Lies in Plain Sight

"Lies in Plain Sight" focuses on Sofia, a college student who returns home after the apparent, unexpected suicide of her cousin Eva. Eva and Sofia grew up together sharing a room, and were like sisters... so why is Sofia increasingly certain that she did not know Eva as well as she thought she did? As we meet Eva's mother, father, and little sister, and Sofia's widowed father, and Eva's old boyfriend and most recent boyfriend, one thing becomes certain--not everything was as it seemed when it came to Eva, and not everyone in her circle could be trusted.

The film is a little slow, more of a family drama than an action/adventure story, though it does have a few edge-of-your-seat moments. My favorite part about it, however, is the film's understatement.

You see, Sofia is blind, and yet she's the one determined to uncover the truth behind Eva's death. Also, the family is Hispanic. Both of these facts color the characters and the story, and both are beautifully understated. The film doesn't make a big deal out of either element; Sofia is a woman who happens to be of Latin descent and happens to be blind; she's not a Blind Latina who happens to be solving a mystery.

So did Eva really kill herself? If so, why? You may figure out much of this before Sofia wholly realizes it, but only because the explanation makes so much sense. Overall, the drama is beautifully written and acted. Well done.

Blind Sofia Delgado (Martha Higareda) returns home after her beloved cousin Eva Reyes's suicide. She finds Eva's phone and discovers Eva's doctor appointment. Eva was pregnant but Eva's boyfriend Ethan (Chad Michael Murray) claims that he didn't know. Eva's parents, Marisol (Rosie Perez) and Rafael (Yul Vásquez), are angry. As Sofia digs into the past, she discovers a different history than she remembered filled with dark secrets.

It's a Lifetime movie. I do love the premise of Sofia reinterpreting her past as she uncovers the clues. The mystery doesn't have the needed twists. It's pretty straight forward. It's thin. It would be great to be a more compelling mystery or a more exciting thriller.