lymullen

I usually like the Lifetime movies where it's a mystery and you don't know who the bad guys are. There's no mystery in the Secret Life of the Surgeon's Wife, but I liked this one. There were alot of twists and turns with both the POV of the cheaters and their spouses, who were hot on their tails. The acting was pretty good. I've seen far worse in Lifetime movies. The surgeon and the mistress made some dumb moves, but they were understandable since they had to think fast and on their feet. These weren't villains with sinister, well-thought-out plots. They were cheaters doing everything in their power to not get caught.

Never Heard" (2018) took me by surprise. As an independent Christian film, I wasn't expecting the level of acting I saw. Robin Givens delivers a compelling performance as Shala Davis - I honestly didn't even recognize her until I looked up the cast! Dorien Wilson is also solid as Montey.

The film follows several threads that ultimately converge: the story of Aaron, wrongly imprisoned for a robbery and the death of a child; the drug dealer seeking revenge for that child's death (and, I must admit, played by a very handsome actor whose name I didn't catch!); Aaron's redemption; and his son, played by Romeo Miller, and Aaron's best friend, Diggy, who are both battling the temptations of street life. Diggy's situation is particularly poignant, as he struggles with a mother battling drug addiction. We also see a sweet, developing romance between Aaron and Montey's daughter, which adds another layer to the narrative.

As expected within the Christian genre, there are several interludes featuring preaching and gospel music, which felt appropriate to the overall tone. However, like many Christian films, the resolution felt a bit too convenient. Aaron's acceptance of legal help and immediate cooperation, along with his seemingly trauma-free transition after years of incarceration, felt somewhat unrealistic. While the film does include a tragic event, the overall ending is perhaps a little too neatly tied up.

One scene that resonated with me was the image of prisoners in orange jumpsuits walking in line, carrying Bibles. It's a powerful reminder of the significant role spirituality plays in the lives of many inmates and its potential for transformation.

Despite its somewhat predictable conclusion, "Never Heard" is a well-acted and engaging film with a message of hope and redemption. It's worth a watch, especially if you appreciate Christian dramas with strong performances.

"The Provocateur," or on my cable station "The Art of Passion," is not a very good Lifetime movie. The only thing that kept me going was that it was about art and started with a good song that I unfortunately could not find on youtube. I was able to find a few others including Sky, Sand & Sea by Alexandra Staseson and Yellow Daffodils by Malia feat. Eric Truffaz. Both of which are excellent. The movie, however, not so much.

There were several things wrong, first, the two stories the stalking and the supposedly steamy romance between the artist and the doctor--the plot jumps from one the other in a way that is jarring. They'll be talking about the stalking then the music will change to cue, the sultry part of the movie was back again. It was hard to invest in either plot.

I would not have minded that so much, but the lead actress played the role like she was a college student. Not a sophisticated emergency room physician.

At one point this was her dialog: "anyways what time is it at?" And she sounded this juvenile and unsophisticated throughout the movie. It almost seemed like an older man/younger woman movie, but he was only slightly older. Forties to her late 30s. Not a big enough age gap.

Now the artist was straight yummy! After a black tie event, they went to his place, and he changed into his artist's wear--unbuttoned shirt, casual trousers and picked up his sketch pad ...whew that was hot.

But it was all wasted tho. Thanks to his unconvincing love interest.