Moment of Truth: Stalking Back (1993 TV Movie) User Reviews

The laws couldn't protect her

[MarieGabrielle · 7/10 · 28 April 2006]

Since this film was based on a true story it deserves mention. Laurisa was in fact stalked by an older man who worked as an umpire with the girl's softball team, in St. Petersburg, Fl.

Shanna Reed portrays the mother, frustrated by a system that does not protect her daughter. LuAnn Ponce is the daughter, Laurisa, who is stalked by an unbalanced, and dangerous man.

Tom Kurlander does an excellent job as the stalker; passive-aggressive; he follows the family, trails Laurisa and her friends, and makes her life a veritable nightmare. At that time. legally, the police could not do anything, until there was some sort of concrete threat. (If you remember the case of Rebecca Schaefer "My Sister Sam" and how she was murdered by Robert John Bardo you will see a similar case study).

The film concludes with legislation that was enacted in 1992, to protect victims from stalkers, before it is too late. It would be interesting to see a new film made, about more recent cases, and what laws protect the victims of this crime.

Déjà Vu

[borg1005-1 · 7/10 · 21 October 2018]

I was interested in this movie because back in the '80s, my kid sister ran into the same situation, although the age gap and period of stalking were smaller.

Bracing myself for another "men/police are thick as planks" theme seen so often in these movies, I was surprised at how well they portrayed the situations, being hampered, mostly, by the legal system.

As with this family, we quickly found out how useless it was to argue with the stalker and how little the police could do with a guy who wouldn't take "NO!" for an answer.

Unlike this family, ours, after giving the judicial system a few chances, took a different approach. Along with two of my Navy buddies, we finally cornered the creep and gave him three options: 1) Be introduced to time travel (knocked into next week) 2) Be given a new nickname, "Louie the Gimp" (baseball bat meet kneecap) 3) Stop stalking my sister.

Again, as with this family, we waited for the other shoe to drop after "the counseling", but she wasn't bothered nor did we ever see or hear of him again. She married one of my buddies, relocated and never had another problem.

All the actors did a first rate job, with Tom Kurlander as the psychopath who escalated his attentions and psychologically, and then physically terrorized this family for three years. Acting like a Momma Grizzly, Shanna Reed goes to the legislators and after some frustrating times, FINALLY gets a long-overdo stalking law enacted. Why the politicians shuffled their feet on this law for so long is beyond me.

Scary to think this could happen to you!

[Buffy3684 · 9 December 2001]

It's overwhelming to know that a young girl of 14 was stalked by a 20 something man! And the worst part is the police did nothing. I sugest that young and middle aged women should see this movie because you never know if some one is watching you. After you have seen this movie you will know whow to deal with people like Curtis, look out for warning signs of a potential stalker an know how to protect your self!

A Very Determined Mother

[desertnan49 · 8/10 · 25 January 2011]

There was a period of time when I taped a lot of movies from Lifetime, and Stalking Back was one of them. Hard to believe it is based on fact because, as other reviewers noted, a mentally unbalanced 20-something young man was getting away with stalking an entire family because of an obsession he developed on their 14-year-old daughter. It did not matter what he did, all he got was another chance from the courts. Never mind the girl, Laurisa, was coming apart at the seams from the terror she was feeling, and the increasingly vicious behaviors Curtis Harper was exhibiting. Letters, phone calls, sick gifts, and spying on her were not against the law at the time. This is where a mother has to become Super Woman and fight legislature to pass laws to put a stop to hunting humans for one's personal pleasure. It took a final scene witnessed by police to bring the man's house down at last and show him for what he was, one sick, twisted psychopath.

very realistic

[Gigglebot · 9/10 · 7 April 1999]

This movie accurately portrays the terror that a stalker can do to a family. Not, oh so weepy or the least bit sleazy it focuses on a neighborhood nice guy who targets a local teenager. The family is further frustrated when after he terrorizes the daughter many times, the cops and the courts cannot help then due to insufficient stalking laws. Far above the normal television movie fare.

Well Done, Creepy Study That Makes You Think About Whose Involved In Your Kid's Lives

[katzinoire · 8/10 · 29 May 2006]

I remember watching this movie back in 1993-and recently was thinking about it, and looked it up. The scenes burned into my memory would be the umpire looking at his collection of baseball cards of Laurissa as she gets older and the final scene of her nearly getting raped in her garage.

The fact that up until that time it was perfectly legal what this guy was doing to this poor girl was horrific. I'm glad the laws are in place now, however, she had about 3-4 years taken from her life by this guy and that is so beyond wrong! I am unsure if this is her real name, I have been trying to find out what I can on the actual case.

Empowering Flick

[asiegel-8 · 9/10 · 26 September 2006]

This movie is suspenseful and based off the true story of Laurisa Anello and her family. Laurisa is a beautiful and happy 14 year old girl on a softball team. The umpire, Curtis, has taken an inappropriate liking to her and as she grows Curtis' psychological problems and infatuation with her grow. No matter what Laurisa does, from going home from school to extra-curricular activities as she's in the marching band to out on a date, Curtis is there watching. In addition to sending her gifts, making harassing phone calls to her and her parents, and writing disturbing letters to her and her parents (such as for her father stating, "I almost got your daughter last night."). It even gets to the point where he's trying to run her off the road with his car and physically attacks her date. According to the law Curtis has done nothing wrong, then after the physical altercation the law gives Curtis another chance and he's released. Curtis even eventually works as a security guard, which means he now has a gun.

The audience sees how Curtis' stalking of her is breaking her and her family down slowly so he's not just out the window or off in the distance lurking anymore, he's in their mind at all times. Just when you think there is no where to turn and this girl is being terrorized Laurisa's mother takes on the law head on. She some how figures out who to call, contacts to make, and travels to St. Petersburg, FL to meet with Florida's house representative to ask for and support a stalking bill on the floor in Washington DC.

This is a great yet suspenseful movie to watch and is empowering for women, my husband even liked this movie and he hates Lifetime.

every girl needs to see this movie

[triceecar1980 · 13 May 2002]

This movie opened my eyes to alot of things.

1. some men are just crazy.

2.The police don't help innocent people unless somebody hurts them or kills them.

3.that we need more people like larissa's mom.

Although I did not agree with what she was doing to her husband. She basically shut him out because he didn't do anything to kurt. if he would have kurt would have still won because her husband would have been in jail.

other than that point, i admire the fact that she would stop at nothing to protect her daughter. This is a movie that every woman needs to see.

The guy who plays kurt is an incredible actor. I just saw another movie with him in it i'll be commenting on that one too.

5*****stars

Curtis Harper Needed Strict Discipline!

[emenon · 10/10 · 7 August 2006]

I saw this show two years ago. Curtis Harper should have known, that there are laws about messing with minors. He was at least 24 years old a grown man. Larissa was a 14 year old teenager. There is suppose to be a bond that adults don't get involved with kids. As a school teacher, we have our own Restroom facilities and the kids have their's. They don't use ours and we don't use their's. We also have our own dining areas in the school cafeteria. We are not suppose to be buddies with kids. Curtis was hauled into court number of times. The Judge has told him to stay away. You think he would. The Restraining orders didn't do any good. He should have been locked up immediately. At the end of the movie he was, but why not earlier? This poor kid was terrified of this pervert. He was always there wherever she went. At the school before and after, he was stalking her on the parking lot. When she got into her vehicle he pulled out right behind her. Why didn't the school authorities notify the Police? The schools now have security cameras and Police officers working for the schools. The Police should have been called with him loitering on school property before and after. With him being out there and no business on school property, you would think they would have been suspicious. Now that there are laws, if there are any Police officers and school officials reading this, you should be on the lookout. If a strange vehicle is on any school campus. There is a strange type person, action needs to be taken immediately.