PSYCHO BROTHER-IN-LAW is two movies: One is a budding romance; The other is a typical Lifetime "psycho" movie. David and Eric are brothers, and although David is the younger of the two, he is also the more protective of the two. The opening scene shows us just how protective he is. When Eric is beset by a bully (Mike, played with plenty of menace by Jordan Morgan) on a baseball diamond, a bat-wielding David comes to his brother's defense and cold-cocks the ruffian from behind. He doesn't stop there though, proceeding to do a Negan-with-Lucille job on his head. (We eventually find out that he was charged with manslaughter.) Fast-forward twenty-three years, and Eric (Mike Duff) is married to Kay (Brittany Falardeau) and has a daughter, Laura (Megan Ashley Brown).
Right away, we realize that Eric is an absentee husband and father who works ridiculously long hours, and pays lip-service to his loved ones when he's not outright ignoring them. Kay and Laura fend for themselves most of the time, but there is a hole in their lives.
Re-enter David (Zach Gold). He shows up unexpectedly on their doorstep one day, and Kay is thrilled to see him. He seems to have done pretty well for himself as a crab fisherman in Alaska, and thought he would come visit them during his down time. He doesn't want to overstay his welcome, so after a few minutes, he makes to go to a motel. Kay invites him to stay with them, and after initially demurring, he accepts. When Eric comes home, he gives David a chilly reception and is miffed that Kay has asked him to stay. When they go out to dinner at a local bar/restaurant, Eric makes nice and has a beer with David as they prepare to sit down and have dinner as a family. When a drunk bully bumps into Eric and has words with him at the bar, David is not pleased. David looks to confront the offender, but Eric talks him down. It is the first in a series of red flags that tells us David has not changed a bit.
Things normalize as David settles into their home and he turns out to be a massive help to Kay, who has been overwhelmed with everything, including organizing a fundraiser at Laura's high school. He fixes their washing machine, tags along with Kay whilst she's running her errands, and even accompanies her to school to help with the fundraiser. They spend so much time together, in fact, that they begin to develop feelings for each other. These are the sweetest moments in the film, and I found myself wishing the movie would take a non-Lifetime twist and turn into a love triangle instead of the by-the-numbers Lifetime fare that was about to ensue.
Needless to say, Eric eventually goes off the rails, and the "psycho" part of the movie kicks into full gear. It's a shame, too, because this film could have survived on the suspense of an affair (which never develops). Had the story gone in this direction instead, I think it could have been a better film. Falardeau and Gold have plenty of chemistry, and the film could have been just as suspenseful had they acted on their feelings. Falardeau delivers a layered, textured and nuanced performance as Kay: She is the glue that holds the film together. Gold is good as good David, over-the-top as bad David. There is no bridge between his good self and his bad self, so the scene where he shows his rage by smashing a mirror seems forced. There is no slow, simmering build, so David comes across as a split personality instead of someone with anger issues.
The second half of the film is a bloody mess. It undermines the strong beginning, so I can only give this attempt a 4/10. An opportunity missed.
Re-enter David (Zach Gold). He shows up unexpectedly on their doorstep one day, and Kay is thrilled to see him. He seems to have done pretty well for himself as a crab fisherman in Alaska, and thought he would come visit them during his down time. He doesn't want to overstay his welcome, so after a few minutes, he makes to go to a motel. Kay invites him to stay with them, and after initially demurring, he accepts. When Eric comes home, he gives David a chilly reception and is miffed that Kay has asked him to stay. When they go out to dinner at a local bar/restaurant, Eric makes nice and has a beer with David as they prepare to sit down and have dinner as a family. When a drunk bully bumps into Eric and has words with him at the bar, David is not pleased. David looks to confront the offender, but Eric talks him down. It is the first in a series of red flags that tells us David has not changed a bit.
Things normalize as David settles into their home and he turns out to be a massive help to Kay, who has been overwhelmed with everything, including organizing a fundraiser at Laura's high school. He fixes their washing machine, tags along with Kay whilst she's running her errands, and even accompanies her to school to help with the fundraiser. They spend so much time together, in fact, that they begin to develop feelings for each other. These are the sweetest moments in the film, and I found myself wishing the movie would take a non-Lifetime twist and turn into a love triangle instead of the by-the-numbers Lifetime fare that was about to ensue.
Needless to say, Eric eventually goes off the rails, and the "psycho" part of the movie kicks into full gear. It's a shame, too, because this film could have survived on the suspense of an affair (which never develops). Had the story gone in this direction instead, I think it could have been a better film. Falardeau and Gold have plenty of chemistry, and the film could have been just as suspenseful had they acted on their feelings. Falardeau delivers a layered, textured and nuanced performance as Kay: She is the glue that holds the film together. Gold is good as good David, over-the-top as bad David. There is no bridge between his good self and his bad self, so the scene where he shows his rage by smashing a mirror seems forced. There is no slow, simmering build, so David comes across as a split personality instead of someone with anger issues.
The second half of the film is a bloody mess. It undermines the strong beginning, so I can only give this attempt a 4/10. An opportunity missed.
