Trapped by my Father's Killer (2017 TV Movie) User Reviews

lacks tension

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 21 December 2019]

Diana Ratlidge (Lindy Booth) is haunted by the murder of her wealthy businessman father Max Ratlidge and her fiancé Brian Turner. She lives alone in the family mansion. Her testimony convicted the groundskeeper Louis Allen (Craig Olejnik). He escapes from prison and takes her captive. He maintains his innocence.

It's a simple premise but even simple premises need execution. It's highly unlikely that Louis escaped 100 miles away and still be wearing his orange prison jumpsuit. It becomes a two person play for the most part but the story lacks the subtle writing needed. At its most basic, the audience needs to question his guilt or innocence. Without any mystery, the story flatlines. It lacks the tension that the movie so sorely needs. There should be less evidence. At least, the video should be less clear. We need to question whether Louis is trying to gaslight Diana. Also if they can't write cops right, they should leave them out of it. It would be better if they're absent. This should be Hitchcockian but the filmmaking is nowhere near that level.

Plot holes

[Jackbv123 · 5/10 · 7 July 2021]

The writing of the story is the biggest problem with this movie. The acting was decent.

In the story, time stood still for 5 years. (If he spent 5 years in prison, it's been at least 6 or 7 since the murder.) This is a common writing flaw in all kinds of movies where life seems to start with the movie's opening scene and little consideration to how the character got to that point.

The convict's daughter still hasn't been adopted. The phone charges and holds the charge after 5 years. Have you ever tried to charge something that has been dead for a few months? No, you're lucky if it works while plugged in. And we're talking 2010 or so technology. The son's financial problems have survived 5 years despite being in serious trouble at the time of the murder.

Someone would have noticed that Brian didn't put his hands up. The cops would have done more to protect Diana and her brother wouldn't have ignored her for over a day while she was captive.

OK, we all know TV movies struggle to be realistic, so let's go with what we have left.

Right away they eliminated the one I would have thought would be the best twist as a suspect - Dianna. Booth played that kind of part at least once in Cry Wolf. They established too quickly reasonable doubt that the convict didn't do it. Who is left? They focus on one person and ignore someone with equally likely, if not more motives.

Nevertheless, despite everything wrong with the plot, I enjoyed this more than most trapped-with-a-killer movies. I'm probably biased because Lindy Booth is probably my favorite actor. The idea that her captor didn't do it is somewhat interesting for a plot development and we quickly identify with the two people who eventually start working together.

At the end of the movie, another point where time stood still - Dianna walks back in to her father's company, now hers, and takes charge after 5-7 years absent. Not possible. And has she been lying around her room in a stupor drinking wine for 5 years?

This could have been a real thriller, but......

[Chartreuse1 · 5/10 · 28 October 2020]

Caught this on Lifetime the other night and wish I hadn't. The acting was horrible. Story was a credible whodunit, though. Diana, a wealthy socialite, loses both her father and fiance to a murder by a man, Louis, who worked for the family that she testifies killed them both. But did he, really? Louis escapes from prison to prove his innocence and pays her a visit holding Diana captive in her own home. Will Diana learn the truth about who the real murderer is and will Louis clear his name? You will have to tune in but the movie loses momentum in the middle and I really lost interest by the end and didn't care. Would not watch again!

Boring

[jn-02940 · 1/10 · 14 March 2022]

Yet another boring lifetime channel movie about a woman who witnesses her father and his fiancee's murder it's simply lousy acting to say the least a boring lackluster storyline It's just simply boring.

Wrong man, right place, right time

[Chase_Witherspoon · 5/10 · 1 March 2024]

Going by the title 'Eyewitness' when I saw the movie (which isn't as ungainly as the alternative 'Trapped by my Father's Killer'), is this sometimes suspenseful though frequently predictable Canuck crime-thriller concerning an escaped prisoner seeking revenge for his supposed wrongful incarceration on a double murder rap. Unfortunately most sleuths will find the answer to the mystery is telegraphed too boldly in one particular scene, but it's still somewhat fun getting there, even if the eventual climax becomes a little repetitive.

The central characters played by Booth and Olejnik are a bit uneven but that seems to be more a functional fault of the plot which is too contrived and simplistic, the turning point in the story attributable to a fairly significant oversight which defies logic. Similarly weak is the time pressure Olejnik's character is under to solve the mystery before his daughter is adopted, but it at least gives Booth's character a reason to feel some sympathy for his plight.

Technically it's fine for a telemovie (Canadian, shot on location) although some of the supporting performances are a little stilted and there's unnecessary padding used to beef up the runtime in the absence of a more elaborate plot. Occasionally tense yet very predictable desktop mystery might leave you feeling a little short changed with the all too neatly wrapped conclusion, and so overall it's an average TV movie time filler.

Very entertaining.

[bgdamboise · 8/10 · 27 January 2019]

I enjoyed the movie very much. The suspense and the build up of action right to the end was very engaging where you couldn't stop watching. Not the most complicated of plot lines - but entertaining nevertheless.

Good movie

[greenfield-574-576598 · 8/10 · 27 April 2020]

I enjoyed the movie in general: Plot is convincing. Acting is good especially the 2 main characters. Final is the best part. You will not be bored as there aren't moments in which the rhythm slow down. I recommend it.

Tense Drama

[lavatch · 8/10 · 3 July 2021]

"Trapped by My Father's Killer" (a.k.a., "Eyewitness") is a taut drama that begins with a prison break. The man in the orange jumpsuit is Louis Allen, who was convicted of murdering the wealthy Max Ratlidge and his future son-in-law Brian Turner. Max's daughter Diana came into the garage and witnessed the gardener cradling her dying father. Diana's testimony was crucial in convicting Allen.

Now, the man-on-the-run Allen makes a beeline to the mansion where the heiress Diana resides. His goal is not revenge, but to clear his name. Diana may hold the clues to help prove Allen's innocence.

In what could have been a predictable hostage drama, the film was successful in developing the ebb-and-flow in the relationship of Allen and Diana. Allen had five years sitting in prison to come to the conclusion that someone close to the Ratlidge family had to have responsible for the murders.

As Diana and Allen reconstruct the evidence, it becomes clear to Diana that Allen is telling the truth. The race is now on to piece together the details that may implicate the family attorney, Martin Morgan, Diana's brother Chris, and Chris's wife Trudy.

There was an especially dynamic ending to the film with the revelation of the truth apparent on a cell phone that had been dropped in a drain in the garage by Diana's fiancé. There was only one loose end in the denouement when it was never revealed what became of the family attorney Martin, whether or not he was in on the plot, and even if survived his gunshot wound.

Otherwise, this was a first-rate drama with especially strong dramatic tension and strong performances from the two leads playing Allen and Diana.