A Child Lost Forever: The Jerry Sherwood Story

The acting in this movie left a lot to be desired. With the exception of the wicked stepmother, the others seemed to give no real effort, and thus their characters had very little life to them.

At some points the dialog is laughable, which is the case of this film, is not a good thing.

I am not the audience for Lifetime Channel movies but just happened to see Beverly D'Angelo (always beautiful and here looking gorgeously plump) in this, so stayed to watch. When I saw Dana Ivey appear, I was sure I was in for something wonderful - but I wasn't.

I am not that familiar with Lifetime Channel sorts of movies - and as a conservative middle aged man, don't think I'm the intended audience. This is a social issue, soapy victim succeeds against the odds movie. I'm not a fan of such movies.

The movie is very strange. I kept awaiting a twist or series of twists because: a) the direct evidence against the stepmother is very slight (she's presented as a nightmare mother but there's no eyewitness at the time of death, no instrument of death, etc.), b) an actress of the caliber and eminence of Dana Ivey had thus far been given hardly any lines (and allowed only a sort of Hammer Films wicked stepmother look), and c) the "victim" (biological mom) repeatedly asked about how much punishment the wicked stepmother would receive - and how soon it could be inflicted.

Amazingly, there's no twist at all! The victim was simply eager! The disappointment is strong! The dialogue is truly terrible - the judge actually says "why if I could, I would throw away the key" when passing sentence! (Yes, this was first heard in a drama in 1908 - B.C.).

So, except for the (quite real) pleasure in seeing the over-ripe curves of Beverly D'Angelo in skirts and dresses made with more slender women in mind, this movie's a bust.

I remember watching this movie as a teen, of course very sensitive subject matter. What's so heart-wrenching about it is that is a true story. And I can't imagine what it's like to look for the child you gave up years ago all to find out he was killed by a sick abusive parent! It really makes you think. And you wonder how often does sick things like this happen! This is not a movie you want to watch over and over especially if you're emotional with subject matter like this, which I am. Beverly D'Angelo's acting skills as, always were spectacular.

I first saw this film when it originally aired and it affected me so deeply that decades later, when I myself became a parent, I found myself with a real need to rewatch it. After more than a year of searching, I finally found it. All these years later it still breaks my heart, still touches me, still terrifies me. Excellent story, it's too bad it's largely true - no one deserves this!

I remember watching this movie when I was about 14 years old on Lifetime. Beverly D'Angelo plays a young mother who is forced to give up her newborn son for adoption. Her son gets adopted by this older Christian couple. They already have a 4 year old son(Miko Hughes). The wife and husband seem normal, kind, etc. Then one day the adopted son(Cortland Mead)who's about 4 now acts up one day at the dinner table. The mother(Dana Ivey) gives her adoptive son a beat down while the father and brother sit at the table and act like nothing is happening. Then that night, the mother makes the boy kneel on a broomstick and makes him say prayers repeatedly. It isn't until about 20 years or so later that D'Angelo tries to see what her adopted son is up to when she recevies the tragic news of her life. Very good movie!!