DOOMSDAY MOM (TV Movie 2021)
5 out of 10 stars Time to Read: 1:20
BASIC PLOT:
Based on a true story, this is the dramatization of the brutal murders of 4 innocent people, Tylee Ryan (
Astrid Trueman), JJ Vallow (
Aias Dalman), Charles Vallow (nm6003252Don McLeod) and Tammy Daybell (
Jennifer-Juniper Angeli), by three of the most selfish people on earth, Lori Vallow (
Lauren Lee Smith), Alex Cox (
Joshua Hinkson) and Chad Daybell (
Marc Blucas). Caught in a maniacal religious ferver, Chad Daybell convinced Lori Vallow her husband, and two children were taken over by demons, and were now zombies, walking the earth. She convinced her brother, Alex Cox, to kill them. Chad Daybell then killed his wife, so he and Lori could be together. They wed in Hawaii, two weeks after Tammy Daybell's death. Authorities were alerted, and justice prevailed, but at a great cost.
WHAT WORKS:
*VERY WELL CAST
This movie is very well acted, with very difficult material. It is a low budget, made-for-tv movie, but it is written well, and in a respectful way, by
Stephen Tolkin.
*THE WAY THE DEATHS ARE PORTRAYED IS NOT EXPLOITATIVE
This movie handles the deaths, and the grief of the grandparents, Larry Woodcock (
Patrick Duffy) and
Kay Woodcock (
Linda Purl) in a non-exploitative way. If this way my family's story, I wouldn't be offended by this dramatization.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK:
*SOME OF THE LIGHTING IS OFF I say this about lots of these Lifetime movies, but this one was especially bad. Almost all of the lighting of the faces in this movie is TERRIBLE! It's like everyone is always in shadow. I don't know what they were thinking.
*LAUREN LEE SMITH MISPRONOUNCES THE NAME OF A KEY MORMON FIGURE
Lauren Lee Smith mispronounces the name of the Angel Moroni, she pronounces it like macaroni, when it should have the hard I sound at the end, not the ee sound. As a lifelong Mormon, Lori Vallow would know how to pronounce such an influential figure in the Mormon Church.
TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION:
*I would recommend this movie to those who like fictionalized stories, that are based on true crime. It is fairly well done, considering it's budget, and handled in a respectful way. It is, for the most part, true to the facts of the story. I would recommend it.
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.
