Evil Nanny

(NOTE-This review contains no spoilers. I would have considered including a spoiler to be an act of mercy. However, the movie was so overly chopped up to make room for more commercials, that it wasn't even clear what happened at the very end. The only way I was able to find out was by looking on the Web for real spoilers).

This movie is completely dumb--overacted, all the subtlety of a sledgehammer blow to the head, with a plot that takes kernels of a potentially realistic situation and blows it up all out of proportion, miles past believability. But I don't watch a Lifetime movie expecting to find an art film. And I don't even need to read any spoilers to know what happens-an innocent (woman or couple-in this case, couple) trusts an innocent-appearing person (in this case, woman), who turns out to be evil, incredibly brilliant and conniving, and seemingly unstoppable, who victimizes the innocents and makes them fear for their lives (and/or the lives of their children). Through sheer grit and their own amateur detective work, the innocents think they have finally won, but in a horrible plot twist, it appears that they are in imminent danger, as the evil person is revealed to be completely psychotic and about to do something unimaginable to them, which she usually describes in detail (since in Lifetime movies, exposition is always a chief symptom of psychosis). But at the last minute, goodness prevails, and the evil, psychotic villain either dies, is jailed, or ends up in a mental institution. If the latter, she is seen smiling maniacally and perhaps talking to herself, her pillow, or a cut-out representing the innocent ex-victims against whom she has now pledged eventual revenge.

You HAVE seen this movie before-the characters and some plot details may be slightly different, but I promise you that you have seen it.

So, you may ask, why did I bother watching this movie? I can't help myself. And that's even dumber than the movie....

As a TV movie is may not be bad. Specially if you cannot put 100% attention to it. The overall story is appealing, but it feels so unreal in most parts. Some performances are really bad, like those from the cops. They may also be the result of a bad direction. The story has potential but it looks to exaggerate a lot for theatrical purposes, making this movie completely forgettable.

I don't get the really bad reviews. Yes, this is a LMN movie so you know you're not getting a high quality film. But this one is by far one of the better LMN movies out there. Lindsay Elston is amazing. I hope her career moves out of the realm of TV movies.

Despite having a general intense dislike of The Asylum (am really trying not to be biased here), do see their films out of curiosity to see whether they are capable of anything halfway watchable once in a while (has happened occasionally, but there is a big emphasis on that). And because low budget films can be watchable or more and do overcome any limitations that they have, there is no bias at all towards low budget films. Never has been and never will be, just to get that out in the open before any accusations arise.

'Evil Nanny' is not one of The Asylum's worst, a long way from it but only because the group that that distinction fits under is so large. It did have a decent concept but ruined it by just-one-step-above inept execution, which is enough to make one feel irked. Waste of potential is one of my biggest bugbears and committed a lot in film, 'Evil Nanny' is not one of the worst or most frustrating cases but it was not as if it was doomed from the start (have seen those kind of films too).

The least bad thing about 'Evil Nanny' is the start, which is okay and has some intrigue.

It's once the nanny gets fired when the film goes rapidly downhill and never recovers. The production values are drab and dreary with less than stylish photography. There is nothing memorable about the music, except that it doesn't fit with what's going on and is very obvious. The direction, from someone experienced in directing bad or worse films except this is actually better than some of them, struggles to sustain any suspense or even worse any momentum.

Script is stilted and very difficult to take seriously, wasn't sure whether to cringe or unintentionally laugh. The characters have nowhere near enough to them to endear to or be engaged by, with a mix of bland (the couple), stupid (the laughably incompetent cops) and over-the-top (the titular character). The film is full of shameful over-acting, especially the complete opposite of scary nanny, reminiscent of a cartoon.

But it's the story that condemns 'Evil Nanny' the most. There is nothing tense, scary or suspenseful here, much of it being dull and predictable. Even worse is the over-the-top stupidity and ridiculousness, nothing rings true or makes sense here while the last five minutes is enough to make one want to hit their heads against a wall.

Overall, very bad but have seen worse. 2/10

Lately also IMDb is more and more infected by abusive reviews. They are just written to upgrade the rating and hide the awfulness of movies. They will give you false hope that you are gonna enjoy the movie. Evil Nanny is one of those bad and falsely upgraded flicks. Every aspect of making a movie is far beyond any quality. Here the whole main cast has a level of kindergarten. It's unlikely each of them will ever get the status of real actor/actress. The story is of the same low level, no thrill at all and above all: really UNbelievable and most boring! So i'm very sorry to spoil viewers' expectations but please be honest to yourself and don't let you torture your feelings. Avoid this Evil Movie. Go watch any other. And learn this lesson here: whenever you are in the need of a nanny, first check 100% of her/his background and all references. Therefore 1/10 instead of zero points for Evil Nanny. One of the baddest movies ever made...