Fascinação Mortal

I watched a recent "world premiere" on Lifetime, "Stalked by My Doctor," which begins with an opening scene in which Dr. Albert Beck (Eric Roberts, Jr.), a basically attractive man physically but one on whom the years have not been too kind — his face has acquired a cragginess much like Ted Cassidy's makeup as Lurch the butler on the 1960's TV show "The Addams Family" — is receiving a dear-John call from his latest girlfriend, who says she no longer wants to see him because he's too maniacally controlling. He responds by getting into his car and pushing the speedometer to 115 miles per hour, until we cut to another set of characters: high-school seniors Sophie Green (Brianna Joy Chomer) and her boyfriend Ryan (Carson Boatman, who looks dorky in his introduction scene but gets better-looking as the film progresses and his character matures), both of whom — along with their friends Caitlin (Wyntergrace Williams) and her boyfriend Eddie (Devon Libran) — are obsessing about what college they'll get into. Though this movie is set in southern California (just where in Southern California is maddeningly unclear in writer-director Doug Campbell's script), for some reason Sophie has applied to, and is accepted by, Whittendale University, a key part of the fictional universe in which the films Ken Sanders' Shadowland and the Johnson Production Group make for Lifetime (yes, this takes place in the same world as "The Surrogate," "Dirty Teacher" and "Sugar Daddies"). Ryan is driving himself and Sophie when his phone rings to indicate he's got a text, and of course being an adolescent idiot he tries to receive and reply to the text without stopping the damned car — it's about how he's just been offered a soccer scholarship to USC — only the car crashes and both Ryan and Sophie suffer severe injuries. (It's unclear from Campbell's direction and Clayton Woodhull's editing whether the car they crashed into — or which crashed into them, that isn't clear either — is Dr. Beck's, though if we were meant to believe that this would be an even kinkier movie than it is.) The two young lovebirds are taken to the emergency room of the nearest hospital, where cardiac super-surgeon Dr. Beck is on duty and immediately takes charge of Sophie's case. Once he sees Sophie in the hospital room he's immediately smitten with her to the point of obsession — he even kisses her while she's under anesthesia the way McTeague did to Trina in Stroheim's "Greed" — and Sophie, who wasn't totally "under" at the time, has a dim memory of it that's the first intimation she and her parents Jim (Jon Briddell) and Barbara (a quite good avenging-angel performance by Crystal Allen) have that all's not quite "right" between the doctor and their daughter. Much of this movie really did remind me of the old joke, "What do you call a man who thinks he's God? A schizophrenic. What do you call a man who knows he's God? A doctor."

"Stalked by My Doctor" — the sort of clinically accurate but, well, clinical title Lifetime seems to like to pick for its movies — just gets weirder and weirder, and the moment it slides over from overwrought thriller to total high camp is when Dr. Beck breaks into the Greens' home when he thinks no one is there so he can sneak into Sophie's bedroom, rearrange her pillows and get into her bed and presumably jack off. Only before he can do that Sophie comes home with her boyfriend Ryan, whom she briefly broke up with because she (not entirely unjustly) blamed him for her accident but with whom she's ready to kiss (and do a lot more than that!) and make up. So Ryan and Sophie have sex while the hugely important and successful cardiac surgeon watches them from his vantage point in a hall closet, then sneaks out as best as he can after Ryan leaves. As silly as this one is — other Lifetime movies have stretched the suspension of disbelief to a taffy pull; this one shatters it and makes it seem like Doug Campbell, to paraphrase the famous quote from Lewis Carroll, believes he has to write at least six impossible things before breakfast — it's got one saving grace: the full-blooded characterization written by Campbell, and vividly played by Eric Roberts, as the psycho doctor. While through much of the movie one wonders why no one at the hospital notices how crazy he is — are we supposed to believe he's so good at compartmentalization he can be a busy and professionally responsible doctor when he's working (though there's one aspect in which he's not professionally responsible: at no time during the movie, even when he's preparing for surgery or rubbing ointment into Sophie's wound, is he shown wearing medical gloves) and a bonkers S.O.B. when he isn't? — Campbell's script and direction gives Roberts the space he needs to create a relentless and truly frightening villain character whose unforgettable man-you-love-to-hate appeal projects not only the psychopathology of his personality but the arrogance that's been overlaid on it by what profession he's chosen and how good he is at it, to the point where by the end of the movie he's literally telling Sophie that, having saved her life, he now has it in his potential to take it. By all normal standards, "Stalked by My Doctor" is a perfectly terrible movie even for Lifetime, but Roberts' acting gives it a sort of irresistibility and camp appeal.

It's a cool concept about a successful doctor who obsesses about his teenage patient. Eric Roberts is right for the role and does a pretty good job as the crazy obsessive psycho Dr. I'm glad to see him getting more roles as hes a decent actor. The teenage daughter (Brianna Joy) acts well too and is believable. If you think about it, it's not too far from really happening in real life which makes this that much more creepy. I like how despite his skills and successes as one of the best doctors in town, he's terrible at relationships and finding love, he also doesn't take rejection well at all and lashes out. Which is a deadly combination when you're a doctor and someone's life and fate is in your hands. I thought the tension builds up nicely too. At first I was a bit skeptical as I thought it might be one of those lifetime movies, but I'm glad I was wrong. I recommend it.

Best cringey character from Eric Roberts , he had done some cringy characters before but this is the king crab 🦀 of cringey...

Older but attractive cardiologist Eric Roberts (as Albert Beck) is stood up while waiting on a date with a much younger woman. Leaving the restaurant, Mr. Roberts becomes unhinged and drives his car over 100 mph, apparently headed for a crash… The story abruptly switched to a soccer game. Pretty high school senior Brianna Chomer (as Sophie Green) watches her athletically cute boyfriend Carson Boatman (as Ryan) on the field. Later, they celebrate her college acceptance. Due to Mr. Boatman's texting while driving, they get into a car crash. He has a leg injury, but will live. Worse off, Ms. Green has a broken rib which could rupture her heart. She will die without a quick, successful operation. The title "Stalked by My Doctor" indicates what is in store for Green, should her operation prove successful...

It's difficult to believe Roberts' character is one of the top cardiologists in the world, yet demonstrates behavior that would insult middle-schoolers by suggesting a comparison. You just have to accept his cognitive development is arrested in selected areas. He does have a bed with restraints, which comes in handy when his potential sex partners get the creeps. As usual, Roberts is fun to watch, even if the material is underwhelming. He obviously enjoys acting. Writer-director Doug Campbell wisely keep the cast out of the way and lets Roberts ride the wave. He throws priceless tantrums, ending an early one by telling his date, "I'm unfriending you!" When he learns Roberts may be interested in abducting his teenage daughter, unconcerned father Jon Briddell says, "Guys will be guys." L.O.L...

***** Stalked by My Doctor (2015/12/26) Doug Campbell ~ Eric Roberts, Brianna Joy Chomer, Carson Boatman, Deborah Zoe

This is one of my favorite Lifetime movies! Eric Roberts has that IT factor. He knows how to be hilarious without trying too hard and that's what has made me a fan of his work in all three of these - Stalked by My Doctor - installments.

I really like how this movie is edgy without going too far and hilarious without trying too hard. Great performances by everyone! Give it a shot :) It's definitely one of the better Lifetime movies!