MURDER-IN-LAW (2019)
BASIC PLOT:
Allison has just gotten a big promotion at work. Her family will be relocating to a new state, starting a new era of their lives. But, there's a problem. Clare is Allison's mother-in-law, and there's no way in hell she's going to let Allison take HER family anywhere.
WHAT WORKS:
*
Barbara Williams does a great job of portraying the over-the-top mother-in-law, Clare.
*The little jibes Clare gives Allison (
Kristen Dalton) are perfection. They are not only written well, but
Barbara Williams delivers them impeccably.
*They're are lots of little things that work here. The evil leprechaun statues that appear all over the house, are a great plot device. They are a visual clue that Clare is taking over Allison's house and life, and that her eyes are everywhere.
*Clare's manipulation of her husband's ex-police partner, Will (
Tony Denison), is great. He inadvertantly gives Clare the means to alienate Allison's best friend, Charlie (
Angie DeGrazia), further isolating Allison from any support.
Clare's twisted machinations are perfection. Clare has everyone wrapped around her manipulative finger, playing people like puppets, which is melodrama at it's finest.
*There are three types of movies on Lifetime. This is the second type, melodrama. According to dictionary. C o m, the definition of melodrama is "a dramatic form that does not observe the laws of cause and effect and that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or action at the expense of characterization."
In other words, this is a PERFECT MELODRAMA. The characters are not so well defined, but their motives are. If you watch this movie with that in mind, you'll like it a whole lot more. You're not supposed to take the over-the-top motives too seriously, it's pure silly entertainment. STOP LOOKING FOR EMMYS FROM LIFETIME MOVIES!
WHAT DOESN'T WORK:
*Even for a melodramatic movie like this one, it is a little unbelievable that the husband and daughter would be THIS STUPID! And even in the most dysfunctional families, I doubt the wife would put up with this much shortsightedness from her husband.
TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION:
*IF you can understand the art form that is melodrama, and you like that type of entertainment, you'll like this. If you are looking for lots of believable characters and motives in your TV movies, then give this a pass.
CLOSING NOTES:
*This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.
*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.
