Suburban Madness

Dr. Clara Harris was a successful dentist in Houston, Texas, the loving mother of two four year old twin boys, and the wife of Dr. David Harris, the orthodontist. Professionally, they were the ideal couple but they were not only ordinary but their marriage was crumbling. David cheated on Clara with a young receptionist/divorcée, Lisa. In the beginning, we see Clara drive her car over David in a murderous rage over the affair. The film is told from the perspective of the private investigator, Bobbi Bacha, whose practice deals with catching cheating spouses. In Texas, there is a law in the divorce court to benefit those spouses who are faithful and punish those who aren't. Clara slowly destroys herself in trying to save her marriage. It's a sad tale but pretty common.

I presume from this example, IF David Harris discovered his wife was having an affair, he would have been heroic if he slowly killed Amy Harris while her daughter screamed for him to stop. that's how the makers of this "based on real events" believe people should resolve their marital difficulties.

If revenge killing for having an affair is heroic then David Harris SHOULD have killed his wife because, in reality, she was cheating on her husband, a fact that was hidden from the viewer. This was proved by the private detective upon whose work the movie was based. That private detective has come out against this movie.

This movie claimed to have been based on real events but it was really based on half-truths. It caters not to those who seek truth or equity. It caters to sick, violent people who will use anything to justify domestic violence. Perhaps that's is the one good thing about this movie. It exposed that men are commonly victims of domestic violence at the hands of their wives.

I guess from the film we are supposed to feel sorry for this murderous, cheating wife who opted to kill her cheating husband. Rather than getting the maximum penalty she gets off with twenty years. Boo-hoo, what a tragedy. If the husband ran the wife over a few times he would have gotten the maximum penalty and CBS would be whining how he should have gotten more. No one should expect women to be treated like grown-ups until they accept their punishment like men.

Why did Amy Harris' own mother and brother say that she should not have had access to her own kids because of how dangerous she was. I guess all those facts would have interfered with this film's agenda.

This story is described as 'stranger-than-fiction'. I'm sorry to hear that it was true. It begins with orthodontist Dr. Clara Harris running over her husband three times, and the commentary on talk shows about what she did. After that, the movie goes back six months.

But what I enjoyed about this movie was the performance of Sela Ward as private investigator Bobbi Bacha. I liked her so much as this character, not just investigating suspected infidelity but also dealing with her daughter's wedding, that I would watch a series based on the character. Bobbi is an expert on failed marriages, having been through several herself.

Lisa Singer (Kate Greenhouse) is divorced and so pathetic that even though she has no real qualifications, Clara's husband David hires her for his dental practice. After all, she is determined to do what she has to--and apparently she does! She has qualifications she didn't even mention.

No wonder David was tempted: Clara was once beautiful but she is now old and fat. Actually, that's David's perception; Clara is actually like most women her age. And at the start of the movie and later on, she isn't bad looking.

But when she first appeared I didn't recognize her. I saw an older, plain-looking Hispanic dentist portrayed by a talented actress who I expected to have only a small supporting role. Elizabeth Pena did a very good job overall.

I really liked the country music in the bar. Much more 'real' than what gets played on radio.

It surprised me a lot to see that so many of these people went to church, because no one seemed to have any morals. I found some of Bobbi's other cases entertaining and even comical. It was strange that someone as smart as Bobbi took so long to realize a connection between two of her cases.

Anyway, if the movie is based on fact, than my major complaints don't mean much. I can't argue with what really happened. I thought Carla's solution to her problem was too drastic, and if I hadn't known the eventual outcome, I would have seen hope for her.

This is a TV movie based on the real story of Houston dentist Clara Harris, who ran over her husband with her car three times after discovering that he has been having an affair with another woman.

The events of the film are somewhat dramatic moments of how the seemingly wonderful Harris family slowly declines after husband Davis Harris begins an affair with his just-hired secretary at his and his wife Clara's dental practice. All these events lead on to that fateful moment, with Sela Ward playing private investigator Bobbi Bacha who narrates the story from her point of view.

The movie is not too bad, and the acting was about average. The plot's momentum goes at a steady pace, but the movie does lack suspense and intrigue that would make the viewing experience more captivating and attention grabbing. The portrayal of Davis and Clara Harris was lopsided, as you are also asked to emphasize with Clara, whom was portrayed as a pretty desperate woman in the story, while not seeing any positive aspects, if only a little, in the adulterous Davis Harris.

Overall, it's an OK little movie to waste some time with.

Grade C

This movie made no bones about it's unhidden agenda. The simple message here is that ALL men are scum and that they all cheat on their wives. I had a hard time watching this movie until the end but I felt I had to in order to give an actual opinion on the movie as a whole. I had hoped that in the end, the movie would make it up to the viewer but pretty much stood by it's message that it was all right to kill your husband if he cheats on you. If the wife was the one who cheated, I guarantee this movie never would have been made! I thought for sure I had rented a movie that was aired on Lifetime or the Hallmark channel or something. Turns out it was on the USA Network.

Anyhow, I have news for you ladies. Women cheat, too. Just as much as men, if not, more. So please stop putting yourselves on the cross and realize that most people in the world nowadays are not trustworthy. Know that before you rush into a marriage and are surprised at how it turns out.

Clara Harris got off light with a 20 year sentence. She is no better than David Harris, who was a complete moron as well.

Suburban Madness is garbage. I can not recommend this trash to anyone but Lorena Bobbitt fans.