In a Child's Name

This is a wonderful made for TV movie that I would highly recommend. It is a tearjerker, so be sure to have a box of Kleenex handy. All though it is long (four hours with commercials) it is worth watching every moment of it over and over again. Valerie Bertinelli's portrayal of a grieving sister is one that should have gotten her at least a nomination for an award, if not won it. The supporting cast is amazing in ever sense of the word as well. This movie cannot be truly appreciated unless you've seen it with your own two eyes. In A Child's Name manages to tap every emotion known to man--sadness, anger, fear and joy. It is certainly a movie that will instantly become a favorite. I am patiently awaiting its release on DVD (hopefully).

This movie epitomizes two telefilm genres (the Sunday Night Tearjerker and the Lifetime Movie) but towers above most examples of both. It aired as a two-parter; the first half told the story of a woman's murder by her husband and his eventual arrest for the crime, while the second concerned the custody battle over the couple's son between her sister (Bertinelli) and his parents (Huddleston and Fletcher).

The first half retains an admirable level of tension throughout, though the crime isn't ever really a mystery. Thankfully, the actual crime is not shown, though the filmmakers found a better way to convey its brutality: the final shot of the first half of the show is one of the most shocking sights I've ever seen on television.

The custody battle in the second part is less suspenseful but raises several interesting questions. The cultural bias by the killer's parents against the evil, urban, ethnic (Italian) family of the victim had some resonance in their son's marriage. Not to overgeneralize, but a friend of mine was married to a man from rural Indiana and his family was a LOT like the people in this film. The filmmakers clearly sided with wife's family on this point--the "moral" Hoosiers are both unattractive and unpleasant. The question of how their "heartland values" produced their monster of a son is never really addressed.

The performances are uniformly excellent and often surprising. Bertinelli and Chris Meloni as her husband prove to be far more than a couple of (very) pretty faces, as does Michael Ontkean as the cold blooded killer. It is important that this not get lost by being lumped in with the scores of similar but inferior TV movies.

I was at some of the filming of this movie (in Wilmington, NC)and it was great. I was also involved in the investigation of this crime.

People always want to know if the book (made first) and the movie are as what actually happened. My answer is that both are Very Close to the actual facts in the matter.

There are some minor differences between the book and the movie but nothing of any value that would drastically change anything. If you have seen the movie - get the book and read it. The book has some of the trial of Dr. Taylor and the movie covers almost nothing of the trial. A forensic pathologist (Doctor)testified at the trial - and the same Dr. testified in OJ's trial.

Questions? Let me know. Bob

I think this movie is one of my most favorite movies on lifetime. I have seen it about 3 or 4 times on lifetime and always wondered when they will release it on DVD. I am amazed how Valerie Bertinelli played a grieving sister who wants to put away her sisters husband and also get custody of her sisters son. She is a wonderful actress, who wont let nothing or no one in her way of getting what should be done. The law enforcers also played a good deed for the grieving family. This movie shows how the law works sometimes, and as for Valerie Bertinelli's character, she did not stop til she and her family won all the way. This movie will have you teary-eyed and thinking how a person could do this to his wife and have his parents believe what he said. I think his family should serve time for helping their son. After you see this movie, you will still think about this movie, you will talk about this movie to your friends. I admire everyone who played in this movie and think they are good actors and actresses.

This movie is heartwarming and a real tearjerker. I have a copy of it on tape, and I watch it all the time. I never get tired of watching the Taylor's get what they deserved. I really enjoyed watching it over and over again.