The lead actress was good but the actor who played the killer was horrible. "Chewed the scenery," as they say. He was supposed to be the "hot and sexy" guy but he was not attractive (sorry to be rude, but his nose was distracting) and too young. He completely overacted. It was comical, not scary. I have no idea what she would see in him. It was ridiculous, although most Lifetime movies are. The other actors were fine. He brother didn't really seem like he brother and they didn't resemble each other in the least. His girlfriend was a bit too much. The husband's acting was understated. The movie was not the worst but definitely not the best.
9 Reviews
Steve Nosetter
azprm22 October 2023
Just saw this movie on LMN. The horrible acting from Steve really brought this movie to a crashing halt. Someone may want to let him know he should stick to standup. Acting is not in his deck right now. The bad acting made him stick out like a sore thumb.
Lastly, wish Jodie was in the movie longer than she was. She is a fantastic actress who shines in almost everything she does all the way back to when she was in full house.
The rest of the cast was ok. That made the movie believable but through no fault of their own, when Steve enters the scene, it just ruins it. Even XXX actors are more believable.
Overall, OK movie, typical Lifetime Movie Network drama. Bravo! (Except Steve)
Lastly, wish Jodie was in the movie longer than she was. She is a fantastic actress who shines in almost everything she does all the way back to when she was in full house.
The rest of the cast was ok. That made the movie believable but through no fault of their own, when Steve enters the scene, it just ruins it. Even XXX actors are more believable.
Overall, OK movie, typical Lifetime Movie Network drama. Bravo! (Except Steve)
Horrendous
xxxbratnsassyxxx21 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I am a huge lifetime movie fan and was so excited when I saw Jodie Sweetin was in this, as I had no idea she would be. After her demise the movie went completely down hill. I understand that lifetime movies are very iffy nowadays with the script and the acting, but this has got to be THE WORST lifetime movie I have ever seen. If you like campy 'soft corn esque' movies minus the corn, then this might be for you. If you don't, please do not waste a minute of your time. I have no idea how this movie is currently sitting at 6+ stars. I wish they would bring back the 90's/early 2000's lifetime movies. 2 stars for Jodie.
More than I expected
mawykidf22 October 2023
This first thing to know is this was a low budget film and was independently created. That said, it was very entertaining and I jumped more than once. Yes there were bits of gaps but considering the construct of the project I was impressed. The story line wasn't bad at all. Kudos to the whole team!
Handyman from hell was a fun take on revenge in suburbia. Watching the film premiere with cast and crew on zoom offered the insider's perspective and filled in a couple gaps. They did a great job and I can't wait for the promised sequel because they learned a lot I'm sure and it's only going to get better from here!
Handyman from hell was a fun take on revenge in suburbia. Watching the film premiere with cast and crew on zoom offered the insider's perspective and filled in a couple gaps. They did a great job and I can't wait for the promised sequel because they learned a lot I'm sure and it's only going to get better from here!
A Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde romantic - psychological thriller role by Joey Ariemma
rareformdigitalmc25 October 2023
Seeing that this was a Lifetime independent film, I was hesitant to watch it, but it is the Halloween season and I wanted to watch a thriller movie. Jodie Sweetin (Full House & Just Swipe fame) started the first scene and I wish she had more time in the movie, but lover turned psycho killer, Nate (Joey Ariemma), ends her role early. Nate is clearly the star in this thriller as he turns on his charm to win over Maggie as her handyman, lover, then killer. Joey Ariemma's ability to switch between the pretty boy to psycho man is what made this movie so good. Other actors that made it worth the watch were funny man Vic Dibitetto, sexy Kristina Horan, and David Santiago. While Maggie (Lilianan Tandon) played co-star, her brother Michael (Steve Hofstetter) kind of dragged the movie down just a little bit with some dry acting and cheesy scenes. Nevertheless, the "thriller" of Nate kept the movie roller coaster ride on track! While not a Michael Myers (Halloween) horror movie, this served me well with a side of romance. Definitely worth a watch.
Decent but the story needed work
allenallen195513 December 2023
The acting was a mixed bag. I think all the female actors were pretty good. I loved to see my fave Jodie Sweetin (I didn't know she was doing more movies these days)! The main character Maggie and her friend were pretty good too, very cute and fun to watch, I don't know who they were though. The bad guy (Mr Crazy Eyes as I call him) was way too over-the-top. Very scary. On the other hand, the brother was such a stick in the mud though. I had a hard time figuring out why his girlfriend was interested in him! Did the actor even smile once in the whole movie, ever? Kind of a drag to watch him. The ex husband was the best male character probably.
The story overall needed some work. Sometimes it dragged. Could have been a faster pace in some spots (with maybe a few less scenes of the bad guy talking to himself).
Overall the movie was just fine.
The story overall needed some work. Sometimes it dragged. Could have been a faster pace in some spots (with maybe a few less scenes of the bad guy talking to himself).
Overall the movie was just fine.
He's a handyman with a score to settle!
Chartreuse122 October 2023
Pretty good thriller. Maggie needs a contractor to fix up her kitchen. Enter Nate, a cute handyman with a hidden agenda who she ends up letting do the work. But her brother, Michael, is suspicious since Nate doesn't advertise online or have a social media presence with the last name he gave them. Uh-oh, that can't be good! Still. Maggie is split up from her husband and starts to fantasize about Nate and she needs someone new, exciting, and young in her life. Nate starts to grow on her and she lets him spend the night. That can't be good and it isn't. Nate is up to no good and has a devious plan. But why is he targeting her and can she stop him? This was a good watch and recommended!!!
Could've been worse
lmnclips25 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I don't know how they were able to pass this movie off as a thriller. It was more a comedic film than anything. Kind of like 2015's A Deadly Adoption with Will Ferrell and Kristen Wig, which was way better in my opinion.
As soon as Jodie Sweetin's character was killed off at the beginning I started to lose interest. From what I saw in the trailer I really hoped that she would be a supporting character or something like that. It's not everyday that you see an actor/actress as well known as her in a Lifetime films that's not Christmas themed or Ripped From the Headlines.
The story dragged for far too long (I think there was even a part of the movie in between advertisement breaks where it was just the lead and the bad guy talking to each other), and there were more holes than on a block of Swiss cheese. For example how did Maggie not notice the framed photo missing from her room? After all, it was her house. Kind of implausible that a missing picture frame would go unnoticed for that long. Come on Lifetime! Ending was super disappointing too, (What's with Lifetime and incredibly weak endings?).
Even with those issues, the movie actually wasn't that bad. I did like the comic relief, and the few jokes here and there. My favorite part was definitely the zoom meeting interviews. I think that was when the viewers realized that it was aiming to be more of a comedy and less a thriller/drama.
As soon as Jodie Sweetin's character was killed off at the beginning I started to lose interest. From what I saw in the trailer I really hoped that she would be a supporting character or something like that. It's not everyday that you see an actor/actress as well known as her in a Lifetime films that's not Christmas themed or Ripped From the Headlines.
The story dragged for far too long (I think there was even a part of the movie in between advertisement breaks where it was just the lead and the bad guy talking to each other), and there were more holes than on a block of Swiss cheese. For example how did Maggie not notice the framed photo missing from her room? After all, it was her house. Kind of implausible that a missing picture frame would go unnoticed for that long. Come on Lifetime! Ending was super disappointing too, (What's with Lifetime and incredibly weak endings?).
Even with those issues, the movie actually wasn't that bad. I did like the comic relief, and the few jokes here and there. My favorite part was definitely the zoom meeting interviews. I think that was when the viewers realized that it was aiming to be more of a comedy and less a thriller/drama.
They should have hired Kevin Sorbo.
GilsonIV5 December 2023
Handyman from Hell is an utter disaster of a movie. From start to finish, it's a mind-numbing experience that offers nothing but frustration and regret to its unfortunate viewers. The plot is a convoluted mess, lacking any semblance of coherence or originality. It feels like a haphazardly stitched-together collection of clichés and predictable moments, leaving you with a profound sense of déjà vu.
The dialogue is painfully cringe-worthy, filled with poorly written lines that make you question the competence of screenwriter Jay Black. (Or was it really Jay Leno?) The attempts at entertainment fall flat, eliciting more groans than anything else.
The production values are abysmal, with cheap-looking sets and amateurish cinematography. The scary scenes, if you can even call them that, are laughably bad. They come across as a desperate attempt to compensate for the movie's lack of substance but only succeed in highlighting its overall incompetence.
One of the significant weaknesses lies in the terrible acting of cheap, mediocre stand-up comedian Steve Hofstetter. If you think his jokes are awful, you haven't seen anything yet. It is evident throughout the movie that Hofstetter's acting falls flat and lacks depth. His delivery feels forced, and he struggles to bring natural emotional resonance to the role. Kevin Sorbo is a much better actor than he is.
Furthermore, Hofstetter's lack of chemistry with the rest of the cast hampers the movie's overall cohesion. The interactions between characters often feel forced and unnatural, undermining the story's believability.
Handyman from Hell suffers significantly from Steve Hofstetter's subpar performance. His lackluster portrayal fails to engage the audience, leaving them longing for the presence of a more seasoned actor like Kevin Sorbo.
In the end, Handyman from Hell is a prime example of how not to make a movie. It's a painful reminder of wasted opportunities and serves as a cautionary tale for anyone considering subjecting themselves to this cinematic disaster.
The dialogue is painfully cringe-worthy, filled with poorly written lines that make you question the competence of screenwriter Jay Black. (Or was it really Jay Leno?) The attempts at entertainment fall flat, eliciting more groans than anything else.
The production values are abysmal, with cheap-looking sets and amateurish cinematography. The scary scenes, if you can even call them that, are laughably bad. They come across as a desperate attempt to compensate for the movie's lack of substance but only succeed in highlighting its overall incompetence.
One of the significant weaknesses lies in the terrible acting of cheap, mediocre stand-up comedian Steve Hofstetter. If you think his jokes are awful, you haven't seen anything yet. It is evident throughout the movie that Hofstetter's acting falls flat and lacks depth. His delivery feels forced, and he struggles to bring natural emotional resonance to the role. Kevin Sorbo is a much better actor than he is.
Furthermore, Hofstetter's lack of chemistry with the rest of the cast hampers the movie's overall cohesion. The interactions between characters often feel forced and unnatural, undermining the story's believability.
Handyman from Hell suffers significantly from Steve Hofstetter's subpar performance. His lackluster portrayal fails to engage the audience, leaving them longing for the presence of a more seasoned actor like Kevin Sorbo.
In the end, Handyman from Hell is a prime example of how not to make a movie. It's a painful reminder of wasted opportunities and serves as a cautionary tale for anyone considering subjecting themselves to this cinematic disaster.
See also
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