Killer Single Dad (TV Movie 2018)
5 out of 10 stars Time to Read: 1:50min
BASIC PLOT:
After the tragic loss of his wife and two children, David Miller (
Cameron Jebo) is moving heaven and earth, to have a family again. He may have lost his family, but he did donate sperm while he was in college, and that means there are lots of children out there, just waiting for their daddy to take them home. David has a plan, and step one is to create an alternate identity, Garrett Penderson. His next step is to find a nanny, who won't ask too many questions. He locates an older woman, Olivia (
Jane Carr), who has some immigration problems. She seems like the perfect fit, but her inquisitive nature may be a problem for David down the line. He's located three of his "children", and has already succeeded in retrieving the first two. His next target is Connor, the unborn baby of Jennifer (
Kaitlyn Black) and Matt Monroe (
Robert Parks-Valletta). They are having martial problems, and the wedge between them is an open door for David. He's able to insinuate himself into their lives, and is now just biding his time, waiting for Connor to be born. Will Matt be able to convince Jennifer "Garrett" has ulterior motives, in time to save their son?
WHAT WORKS:
*THE USE OF VISUAL METAPHORS TO ILLUSTRATE GARRETT'S PSYCHOSIS His children appear and disappear, the yard is full of flowers, then dead, etc.
*UNFORTUNATELY MATT'S BAD BEHAVIOR IS BELIEVABLE In today's world, where lots of "men" are just a bunch of spoiled children in disguise, Matt's bad behavior is a real scenario. When he meets Garrett for the first time, his inclination is not to thank him for saving the life of his wife, and unborn child. Instead, he reels at Garrett about being questioned by the police. The world revolves around him, not his family, and this unfortunate behavior, is a problem many women have to deal with.
*THE BABIES ARE AGE APPROPRIATE So often in TV and movies, you have what are supposed to be newborns, and they are really six months old. Not here! All the babies are age appropriate, and it adds to the believability.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK:
*GARRETT SAYS "I'M WIDOWED" The correct grammar would be to say, "I'm a widower."
*BADLY SHOT There are lots of awkward shots, oddly chosen angles, weird lighting choices, and NONE of them are flattering to the actors. It's unfortunate, because this is an above average melodrama, well written by
Ken Sanders and
Daniel West. It deserved better. The cinematographer nm0786002Joseph M. Setele, and the director,
Robert Malenfant, need to go back to school.
*THE LIGHTING IS OFF IN SEVERAL SCENES I see this problem a lot in made-for-tv movies. I don't know if it's a cost issue, or what, but in nighttime scenes, the lighting is w-a-a-a-y off, and looks like it's shot on someone's phone. Maybe they couldn't afford more lighting.
*THE FINAL BABY IS SOMEONE OF COLOR The newborn they used for Jennifer and Matt's baby, is someone of color. They are both white.
TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION:
*I would recommend this movie to fans of made-for-tv movies, fans of melodramas, and those who like stories about crazy neighbors and baby stealers. It's not for those who like deep, intricate plots, and elaborate character development. If you're looking for either, look elsewhere.
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. This review was NOT written in full, or in part, by a bot. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews (less trolls and fanboys), and better entertainment. Hope I helped you out.
