though - it is a Lifetime movie after all. But this does not detract from the quick pace, engrossing story, snappy pace and actors quite unlike the usual Lifetime mediocrities. The performances are quite nice and sometimes actually interestingly subtle. (The male lead happens to be a dead ringer for SNL's Seth Meyers.) No Douglas Jackson directing this one. This is not the same old Lifetime movie you've seen a million times.

Let's hope something is changing at Lifetime.

A Relentless Biological Time Clock

[lavatch · 5/10 · 18 September 2022]

Christy and Mitch Bennett are thrilled when they apparently find the perfect surrogate to incubate their child. Mallory Parkes comes highly recommended from the agency. Unfortunately, the agency did not spend much time in conducting a background check.

It becomes apparent early in the film that Mallory has no intention of giving up "her" baby. Moreover, she has Mitch in her sights as her future husband once Christy has been removed from the picture. Mallory already has a name picked out for the baby: Greg. But Christy and Mitch are partial to William. The race is on as to who will control the naming rights and indeed possession of the new baby.

"The Surrogacy Trap" was not only predictable, but it required too much padding to sustain ninety minutes of action. Mallory suffered an obligatory case of Braxton Hicks, resulting in an invitation to stay in the home of Christy and Mitch. With Mallory in residence, there were unlimited possibilities for mischief on the part of the obsessive Mallory that placed Christy in grave danger.

It seemed implausible that Mitch would be in the delivery room, holding Mallory's arm and coaxing her to push, push, push. Of course, Mallory loved every moment of it. But for reasons of propriety, Mitch should have remained in the waiting room. Another unlikely moment was in the denouement when Christy appeared a year later with a baby bump. The idea of the surrogate stemmed from the specialist's diagnosis that Christy could not be a mother. Is she looking forward to a fourth miscarriage? At the very least, the inexplicably expectant mom merited an explanation for her condition.

While the performances were good, the filmmakers did not get much mileage out of this unseemly domestic drama. Mallory was holding the couple hostage while carrying the baby. And even after delivering the goods for a hefty fee of $35,000, Mallory was relentless in her attempt to remain faithful to her relentless biological time clock. A perceptive reviewer on this site observed the implicit exploitation of a woman in the act of surrogacy, especially in the experience of separation of a mother from her child. Rest in peace, Mallory Parkes.

Topical and entertaining thriller

[phd_travel · 8/10 · 9 July 2014]

This lifetime thriller is above average - in fact one of the better ones for the non based on a true story movies. With the recent rise in surrogacy and gestational carriers among the famous the topic is quite current. As expected from the title, a couple use a seemingly perfect surrogate who turns out to want the kid for herself.

Rachel Blanchard who reminds of Sarah Paxton is pretty good as the surrogate. Mia Kirshner (why don't we see more of her?) is the biological mom. The acting is good. There are elements of Hand that Rocks the Cradle here. But things are kept fairly realistic for this kind of movie and the plot is not far fetched - it makes it more exciting because it could happen that way.

Entertaining.

Stalker

[sevybrich · 10/10 · 3 April 2022]

The surrogate mother was so mentally ill, that was sad but her actions were so crazy. The suspension in the movie gets you wanting justice at the end. I loved it💘

Political statement

[rebeccagrex · 8/10 · 3 October 2021]

I really would like to think people have missed the point of this film. It brilliantly highlights the way the rich can rent the bodies of poor, vulnerable women, and also the absolute car crash that is the American healthcare system. Vulnerable mentally ill woman is taken advantage of by rich couple, then treated like a piece of garbage and a pariah for her emotional response to an extremely difficult experience once they've got what they wanted, and labelled as "crazy" and demonised rather than being given the help she clearly needs.

casting note

[speed_demon-17810 · 10/10 · 25 November 2020]

Its missing something in the casting, the baby is Penelope and Eleanor Belley

...And Baby Led to Lunacy-Surrogacy Trap ***1/2

[edwagreen · 9/10 · 9 May 2013]

Unable to have a child, a couple, where the husband once cheated, agrees to hire a surrogate to have the child. What they go through with this surrogate is unbelievable. Did anyone ever bother at the agency to check the records of this seemingly innocent, polite girl, who proceeds to turn our couple's life upside down, before ultimately turning violent?

Absolutely frightening that something such as this could take place, but in today's world anything is possible.

The acting is first rate, especially by the lady playing Mallory, the surrogate. Her descending into ultimate lunacy is amazing to watch on screen.