Under the Bed (2017 TV Movie) User Reviews

Unwittingly funny

[mgconlan-1 · 3/10 · 8 January 2017]

Last night I ended up watching two Lifetime TV-movies, including the "world premiere" of something called "Under the Bed," which turned out to be exactly that: Callie Monroe (Hallie New), a globe-trotting newscaster whose proudest achievement is having scaled Mount Kilimanjaro (she begins to sound like the Julia Roberts character in Eat, Pray, Love), has just broken up with fiancé Brad Volger (Ryan O'Nan) even though she'd already bought the wedding dress and sent out invitations to the ceremony. What she doesn't know — though we do — is that somehow she has attracted a stalker (Pat Healy) who, not content to follow her around throughout her life routine, has managed to ensconce himself inside her home and is literally living under her bed, occasionally emerging when she's not at home to take a mysterious bite out of an apple in her fruit bowl or drink some of her smoothie, which seems to be his only way of sustaining himself since he's never shown actually leaving except, on occasion, to follow her around. He's also filming her entire life on his smartphone, and writer/director Daniel Myrick (whose most famous previous credit is "The Blair Witch Project," another story involving eavesdropping and amateur video) spends virtually the entire movie cutting between normally filmed footage involving her regular life and Jerkicam footage supposedly representing the video her stalker is taking of her. While all this is going on Callie is working on a freelance news article about a prominent politician who's having an affair, and she's also dealing with the aftermath of her breakup with Brad by chatting online with a mystery admirer (whose avatar is an owl) who is, of course, her stalker. She also goes ahead with a birthday party she had planned while she and Brad were still "an item." The basic problem with this movie is that, even though the credits claim it was "Inspired by a True Story," the whole idea of two people interacting in a confined space with one of them being unaware that the other is there is a more suitable premise for comedy than drama. Indeed, at one point I was laughing my head off at a sequence Myrick clearly intended as heart-stopping horror! "Under the Bed" isn't even one of those Lifetime movies that overcomes a fundamentally silly premise; the fundamentally silly premise is so risible (even if it was "inspired" by something that really happened!) that for all Myrick's clear skill at shocking the audience (albeit hampered by his film being shown on a commercial cable channel and his mood-building constantly being interrupted by the commercials — maybe this film would play more like what Myrick clearly intended on a big screen with no breaks), it's hard to keep yourself from laughing during its running time!

This movie was the worst, most pointless and unreasonable all my life.

[sababag · 1/10 · 31 March 2017]

I watched it full length, a total waist of my time. It left me very angry especially because the senselessness of its story line. I could not understand the logic/strategy of the writer/director especially in selecting the ending. Did he think at all about what the person watching the movie will take with him after the "END" rolls on? In this case only anger was left accompanied by a feeling of being robbed of my precious time.

It's not funny

[ivegonemod · 29 January 2017]

I don't know how anyone would consider this to be a funny movie, unless something is wrong with them. What goes on in this movie is truly terrifying, and is inspired by a true story that I know of.

The premise of the movie actually happened, and it certainly is nothing to laugh about.

People are unknowingly spied on by intruders more often than you might think, and anyone who feels that she had it coming because she didn't realize anything, also has something wrong with them.

All it takes is the wrong person to gain access to the keys to your home. People give their keys to strangers on a regular basis when they need car repairs or valet parking, and if you rent a house or apartment, the owner already has them.

There is animal abuse in the film, so I think some people need to be warned about that.

This movie is a horror movie in a different sense, but definitely scary.

Unpleasant Beyond Belief

[lavatch · 1/10 · 28 February 2020]

While "Under the Bed" may have been based on a true story, the credibility of the home invasion of a female journalist was stretched to the breaking point. Above all, the film was downright unpleasant to watch.

Part of the problem of the film was the style. The filmmaker adopted a cinéma vérité approach with a handheld camera that was so jittery that it nearly induced nausea. It was never made believable that Callie would not have sensed right away that an intruder was in her home.

There were too many items out of place and too many telltale signs, such as a big bite out of an apple and the drinking of Callie's breakfast smoothie. With Callie in the same room with the smelly psychopath, she would have been alerted to his presence through the senses, his disgusting smell, his breathing, and other movements while he was under her bed.

Despite the able performances of the cast, "Under the Bed" did not work as either docudrama or thriller. It was a horror story from start to finish and a film that merits liberal use of the fast forward button for the discriminating viewer.

They lost me at so many things..

[srhona-23974 · 1/10 · 4 December 2021]

Who texts with someone they do not know? An apple with a bite in it..so many others, but, the dog? Come on. I'm disgusted. You want more characters? This movie sucks.................................................................

Who wrote this?????

[zack_gideon · 1/10 · 1 November 2019]

Utter trash. The first half is good. The last half a joke. Come on. The lead actress is good. Only thing worth watching. Also her best friend is a good too. But the writing and the utter disdain for audience in terms of conceivability makes this 1/10.

Better than average for a LMFC

[bt698nhj · 6/10 · 7 May 2018]

Actual prodiction values and good cinematography set this apart from most Lifetime Movies for Chicks.

"Unwittingly Funny"?

[bufferoverflowmyself · 8/10 · 13 May 2017]

Yeah. So the review everyone thinks is so helpful with this ^ title in quotes maybe is insane or tends to laugh out of nervousness they are in denial of.

Sorry about that. I dislike people that disdain or try to assert their snobby attitudes about movies.

Its on Lifetime, dude. If you judge that harshly, go watch a Sundance movie and read something analyzing the symbolic meanings within the way people look at each other in the Sundance movie and write about that - and not giving some five page review on the Lifetime movie that was not a bad movie.

I watch at least one scary (not gory - scary) movie per week. Last best one I watched was The Wailing.

Under the bed, this was an intriguing spin. I usually get bored when watching mainstream movies, even with them still being great movies. If you have the issue of getting bored easily, watch this one. Its not boring.

Or watch it just to see how it is filmed - even if you think this is funny and not scary *smirks evilly* - you will get something out of it anyway.

TRUTH always is bigger than movies, go google Fredenberg-Onion's case

[KikyNez · 7/10 · 14 November 2018]

I was reading about Michelle Fredenburg-Onion´s case, it was a pseudo coworker was stalking her and hiding under her bed until her boyfriend caught stalker Carlo Castellanos-Feria; and I found out there was this movie.

So, I took my time and finally could watch it.

Actually, I found out Fredenbur-Onion's case more terifying and disturbing, although this film is not that bad.

I couldn't connect with actors, and some times "liberties for dramatic purposes" made the scene's atmosphere got lost.

Anyways. Not that bad, not that good. Just so so. It could be better, with a better writing work.

The worst: pacing and some plot issues, and ocassionally some acting. And the dog, why????

The best: lead actress did it pretty good, she did transmitted some desperation through the end (but it didn't feel empowering in the 'last fight')

7/10 So, I'll give it 1 point up, because is a tv movie, and effort is recognized (otherwise it should be 6/10)

Watch at your own risk, but must watch to make a critic.

Dumb Bimbo

[geoffox-766-418467 · 27 January 2017]

This movie made me sick with such a stupid female who has a stalker in her house living under her bed and she hasn't a clue. Goes around in a state of stupor and is boring as hell. A sweet dog disappears and this is when I began to hate this movie. Using sweet animals to make a point in killing them. I wanted to turn the silly movie off but stayed tuned to see if the bimbo has any common sense at all.

I was not crazy about the bimbo or her story. I cannot believe she never heard anything and goes around like nothing is happening. Doesn't try to find her dog. Too self involved that I don't blame anyone wanting nothing to do with her. Meanwhile she keeps texting an unknown person. I mean how stupid can you get? As I said, once the dog is killed I tuned her out and did not care what happened to her. Most of the time the bimbo is in the shower, running or texting. Sorry a waste of my time.

Gets better towards the end

[phd_travel · 7/10 · 7 August 2017]

Supposedly based on a true story - this stalker movie has the stalker staying in a woman's house. At first it's quite creepy with the stalker who copied her key while she was valeting the car. Remember to keep your house key separate! He sets up in her house and films stuff and sleeps under her bed. The parts where the POV is the stalker's is a bit headache inducing. Black and white to differentiate is OK but the jerky movements were too much. It's a bit repetitive but then things get better and it's quite scary for Lifetime with a pretty high body count. If you stay around it's kind of worth a watch.

Beverly d'Ángelo looks better again and plays mom. Hannah New a British actress is the lead and reminds of Kiera Knightley.

Not the best movie

[cherylwheeler-94133 · 26 August 2018]

This movie would've been a lot better if she would've closed her doors and not made it obvious in and pick the room the stalker was in. Why did he kill the dog? The dog would've gotten used to him

I hated this movie

[CranberriAppl · 12 April 2023]

How did this creep manage to live there, mess stuff up, leave uneaten food, and she never once thinks something is going on? She didn't smell anything? If my house creaks in the middle of the night, I'm investigating. How did he kill SPOILER undetected? How did he kill SPOILER undetected? Both a dog and a man died because she doesn't have any self-preservation skills. She spent so much time at home yet was so oblivious to her own surroundings. By the climax, we see just how much this creep has done to cut her off from everything, and yet she notices nothing until it's too late.

I ended up FF through to the climax because how many times can the same scene occur? We knew he was there, we knew she wasn't getting suspicious or paranoid. It just dragged on. This movie's body count was ridiculous and the ending was irritating as well. He was stabbed in the leg. Ok fine, even if he had limped away, his freaking dna was all over her house. He murdered three people. Hello???? He had cameras in her house. The police didn't view the footage? Get out of here. I would say a movie like The Net is a better commentary on living a life on the internet (or even social media even though it hadn't exploded at that time). How was he not in jail? Movies will silly endings irk me.

I don't recommend this movie.

Apparently my review is still too short, so I'm going to type until the red message disappears. Nope, still here. OK finally.