tamstrat

This is a wonderful movie about a true story in San Diego. I'm old enough to remember when it actually happened and even pre-internet , the story soon spread across the country.

It's a tale as old as time. Young couple meet, fall in love, marry. Start having babies immediately. The wife takes care of home and hearth. Good supportive wife working multiple jobs while putting her husband through college. They finally reach the pinnacle of success and status. Then, duh, you guessed it, he dumps her for a younger woman who looks a lot like the wife pre-kids. Ugh. Gross Dan.

The actors, especially Ms. Baxter, did an excellent job. It's a very sad story of betrayal and obsession and revenge. I absolutely do not condone what Betty did, she deserves to be in prison. But if I personally have a complaint it's that the way the film portrayed Dan was almost too sympathetic. He really did emotionally abuse Betty and Linda supposedly sent Betty ads for weight loss supplements and wrinkle cream, taunting Betty. Cruel, cruel behavior. Betty ultimately messed up her own life and her kid's lives by not just accepting that it was over. She should have taken all the money she could get (even though he screwed her over there too (IMHO) met a nice man and lived a happy life. The best form of revenge is success. She could have shown him that she could be happy without him. Excellent movie!

I found this accidentally and decided to watch it. Maybe I could relate as during my first pregnancy I too was placed on bedrest for quite some time due to some complications. I was bored out of my mind. That was 45 years ago. Hard to imagine, no tv in the bedroom, no cellphone, no internet, nothing like that. I read books, and wrote in my journal. Anyway, I digress. This movie dragged at times, but I found it sufficiently creepy and it held my interest. The ending was a surprise and while I would not go out of my way to watch it, I wouldn't turn it off. The only thing that bugged me was the husband who seemed to be loving and concerned, was never at home in the evening (yes trying to build his career) but still never seemingly being around, and the nurse wasn't fully explained either. Things at time seemed to be patched together. But I've seen worse for sure.

So I have always been a huge fan of the 70's movies where radiation, the environment, WHATEVER, causes animals to turn against the mean old humans, but somehow, I managed to miss this one. Recently had the chance to watch it. I laughed my ass off every scene Leslie Nielsen was in after he lost his damn mind! Seeing him shirtless, battling a bear, was probably one of the best things I have ever seen. Ridiculous story and acting, but there were lots of animals, and I truly felt empathy for the little girl character. It was absolutely absurd, but I enjoyed myself and so it's a win. Not sure I'd seek it out again, but if it came on, on a rainy day with nothing better to do, I would!