A Murderer Upstairs

I feel that this was a huge disappointment if you really want to watch a chilling suspenseful movie. The acting from 'Rachel' and 'Cindy' is terrible based on the script, I feel the delivery was really poor. As the title is very predictable, it isn't worth watching the movie in the first place. The ending could have been more interesting but the way in which they revealed the murderer was just ridiculous, if felt like the movie was rushed and I can't say that we were left intrigued. I also feel like we have watched numerous movies like this so this provides no motivation for us to watch it unless it is something new and fresh.

Watched this to pass an hour and a half and I wish I had the time back. I knew after 30 seconds it had that made for tv feel about it but thought maybe it might be ok. Nope. I was wrong. Acting is shocking. Script is worse. Based on a true story so I don't know how they did it so badly. Would have been better off making a docudrama out of it than an actual drama. Don't waste your time

Early on my husband and I commented about the bad writing and acting. Yet, we agreed to keep watching it despite the flaws. It got a bit better and we watched to the end, we are just glad that it was on Netflix so we didn't have to pay for it.

SECRETS OF MY STEPDAUGHTER/A MURDERER UPSTAIRS (2017 TV Movie)

*WARNING: ANIMAL ABUSE/DEATH AS A PLOT DEVICE (see below)

BASIC PLOT: The Kent family has recently taken on Rachel, the 17-year-old stepdaughter, from the husband's first marriage. Greg Kent has (Cameron Bancroft) never spent much time with Rachel, (Tiera Skovbye) she's a virtual stranger, but she's moving in with his current wife, Cindy, (Josie Davis) and younger daughter, Addy (Ali Skovbye). What could possibly go wrong?

Rachel works at a clothing boutique with her friend, Leslie (Maddy Hillis). When neither girl checks in all night, Cindy uses 'find my phone' and discovers both girls still at the boutique. Leslie is dead, and Rachel is bound, with minor injuries. Det. Pam Cherfils (Lucia Walters) is called in to investigate the murder, but soon realizes there's something about Rachel's story that doesn't quite add up. Will Cindy realize danger lurks within her family, in time to save them from it?

WHAT WORKS: *There are two types of movies on Lifetime. This is the second type, MELODRAMA. According to dictionary. C o m, the definition of melodrama is "a dramatic form that does not observe the laws of cause and effect and that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or action at the expense of characterization."

In other words, this is a PERFECT MELODRAMA. The characters are not so well defined, but their motives are. If you watch this movie with that in mind, you'll like it a whole lot more. You're not supposed to take the over-the-top motives too seriously, it's pure silly entertainment. STOP LOOKING FOR EMMYS FROM LIFETIME MOVIES!

Also, Josie Davis is a master at the art of melodrama, there's none better.

*Greg Kent (Cameron Bancroft) tells his wife Cindy, Rachel is NOT seeing a psychiatrist. He dismisses Cindy's concerns out of hand, running roughshod over her feelings about the matter. The next day, he gets the girls a dog, without asking Cindy first. So often men act, without thinking, (even good men) indirectly injuring their partners. This is a believable storyline.

*Tiera Skovbye does a great job of portraying Rachel Kent, a total sociopath. Her depiction of practicing emotions in the mirror, delivering evil smirks, and in general 'pretending' to be a human being with feelings, is done very well.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *I hate movies that use the word sis. No one who has a sister calls them sis, myself included. Even though these girls are sisters in real life, I GUARANTEE they don't call each other "sis".

*Det. Cherfils questions Rachel after her arrest. It is illegal to question minors without a parent present. Rachel asks for a lawyer, and the Detective continues to question her. This would taint the whole case, and anything she did say, would be thrown out.

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *IF you can understand the art form that is melodrama, and you like that type of entertainment, you'll like this. If you are looking for lots of believable characters and motives in your TV movies, then give this a pass.

CLOSING NOTES: *I don't believe in trigger warnings, I think WOKE is a virus. BUT, I also don't agree with supporting movies that use animal abuse/murder as a plot point, to show a character is evil. It is lazy writing, and in most cases should be quashed. This movie does use a dog's murder as a plot device, be warned.

*This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.

*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.

Family secrets and turmoil are always good plot points for a thriller as is the case with this story and film. After being left on her own by her mother, Rachel Kent (Skovbye), is taken in by her father, Greg (Bancroft), and his wife, Cindy (Davis). She quickly ingratiates herself into the family and everything is good. However, when the store she is working is broken into and her friend is murdered, while she is left tied to a table, the police don't believe that the crime is as black and white as it appears.

It's the titles of the movie which are the drawback as they reveal a major plot twist. This is a shame as the writer does try to keep a mystery, at least for a little while, as to who the criminal is. Though there should be a spoiler alert on the titles it only deters from the integrity of the film a tad. Where it's strength comes from is the story and the characterisations. There are some really dark moments, though because of it being a TV movie these are depicted in a lighter shade. I really liked the moment that Cindy Kent tracks down Rachel's mother. This is when she learns of her past and along with the portrayal of Rachel's mom this scene left me chilly.

The director, Garrard, does a good job of keeping the pace of the story trotting along while building tension and atmosphere at all the right places. Though the rest of the directing techniques are basic, some differing camera angles and such wouldn't have gone amiss. While the actors and actresses, for the most part, do more than an agreeable job with their portrayals. However, sometimes, Tiera Skovbye, slips in and out of the maple, oak and sycamore style of acting. Unfortunately, most of these moments come in key scenes so they're more noticeable.

These are only minor issues so I would gladly recommend this to all armchair detectives, mystery lovers, and thriller fans, as I found this to be an enjoyable and entertaining film. Not a bad way to pass a snowy afternoon.