Death Benefit

This movie was really good. It is a true case! Read the book, "Death Benefit" by David Heilbroner. There is another movie based on the same case but they changed some facts in the real story which I did not like. In the second movie, they implied the murdered girl had learning disabilities which was confusing and don't understand why they did that. The girl in the real story was mildly retarded. This movie was very accurate to the real story. People want to know THE REAL STORY! And all the details. This movie was very good. Loved the actor that played the lawyer!

This was highly well made and acted. A lawyer helps a grieving mother and he comes across a mystery that involves the tragic death of a teenaged girl. I really liked this film and the way that it was made. I was shocked by the evil that someone could be just for a bit of money. The lawyer's wife was too unsupportive that it was annoying. I give this a pleasant and talented 7.

I'm confused. Is this a movie called `Death Benefit' that's about building a case in a homicide investigation, or is it a movie called `Family Neglect' about a professional man's responsibility to his family and his firm. Instead of staying focused on the true story, literally Every Other Scene is about how the protagonist is neglecting his insipid wife, his annoying son, his irritating secretary, or his stupid boss. All of these cardboard characters continually detract from what could have been a solid drama between two strong characters. Also, the director/editor keeps using quick-cut flashbacks in what I guess they think adds intensity, but the montage is so artlessly assembled, these only look like a student filmmaker's attempt to be arty.

I like this movie for some strange reason. I think Peter Horton is believable as a Louisville attorney who goes from corporate to a criminal case with a possible psychopath female serial killer played wonderfully by Carrie Snodgress. I found Horton's character of Steven Keeney to be believable. He grows conscious over a young girl's fallen death and her mother's inquiry regarding her insurance policy opens a can of worms leading to Virginia McGinnis whose primary motive is to collect money on their insurance policies. We begin a journey with Keeney to discover a disturbing psychopath cold-blooded killer capable of the unthinkable. I won't tell you anything more without spoiling the movie. I was impressed with supporting performances by Elizabeth Ruscio as the victim's mother and I enjoyed the rapport between Keeney's secretary Sara West played by Belita Moreno who is now on the George Lopez Show and himself. I found that to be refreshing and memorable too. I am giving this film an 8 because I think it was weak on some parts and could have explored Virginia's personality and background more clearly but I think it is a very high grade for a television film.

I am from Kentucky, I went to a boarding school with the sister of the girl this movie is about. I remember when she found out that her sisters death was not an accident. That has been many years ago. We had lost touch for a few years, but I recently got back in touch with her. I actually talked to her about her sister tonight. Back in boarding school, she couldn't even talk about it. She did tell me that her mother was not portrayed correctly in this movie. She was not a good mother, and she was horrible to her daughter. I would say that if the writer of this movie did research with the family, then the mother was portrayed as she would want the world to know her as.