The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story

15-year-old Kara Robinson (Katie Douglas) gets taken from her friend's front lawn by gun-wielding creepy Richard Evonitz (Kristian Bruun) in broad daylight. He forces her into a plastic container. Her mother Debra Robinson (Cara Buono) struggles to get the police to take her seriously.

The first half is mostly Kara with her creepy captor. She has the mantra of survival which seems to be the theme of the movie. The second half could have been an intense manhunt for the creep, but the movie is more interested in Kara. I can appreciate that in a Lifetime true crime story. As for Katie Douglas, the twentysomething does look like a small teenager when compared to Kristian Bruun. That helps sell the realism.

... and this film is not going to be part of it. On Ginny and Georgia, Douglas manages to make her character stand out by underplaying, and by relying on her natural charisma. On that show, of course, she is aided by A-list writers, cast members, directors. This movie, on its best day, dressed in its best Sunday suit, is a B-movie, with shortcuts taken everywhere. Many obvious opportunities for deep emotional beats are missed, simply because the actors and the script are not up to snuff. The PR package makes a huge fuss about Kara's courage, which, in real life, was staggering. None of that comes through here. Emotions are like a roller coaster. To create the "up," you must first create the "down." By deliberately minimizing the horror of the captivity, writer Haley Harris denied viewers access to the downs. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

An excellent movie to watch and follow what's been happening. Very simple and easy to watch. No twists or adding fictions or making a long series out of it or no dilutions or no camera shaking. Just pure and simply made to show what happened, facts !

Amazing acting by Katie Douglas. Great expressions at the right times and beautifully played. Can't believe she is 24 in real life but acted as a 15 year old girl in this movie. She is easily believable as 15 here. Would love to watch more of her work in future.

Don't know why other reviewers are so critical and analyzing technically, and lower ratings. This is just a movie based on true story, and I believe the film makers done well in both parts, abduction and aftermath. You guys easily rate garbage movies so high like the new Black Panther, yet rate low on good movies like this one.

"The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story" is a gripping true crime documentary that follows the harrowing journey of Kara Robinson, a survivor of human trafficking.

The documentary is a powerful reminder of the horrors of human trafficking and the importance of bringing awareness to this issue. Through interviews with Kara Robinson, her family, and law enforcement officials, viewers are able to gain insight into the tactics and strategies of human traffickers, and the devastating impact that this crime has on victims and their families.

One of the strengths of the documentary is its focus on Kara Robinson's resilience and strength. Despite the unimaginable trauma she endured, Kara shares her story with remarkable candor and bravery. Her courage is a testament to the human spirit and serves as an inspiration to others who have survived similar ordeals.

The film also highlights the importance of collaboration between law enforcement and community organizations in the fight against human trafficking. Viewers see how law enforcement officials worked closely with Kara's family and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to locate her and bring her captors to justice.

However, one criticism of the documentary is that it could have gone deeper into the issue of human trafficking and its root causes. While the film is successful in raising awareness of the issue, it leaves the audience with many questions about what can be done to prevent trafficking and support survivors.

Overall, "The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story" is a powerful and important documentary that sheds light on the dark world of human trafficking. It is a reminder that we all have a role to play in combating this crime and supporting survivors.

Shocked by some of these reviews!

Comments on police incompetence and Kara being bratty ?

It is showing what actually happens, not what we normally see in these dramatising kidnap stories, I almost had to remind myself it was a true story as I kept thinking police were involved somehow.

Kara wasn't bratty, remember what the kidnapper said "you'll always be the girl that was raped". She didn't want it to define her, not everyone reacts in the same way to trauma. I suppose we would have to speak to the real Kara to know if this was a good representation of herself.

Granted some of the smaller roles could have been played better but I feel it was a good film overall about a true story.