Television network Lifetime is a gift that keeps on giving. Some of their original TV movies are more middling, sure, but whether romance or thriller, earnest piece or pure B-movie, many range from good to excellent. For better or worse, with rare exception, we know what to expect with almost any one film: predictability, kitsch, directness (e.g., the realtor JUST HAPPENS to be right there from the beginning), heavy-handedness, light and flavorful but unremarkable music that perfectly suits any given scene and mood, and so on. Of course we also need at least one very recognizable star, so in this case we get to see what Jeri Ryan can make of the network's offerings. 'Secrets in the walls' does diverge a little from the Lifetime formula, however, by introducing uncommonly seen elements of the supernatural, and even horror. Rest assured that this still predominantly carries itself as the drama, mystery, and thriller that we associate with Lifetime, but nonetheless this represents a slight variation. It's also one of the network's more sincere efforts, which are always a bigger risk, yet even if it's not a total must-see, I'm glad to say that this is surely one of the better iterations. Just as much to the point, this rather makes great use of its unlikely flavors, and in my opinion the result is much stronger than what one might generally assume.
True, there's nothing here we haven't seen before. The picture is fairly upfront about the goings-on, and even if it weren't, so innumerable has been the studio fare to tell similar tales that the "mystery" is rather nominal. Moreover, while the flick dabbles in a horror space, there's not necessarily anything about it that's abjectly grabbing in the way we anticipate of the genre; this is a horror-drama more than a horror-thriller. No matter how cynical and critical one might tend to be, however, I don't think there's much arguing that 'Secrets in the walls' is all-around solid. The cast give honest, meaningful performances - not anything groundbreaking, by any means, but illustrating welcome range, nuance, and emotional depth. Ryan is a reliable actor and proves it again here; young Kay Panabaker very much holds her own, and Peyton Roi List plays her part well; Ian Kahn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste are swell in their supporting parts. The production design and art direction are superb, as are the costume design, hair, and makeup. Though Jeff Cardoni's score doesn't strike a major chord in and of itself it really is suitable, and ably lends to the atmosphere that is successfully conjured through William Penick and Christopher D. Sey's screenplay, and Christopher Leitch's direction. I'll even go so far as to say that at some points the feature is sufficiently creepy as to send a slight chill down one's spine. If that doesn't make this a success, then what does?
There is more than enough kinship with Lifetime's usual TV movies such that anyone who isn't receptive to the style may have a harder time with this; the construction here is also light enough, softening the horror vibes, that genre purists may not be satisfied. If one is open to all that cinema has to offer, however, then I think there's actually a lot to like in these ninety minutes. It's familiar, but fun, and finely made in every fashion. It's a somewhat gentler variant of supernatural horror that we've gotten before, yet I don't think there are any abject flaws here, and nothing about it inherently discounts the possibility of enjoying it. I, for one, am pleased with how good this is. 'Secrets in the walls' doesn't demand viewership by any means, but if you're a fan of someone involved, otherwise have a specific impetus to watch, or are just looking for something good but comparatively uninvolved, in my book it earns a firm recommendation. Not every picture needs to be a revelation, and this is quite splendid just as it is.
