The movie is too plain with a lot of coincidence.There is no suspense at all. It wasn't anything close to what I expected. I expected a lot of drama and a big secret to be revealed. Michael's wife should have done more than just suspecting something fishy. Michael should not have confronted the girl's aunt. I mean, he is a suspect;WHO DOES THAT! The boy who witnessed everything should have played a major role. Maybe the girl's aunt would have persuaded him to testify in court and then Michael would have compromised him to lie. Jane shouldn't have stayed at the lakeside all night as if the killer was going to come back. When she went to Michael's cabin, Michael shouldn't have come prepared to kill her. Instead, he should have come with another chic hold both hostage but then his wife happens to follow him and saves the two.
11 Reviews
Not the best!!!
naztinker11 November 2018
Too straightforward
phd_travel5 February 2019
Truly awful
marishkavonsaatz3 June 2017
Awful, self-conscious, wooden acting and script reminiscent of a first term drama school improv. Editing seems to have been done with a knife and fork by a ten year old. The premise is good, with one woman attempting to exonerate her brother and solve the murder of her niece in the face of small town prejudice and slow witted, disinterested police force, but the screenplay is littered with plot holes and illogical procedural cock-ups so the whole thing, which could have been interesting and compelling, is instead simply embarrassing.
Stupid!
haroot_azarian8 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
After watching the movie again and reading some of the reviews, I decided to change my contribution. As one contributor said, the movie was full of plot-holes and sloppy mistakes (paraphrasing).
1 - In any murder investigation one of the places the police search would obviously be the victim's home or in this case bedroom. Obviously they did not because it was Jamie who found the thousand dollars in an envelope in Zoe's room.
2 - When the sheriff threw the first accusation that Pace, Zoe's father, might be the murderer, Jamie failed to mention that he was at her house at the time of the murder. I am sure the body was not in the water that long for time of death not to have been determined.
3 - Law enforcement are not allowed to interview minors without parents or close family member present. But we see in the flashback, the sheriff grilling Zoe and putting words in her mouth, as her dad Pace is watching on from the back seat of a cruiser.
4 - The sheriff and his sidekick deputy were too busy speculating and assuming instead of interviewing everyone involved in Zoe's life, i.e. Her best friend Natalie so on and so forth.
5 - In the end after the case is solved, thanks to Jamie alone, the sheriff staring thoughtfully at the lake tells his deputy: I've been the sheriff in this town some 30-odd years and these are the only two homicides. Yeah, right and look how they got solved?
I like Sarah Lind and Jessica Morris, and it's a pity they were cast in such a disaster of a thriller movie! But I still stand by my original comment, turns out mother and daughter were sl-ts. Poor Pace and Jamie.
1 - In any murder investigation one of the places the police search would obviously be the victim's home or in this case bedroom. Obviously they did not because it was Jamie who found the thousand dollars in an envelope in Zoe's room.
2 - When the sheriff threw the first accusation that Pace, Zoe's father, might be the murderer, Jamie failed to mention that he was at her house at the time of the murder. I am sure the body was not in the water that long for time of death not to have been determined.
3 - Law enforcement are not allowed to interview minors without parents or close family member present. But we see in the flashback, the sheriff grilling Zoe and putting words in her mouth, as her dad Pace is watching on from the back seat of a cruiser.
4 - The sheriff and his sidekick deputy were too busy speculating and assuming instead of interviewing everyone involved in Zoe's life, i.e. Her best friend Natalie so on and so forth.
5 - In the end after the case is solved, thanks to Jamie alone, the sheriff staring thoughtfully at the lake tells his deputy: I've been the sheriff in this town some 30-odd years and these are the only two homicides. Yeah, right and look how they got solved?
I like Sarah Lind and Jessica Morris, and it's a pity they were cast in such a disaster of a thriller movie! But I still stand by my original comment, turns out mother and daughter were sl-ts. Poor Pace and Jamie.
Small Town Blues
lavatch27 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
In the majestic Sierra Nevadas, the picturesque town of Mammoth Lakes beckons tourists and nature lovers. In "Hidden Truth," the physical beauty of the region is contrasted with the sordid realities of the town where sinister forces lurk beneath the pleasant surface.
Young Zoe Niven is a bratty and ungrateful teenager, who takes for granted her kind Aunt Jamie, her guardian after the murder of Zoe's mother Layla. Her father, Pace Niven, is an auto mechanic and a former alcoholic, who was incapable of raising Zoe after Layla's death. Pace himself was the number one suspect in the case that went unsolved. The community still has its suspicions spinning around Pace.
Prior to her seventeenth birthday, Zoe confides in her friend Natalie that she has a "sponsor" and that she has nearly earned enough money to flee the town that she despises. When Zoe fails to show for the birthday party that Aunt Jamie had planned, the first thought is that Zoe has run away.
But, tragically, she has been murdered by her sugar daddy, Michael Evans, the proprietor of the local lodge and an investor in property. When Michael became abusive, Zoe threatened to blow the whistle on him to his wife Veronique, her aunt, the police, and anyone else in Mammoth Lakes who would listen. Instead, Zoe winds up at the bottom of the lake, just like her mother who was also killed by Michael.
The film was well-acted, especially the performer playing Aunt Jamie. The only problem with this well-crafted movie was that it was totally depressing!!! One of the interesting secondary roles was Veronique, Michael's long-suffering wife. Her character could have been fleshed out more completely because surely she suspected her husband was knee-deep in pathological behavior.
Even in the denouement, there was nothing to celebrate in the somber meeting of Jamie and Pace. The brother and sister can only reflect on the tremendous loss of their family members and the perpetual state of affairs in Mammoth Lakes that is constantly plagued by a case of the small town blues.
Young Zoe Niven is a bratty and ungrateful teenager, who takes for granted her kind Aunt Jamie, her guardian after the murder of Zoe's mother Layla. Her father, Pace Niven, is an auto mechanic and a former alcoholic, who was incapable of raising Zoe after Layla's death. Pace himself was the number one suspect in the case that went unsolved. The community still has its suspicions spinning around Pace.
Prior to her seventeenth birthday, Zoe confides in her friend Natalie that she has a "sponsor" and that she has nearly earned enough money to flee the town that she despises. When Zoe fails to show for the birthday party that Aunt Jamie had planned, the first thought is that Zoe has run away.
But, tragically, she has been murdered by her sugar daddy, Michael Evans, the proprietor of the local lodge and an investor in property. When Michael became abusive, Zoe threatened to blow the whistle on him to his wife Veronique, her aunt, the police, and anyone else in Mammoth Lakes who would listen. Instead, Zoe winds up at the bottom of the lake, just like her mother who was also killed by Michael.
The film was well-acted, especially the performer playing Aunt Jamie. The only problem with this well-crafted movie was that it was totally depressing!!! One of the interesting secondary roles was Veronique, Michael's long-suffering wife. Her character could have been fleshed out more completely because surely she suspected her husband was knee-deep in pathological behavior.
Even in the denouement, there was nothing to celebrate in the somber meeting of Jamie and Pace. The brother and sister can only reflect on the tremendous loss of their family members and the perpetual state of affairs in Mammoth Lakes that is constantly plagued by a case of the small town blues.
so bad
blanche-27 October 2023
These film are pathetic.
Most of the film had no dialogue. Probably took five minutes to write and make.
I only watched it because in the photo of it, Christian looked like Ryan Reynolds whom I love. Well it wasn't him.
A woman works to have her brother's name cleared after he is accused of the murder of her niece. She is up against prejudice and what else is new dumb policemen.
It just seems to me that no one did any work on this script or on the film's editing, which is a total mess. There are so many plot holds, it's ridiculous.
Typical Lifetime Channel garbage, so this all shouldn't be much of a surprise.
Most of the film had no dialogue. Probably took five minutes to write and make.
I only watched it because in the photo of it, Christian looked like Ryan Reynolds whom I love. Well it wasn't him.
A woman works to have her brother's name cleared after he is accused of the murder of her niece. She is up against prejudice and what else is new dumb policemen.
It just seems to me that no one did any work on this script or on the film's editing, which is a total mess. There are so many plot holds, it's ridiculous.
Typical Lifetime Channel garbage, so this all shouldn't be much of a surprise.
Waste of time
nballos7 August 2018
****
edwagreen16 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Jessica Fletcher, of Murder, She Wrote fame: Move over as we have another wonderful sleuth in an equally wonderful film.
Both her sister-in-law and niece are murdered separately. The town sheriff suspects the husband, a recovering alcoholic but his sister is determined to prove otherwise in this engrossing 2016 film.
The film proves that when the law thinks a certain way, it is very difficult to get them to change their minds, especially when a supposed excellent citizen of the town is suspected by the sister-in-law and aunt of the victims.
She goes through plenty to prove her point.
The film also shows that once society has allowed a stigma to exist regarding a recovering alcoholic, his credibility often goes awry.
Both her sister-in-law and niece are murdered separately. The town sheriff suspects the husband, a recovering alcoholic but his sister is determined to prove otherwise in this engrossing 2016 film.
The film proves that when the law thinks a certain way, it is very difficult to get them to change their minds, especially when a supposed excellent citizen of the town is suspected by the sister-in-law and aunt of the victims.
She goes through plenty to prove her point.
The film also shows that once society has allowed a stigma to exist regarding a recovering alcoholic, his credibility often goes awry.
Maddeningly Ridiculous
dreoschdavid2 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The girl on video is seen getting into the murderer's car by the aunt playing detective. But she DIDN'T EVEN MENTION THIS TO THE SHERRIFF. Then she finds an eye witness 15 year old who tells her crucial evidence and she DOES NOT EVEN TRY TO TELL THE SHERRIFF. It makes you want to tear your hair out several times and FFWD to the end to see the ending so you can stop wasting your time. Could easily have been an average thriller. Poor acting often. Just bad waste of time. AVOID this one!
Yuk!
suzannefmeyer29 May 2022
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