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IMDbPro

Bonheur en péril

Original title: False Pretenses
  • TV Movie
  • 2004
  • TV-MA
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
426
YOUR RATING
Stewart Bick and Peta Wilson in Bonheur en péril (2004)
DramaThriller

Randal 'Randy' Ackers loses his family savings and the company's reserve funds in an 'easy profit scheme' and commits suicide. His widow Dianne hopes to build a new life in California but ge... Read allRandal 'Randy' Ackers loses his family savings and the company's reserve funds in an 'easy profit scheme' and commits suicide. His widow Dianne hopes to build a new life in California but gets stuck with car trouble in Texas. To pay for the repairs, she becomes waitress Dee Dee i... Read allRandal 'Randy' Ackers loses his family savings and the company's reserve funds in an 'easy profit scheme' and commits suicide. His widow Dianne hopes to build a new life in California but gets stuck with car trouble in Texas. To pay for the repairs, she becomes waitress Dee Dee in a diner. There the swindler, who apparently doesn't recognize Diane, recruits 'Dee Dee' ... Read all

  • Director
    • Jason Hreno
  • Writer
    • Tom Swale
  • Stars
    • Peta Wilson
    • Stewart Bick
    • Melanie Nicholls-King
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.5/10
    426
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jason Hreno
    • Writer
      • Tom Swale
    • Stars
      • Peta Wilson
      • Stewart Bick
      • Melanie Nicholls-King
    • 11User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos5

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    Top cast27

    Edit
    Peta Wilson
    Peta Wilson
    • Dianne…
    Stewart Bick
    • Mitchell Thomson
    Melanie Nicholls-King
    Melanie Nicholls-King
    • Cerise
    Conrad Pla
    Conrad Pla
    • Nando
    Francis X. McCarthy
    Francis X. McCarthy
    • Chasen Boggs
    • (as Francis Xavier McCarthy)
    Anthony Lemke
    Anthony Lemke
    • Randal Ackers
    David Gow
    • Norm
    Jennifer Morehouse
    • Paige Segal
    • (as Jennifer Moorehouse)
    Brian D. Wright
    Brian D. Wright
    • Fred The Manager
    • (as Brian Wright)
    Miranda Handford
    Miranda Handford
    • Laura
    Andrew Johnston
    Andrew Johnston
    • Detective Wallace
    Lois Dellar
    Lois Dellar
    • Vault Clerk
    Cas Anvar
    Cas Anvar
    • Nabil
    Brian Wrench
    • Rand's Laywer
    Liz MacRae
    • Art Gallery Owner
    Giovanni Cipolla
    • Airport Lounge Manager
    Andreya Sullivan
    • Donnelle
    Marie-Anne Alepin
    Marie-Anne Alepin
    • Chandra
    • Director
      • Jason Hreno
    • Writer
      • Tom Swale
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews11

    5.5426
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    Featured reviews

    5kosmasp

    Money wise

    No pun intended - because actually not so wise ... when it comes to money they are. Not Yoda I am - just worked out that way, when I started writing the sentence. Sorry I reckon - a little bit at least. Well that is more sorry than the main villain is here - for misshandling the money of our main characters, which leads to all sorts of ... well mayhem, let's call it mayhem.

    And something that starts off the journey of Peta Wilsons character. And as coincidence will have it .. she lands somewhere where she can redeem herself ... or find some peace with things that have happened. Well that doesn't sound right either - because it is about resolving things, about putting an end to something that started - without her knowledge.

    It is a decent thriller, that is more than predictable though ... still if you like the genre, you might find something you like here .. predictable (twists) included ...
    9caa821

    A good flick from "under the radar"

    I'm a little surprised there are no comments for this film. Perhaps it hasn't been shown as much previously as would be assumed, although made three years ago.

    It showed recently on a weekday, when I ordinarily would not have been watching TV, much less "Lifetime."

    But every so often, doing some business with European colleagues, I have to be on the phone dealing with some customer emergency from, say, back and forth between 7 and ll a.m. there - which is midnight to 4 a.m. my time. On some days following, I might "veg out" for a couple of hours when I ordinarily wouldn't, and just flip on the set.

    That's what happened just as this film began, and I became interested as I got into it. I knew nothing of Peta Wilson, never having seen her "... Nikita" program, or any of the other thespians.

    But for some reason, I found it far more engrossing and interesting than typical TV flicks. She presented an attractive, likable presence, and the other characters were more believable than you'd expect. Even the "bad guys" weren't the over-the-top type normally found.

    Of course, it took a major!!! coincidence for the crux of the story to unfold, but it wasn't completely unbelievable. It occurs in Midland TX (I don't recall if the location from which she traveled to reach there - her original home city - was identified, or the distance implied).

    Locations for this film aren't shown in this site, but I'd wager my net worth it's probably Vancouver, B.C. It seems all "Lifetime" flicks are now made there - and it would probably be wise to invest in stocks of firms with hotels and restaurants there, simply on the basis of "Lifetime movie" casts and crews which have to be visiting the area at any given time.

    ***Minor spoiler***

    Peta's character leaves town, and her previously yuppie life after her husband commits suicide following being swindled by a slick con artist "investment guru." Her auto breaks-down in Midland (again, only by pure chance) and she remains there in order to be able to get work to pay for car repairs - for which the shop owner trusts her. She cuts her flowing "red tresses" to a shorter, blonde style (meant as a symbol of her life's change, and now also Ms. Wilson's usual look). With her long fiery red hair now short and blonde, when she bumps into the con man, there is no disbelief when he doesn't recognize her. She had seen him just one time, briefly - but as the instrument of her beloved husband's demise, she recognizes him immediately. Obviously she cannot help but think of how she can use this chance occurrence to gain revenge and retribution.

    This is a film where you have a pretty good sense of the direction it will take, and even possible twists which may evolve. But, again, unlike most of these films, you're not entirely certain, and there are still surprises along the way.

    And best of all, the ending flows comfortably with the preceding events in the story - without unbelievable chases, knife wieldings, shootouts and the frequent, excessive histrionics films of this genre often present.

    I'd even provide it a "9,'" considering the genre, the way the story was presented, and the engaging lead and good supporting cast.

    A good film which seems to have slipped "under the radar."

    ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

    Caught this film again, by pure chance, a bit over a year after seeing first. Enjoyed it a second time, and find my opinion did not change at all from what I entered last year.
    5SnoopyStyle

    Peta Wilson in TV B-movie

    Randy Ackers is happily married to Dianne (Peta Wilson) and living comfortably. He expects easy money from a safe short-term investment, but it's a scam. He loses it all and commits suicide. Dianne leaves California to start anew. Her car breaks down in a small Texas town and she takes a local waitressing job. One day, the con-man shows up at her diner, but he doesn't recognize her with her new hairdo.

    I can buy that he doesn't recognize her, but everything else is way too convenient. The cop needs to be hotter and he has a good twist. I like capers but nothing here is that great. I never got into Peta Wilson although she is a hot lady. The smoky voice gets it done. This is nothing more than TV B-material.
    7djderka

    revenge can taste sweet

    Basic story line is a hot babe has a husband who commits suicide because he was swindled in a ponzi scheme. The babe wife decides to try and get even. She even gets a job working for the swindler in the town where he currently resides. The rest is a cat and mouse game often thwarted by a curious cast of characters.

    HOWEVER, the pacing was off and not up to a higher caliber heist or swindle scheme type movies. View David Mamet, Spanish PRISONER, HOUSE OF GAMES, and others. Or the HEIST with Gene Hackman. The movie needed a more dramatic sound track...more mysterious lighting, tighter pacing, and better cinematography.

    Lighting was way to Lifetime...no dramatic shadows, and was almost documentary like with actors not up to full par...perhaps the director couldn't bring out the best in each actor.

    I like the premise, the characters, I bet the book is a better read than the movie. Some of the Lifetime movies are interesting however.

    And you can always tell those Lifetime movies shot in Canada. They should make one in LA with a good sound track, direction, cast. But their budget is probably a million bucks, so they do the best they can. The stories are interesting tho...usually from paperback novels one can get off a rack, but the 'girl in trouble' is popular during the day and 'bad guy boyfriend' at night on this channel.

    Yes, I would buy it in a bargain bin...like 2 for $5 Or tape it next time on Lifetime.
    10contact-562-20249

    First-class entertainment!

    Terrific cast, good script, and top-notch acting. First-class entertainment without a huge budget. Peta Wilson shows why she is one of the most underrated actresses of her generation. Cross the wrong woman and payback can be a bitch! It is our loss that Peta Wilson wasn't able to make more movies that channeled her inner-Nikita.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Paula MacPherson's debut.
    • Quotes

      Dianne: He had a gun.

      Nando: This is Texas, everybody has a gun.

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    FAQ

    • What is the song at the end of the film and the artist who sang it?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 25, 2004 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • United States
    • Official site
      • official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • False Pretenses
    • Filming locations
      • Montréal, Québec, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Incendo Productions
      • Power
      • Powercorp
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Contribute to this page

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    Stewart Bick and Peta Wilson in Bonheur en péril (2004)
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