Some good plots
However the acting is way under Par
And the movie as so many mistakes
the pot she used to hit the detective landed on the floor and all of a sudden it appeared back on the stove, plus so many mistakes in the scene
18 Reviews
An Average Story Filmed Averagely...
P3n-E-W1s321 October 2019
TheSTORY-1
This is one of those that could have much better with a little more imagination. I like the idea of the freelance investigator being brought in for a quick job... only for that job to spiral out of control and endanger everybody she knows and loves. I would have thought that throughout his filmmaking and writing career he could have come up with something a little more intriguing. There are so many avenues in the story that he could have taken, which would have, not only made it more entertaining, but stronger.
One of the aspects in the story that required more depth was the romance between Sam (Daphne Zuniga) and detective Carlton (Adam Huss). Since there was no chemistry between the characters it was hard to believe the two would have hooked up. A few shared interests or friends wouldn't have gone amiss.
theDIRECTION-1
Average sums it up perfectly. There's nothing new or remotely interesting in the filming. Different camera angles and some interesting pans would help to keep the viewers viewing. Even a perspective shot looking through Sam's camera would have engaged the audience more.
theTEMPO-1
Again, average is the best word. Fred Olen Ray plods through this film at a steady walking pace... that doesn't work to the stories advantage. This film is lacking in atmosphere and character. Both pace and direction could have been utilised better to create these.
theACTING-1.25
This is both the best and the worst thing about the film. The best as both Daphne Zuniga and Gianna DiDonato are well above par as the mother and daughter, Sam and Laurie (respectively), leads. These two work so well together that both their characters and relationship are believable and relatable. The worst, Tim Abell as Detective Walker. He gives new meaning to laidback and wooden... that's not right, even a felled tree is interesting.
The rest, well it only leaves one in the main cast, Adam Huss as Detective Carlton. Even though his acting is okay it's his on-screen presence that brings the film and story down. The guy doesn't appear to bond with anyone, not his partner, Walker, and as I said before there's no chemistry between Carlton and Sam - and it's not all down to the writing.
Though the worst thing is the bad guy. Maybe Fred Olen Ray planned to have the killer so ordinary and nonchalant - anybody could be the man in the black hat if the circumstances allowed. However, in my eyes, the killer needed to be a little darker and a tad more assured.
theGRATIFICATION-1
All in all, this is a pretty average story turned into a pretty average film. It's not one that I would recommend. However, if you're off work ill and have exhausted all your viewing pleasures and this is on... well, you could give it a watch.
theSCORE-5.25
Feel free to pop on over and check out my The Game Is Afoot list-come-chart to see where I rank this film and to find more viewing possibilities.
This is one of those that could have much better with a little more imagination. I like the idea of the freelance investigator being brought in for a quick job... only for that job to spiral out of control and endanger everybody she knows and loves. I would have thought that throughout his filmmaking and writing career he could have come up with something a little more intriguing. There are so many avenues in the story that he could have taken, which would have, not only made it more entertaining, but stronger.
One of the aspects in the story that required more depth was the romance between Sam (Daphne Zuniga) and detective Carlton (Adam Huss). Since there was no chemistry between the characters it was hard to believe the two would have hooked up. A few shared interests or friends wouldn't have gone amiss.
theDIRECTION-1
Average sums it up perfectly. There's nothing new or remotely interesting in the filming. Different camera angles and some interesting pans would help to keep the viewers viewing. Even a perspective shot looking through Sam's camera would have engaged the audience more.
theTEMPO-1
Again, average is the best word. Fred Olen Ray plods through this film at a steady walking pace... that doesn't work to the stories advantage. This film is lacking in atmosphere and character. Both pace and direction could have been utilised better to create these.
theACTING-1.25
This is both the best and the worst thing about the film. The best as both Daphne Zuniga and Gianna DiDonato are well above par as the mother and daughter, Sam and Laurie (respectively), leads. These two work so well together that both their characters and relationship are believable and relatable. The worst, Tim Abell as Detective Walker. He gives new meaning to laidback and wooden... that's not right, even a felled tree is interesting.
The rest, well it only leaves one in the main cast, Adam Huss as Detective Carlton. Even though his acting is okay it's his on-screen presence that brings the film and story down. The guy doesn't appear to bond with anyone, not his partner, Walker, and as I said before there's no chemistry between Carlton and Sam - and it's not all down to the writing.
Though the worst thing is the bad guy. Maybe Fred Olen Ray planned to have the killer so ordinary and nonchalant - anybody could be the man in the black hat if the circumstances allowed. However, in my eyes, the killer needed to be a little darker and a tad more assured.
theGRATIFICATION-1
All in all, this is a pretty average story turned into a pretty average film. It's not one that I would recommend. However, if you're off work ill and have exhausted all your viewing pleasures and this is on... well, you could give it a watch.
theSCORE-5.25
Feel free to pop on over and check out my The Game Is Afoot list-come-chart to see where I rank this film and to find more viewing possibilities.
Lifetime but not as entertaining
nugnug82214 August 2022
Very much a lifetime type movie but not one I'd want to watch. The main actress is good but I think the rest really weren't that great. The plot doesn't really make sense. Lots of other movies with similar plots that I'd prefer.
WTF
evelinechodzidlo24 June 2019
A decent plot but poorly acted
hmael15 February 2019
Spsffff
jeanfilsabacu8701 August 2018
Terrible acting and predictable
Chloegirl-bj2 July 2021
I only watched this because I'm a fan of Daphne Zuniga. This film was a solid waste of about an hour and a half of my life. Either these are the worst actors or the writing and directing was bad enough to make good actors seem like they couldn't act. I hope the latter is the case because Like I said, I'm a fan of Daphne Zuniga.
Cliche, pathetic
baechter5 October 2021
Is this someone's idea of a joke? What a ridiculous cliché. What a sad, predictable crime drama. This movie is laughable. Is it a home movie? Have we really come to this? This is just such a cheap, ridiculous product that has no reason for existing in film history. Please don't watch it. Please save yourself. Two hours of life is not worth wasting on this movie. I sing about it was so completely predictable and poorly directed and acted. We are better than this. This is not entertainment.
The reviews are on par.
jpc-198 October 2021
The mom played by Zuninga has been in other movies and she wasnt this bad at all. She has a smart mouth but comes off stupid most of the time. I thought the movie is over because she has pictures then they all become stupid and drag it on. The mom and daughter roles are reversed and that doesnt work either. The detective and her check the house but not completely. The daughter defends herself like they do in horror movie, hit them twice and run. I dont mind low budget but when acting is way better.
Watchable with cute dialog
phd_travel21 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Cute banter keeps this light thriller watchable. Daphne Zuniga who looks young enough still plays a photographer who works for a private investigator. She is a partial witness to a crime and a crooked cop who is the partner of a good cop she likes comes after her. Quite a scary confrontation ensues. Not really a twisty story so if you want one of those then this one may disappoint.
Worth watching.
Worth watching.
Plot ok but needs a lot of revisions
csisinfo25 February 2021
Like others have commented, the plot is ok but some parts of the story just do not make sense. Since Sam knew that this was a murder case, why didn't she make a backup copy of the pictures? The last scene in the mall makes no sense at all. Why did Walker put the gun away......
The producers should have the story reviewed first before shooting the film and this may make the whole thing more convincing.
The producers should have the story reviewed first before shooting the film and this may make the whole thing more convincing.
Rubbish
svader11 August 2020
Rubbish. Don't watch.
I lasted ten minutes listening to the daughters whining and annoying voice.
The main character is gormless and clueless and it's quite sickening when she flirts with a cop young enough to be her son. The daughter is definitely the worse actress ever acting like an 8 year old and looking 25 !! . . . .woeful film just woeful
I lasted ten minutes listening to the daughters whining and annoying voice.
The main character is gormless and clueless and it's quite sickening when she flirts with a cop young enough to be her son. The daughter is definitely the worse actress ever acting like an 8 year old and looking 25 !! . . . .woeful film just woeful
Why do they make movies like this?
esb1923 March 2022
Really horrible movie
kclei7 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
So this freelance photographer is discovered in the room with a dead prostitute. She is arrested (and obviously searched). She's released. One of the detectives takes an interest in her. She goes to coffee with him only to return to her home crawling with cops.
The detectives partner got a search warrant, and huge surprise - the photographers framed for the murder.
Big hole here. How exactly did the photographer get the gun she used to murder the prostitute to her home and hide it in the first place if she was arrested by the cops in the room with the dead body?
Seriously? Someone got paid for writing this garbage?
The detectives partner got a search warrant, and huge surprise - the photographers framed for the murder.
Big hole here. How exactly did the photographer get the gun she used to murder the prostitute to her home and hide it in the first place if she was arrested by the cops in the room with the dead body?
Seriously? Someone got paid for writing this garbage?
I now live in the house it was filmed in
mrsavelarjessica19 March 2024
I live in the house it was filmed in. Really bad acting for sure. Who goes to jail and don't get booked in ?? The daughter was a bad actresses. I could have done way better. They go in one toom come out a totally different room and u can tell. The good deceive did the best acting if I had to pick. Better luck next time. She should have made copys of photos duhh! Who wouldn't? And why didn't she know something was wrong when she couldn't get ahold of her daughter right away after bad guy left when she got knocked out? I mean come on if she isn't answering something wrong. Lol. Who even wrote this script? I can come up with a better story line then that. Who ever the daughter was must have been here first movie. But very bad actress. No Har feeling but damn I didn't even want to watch more than 20 mins but since it was filmed in the house I live in now I did finish it. Why is this a movie anyways?
Witness Unprotected
BandSAboutMovies23 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Known as Killer Close-Up in the UK, Witness Unprotected, this Fred Olen Ray film is all about Sam (Daphne Zuniga), a divorced freelance photographer who is doing dangerous detective work to put her daughter Laurie (Gianna DiDonato) through college.
Now, however, the person she's staking out gets killed and Sam looks like she's the killer. Arrested by the police and locked up, it turns out that this case has so many more twists and turns than it first appeared.
Most of the reviews for this on IMDB are 1/10 and one of the two positive ones spoiled the main villain in its one-sentence review. That's what you get for doing research on a movie before you watch it.
Now, however, the person she's staking out gets killed and Sam looks like she's the killer. Arrested by the police and locked up, it turns out that this case has so many more twists and turns than it first appeared.
Most of the reviews for this on IMDB are 1/10 and one of the two positive ones spoiled the main villain in its one-sentence review. That's what you get for doing research on a movie before you watch it.
The best movie I have seen all year
chtzkcmp27 January 2024
This movie is an absolute trainwreck. I thought it was a p*rno based on the cheesy lines and total lack of commitment to the characters, BUT IT'S NOT. If you want to feel better about yourself, watch this movie immediately and you will walk away seeing how bad things really could be. 10 stars because it's so bad it's entertaining. Would recommend you watch while inebriated. And if you watch it with friends, come with your absolute best roasts, because you'll have the opportunity to use them all. There is definitely a place in this world for entertaining drivel, and this movie carries the banner.
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