"16 AND MISSING" Should be called, "When Parenting Goes Wrong..."
(TV Movie 2015)
People! If You Don't Understand the Art Form of MELODRAMA, STOP WATCHING THEM!
BASIC PLOT:
Abby (
Lizze Broadway), is a confused, miserable girl, who just turned sixteen. It should be a happy time, her mother even bought her a car, but it's not. Abby is haunted by the death of her father, a trauma she witnessed, when she was only six. He was murdered right in front of her, and she would have been killed too, if not for a thunderstorm, which hid her from the killer.
Like most people who experience traumatic loss, Abby has never gotten over it. Her mother, Julia (
Ashley Scott) who was not present when her father, Lucas (
Jay Pickett), died, has moved on, and remarried. Abby wants her mother to be happy, but unfortunately, her stepfather, Daniel (
David Starzyk), came with two bratty step-siblings. It has not been a happy blending, and Abby has sought solace in an online friendship with an older man. His name is Gavin (
Mark Hapka), and he says he's a police officer from Arizona. They've been online friends for over two years, and he promised she could come visit once she turned sixteen. After a huge family blow-up at Abby's sixteenth birthday party, she decides the time is right, and takes off to see Gavin. He's always been caring and supportive, but is Gavin really who he says he is?
WHAT WORKS:
*Decent cover art. It's not the greatest, but definitely not the worst.
*This movie has a good trailer! Wow! I'm shocked, normally, made-for-tv movie trailers are so bad, they're laughable, but this one's decent!
*Young Abby (
Elle Broadway) is cast very well, she really looks like the older actress,
Lizze Broadway.
*These are believable plotlines about teenagers and step relationships. Abby overreacts to her step-siblings bratty behavior, but her stepfather's defense of his own children, is a realistic scenario. Daniel (
David Starzyk) has no compassion for Abby, and doesn't seem to have much interest in her, other than when her negative behavior affects him (or his children). These scenes are written well by
Michael Feifer.
*As someone who's lived in grief, for the better part of my life, I would recommend avoiding Daniel's (
David Starzyk) pitfall, and NEVER tell someone you know what their dead loved one, would want. Also, NEVER tell someone who's grieving, it's been enough time, get over it. Grief NEVER goes away, time heals nothing, and you'll be carrying that bag of bricks, till the day you die. People who have never experienced loss, are uncomfortable when confronted by it. They say hurtful and insensitive things, so they won't have to deal with the disstressing and awkward elephant in the room. It's upsetting and wounding to those who are grieving, and in this situation, makes the character Daniel (
David Starzyk), even more unlikable, but very realistic.
*Daniel tells Julia (
Ashley Scott), she has no control over her daughter. Then, his own children, let Abby run away, and say terrible things about her. This is classic transference, putting your problems on someone else, so you don't have to deal with them yourself. Daniel lets his children eat cookies for dinner, and sit on the cabinets, with only the admonition, "Don't tell Julia!" This movie works so well, because the blended family dynamics, are so realistically dysfunctional.
*This movie should have been called, "When Parenting Goes Wrong," Janelle (
Stella Hudgens), Abby's best friend, demonstrates trustworthiness, by helping Abby's parents with tricks to find her. Instead of being rewarded, her parents punish her out of fear. This is also a believable trope, but the wrong thing to do as a parent.
*Julia (
Ashley Scott) tells her old partner, Monte (
Greg Evigan), her daughter can't be in love, because she's only 16. That's a fallacy many parents fall into, and should avoid. It will only push your child further away. But it's another plausible plot line, from
Michael Feifer.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK:
*
Ashley Scott cannot play a badass to save her life! I am a fan of hers, but in this role (as the FBI agent, not as a mother), she's laughable. I can forgive this, because it's only a miniscule part of the movie.
TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION:
*I would definitely recommend this movie to those who understand and enjoy the art form of melodrama. I'd also recommend this to people who enjoy made-for-tv movies about dysfunctional family dynamics. It does both well, and is an enjoyable ride.
CLOSING NOTES:
*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. I have a background in psychology, hope my insights aren't too clinical.
