Who but Lifetime? Some of their original TV movies are gladly sincere, others split the difference between earnest storytelling and deliberate kitsch (whether of the romantic or thriller varieties), and still others are so unabashedly over the top that they become gleeful B-movie delights. As if the name alone weren't indication enough, I'm very happy to report that 'It's beginning to look a lot like murder' falls quite decisively into the third category. It's not as completely wild and fun as the likes of 'Pom poms and payback,' or 'Secret lives of college escorts'; in fact, it rather takes the approach of being farcical precisely because it pretends so hard at being straitlaced and straightforward. Yet anyone who has spent any time watching like-minded fare in other genres (chiefly horror and sci-fi) will readily recognize the tack that is adopted in these eighty-five minutes, and provided you can get on board with such fare, this is a minor delight!
The narrative is pointedly, irreverently direct, with all elements perfectly aligning Just So and accentuating the artificiality. Of course protagonist Diana (and best friend Riley, with whom she regularly speaks) would be an avid listener of true crime podcasts, and of course she would be established right away as an enthusiast of murder mystery novels. Why wouldn't she be? Of course Diana and Riley are suspicious of everyone and everything, and believe they have great insight on a real-life mystery; of course every possible moment is filled with falsely tense, suspenseful music cues, sudden and unexpected sound effects, and/or patently contrived, inflated dramatic beats (e.g., suddenly turning around and coming face to face with - gasp! - oh, no one of importance). The direction of Amy Barrett (well, isn't that an unfortunate name to have these days), the scene writing, dialogue, and characterizations in Dana Lin's screenplay, and the acting of all involved are bent toward purposefully hokey, plastic phoniness. Of course Cristine Prosperi would seem to stand out most as she depicts our protagonist, but Angelie Simone seems hellbent on upstaging Prosperi in that regard in her extra-exaggerated depiction of Riley - but that's certainly not to count out other co-stars including Erin Gray, Travis Burns, and more. 'It's beginning to look a lot like murder' is conscious bunkum, and in every way it very much wants us to know it.
That's not to say that it isn't well made. There are some unexpectedly nice shots scattered throughout, and Thomas L. Callaway's cinematography is smart and admirable. The hair and makeup work is lovely, and the costume design, and art director Maxwell Mahan really just let his imagination run wild. Though the cast bends their skills to distinctly dishonest ends, their performances are solid and beyond reproach just as they are. Why, this little flick joyfully smashes together both the murder mystery and the holiday romance, and even for as plainly bogus as the amalgamation is - not least as some scenes switch moods on a dime - none of this is accidental, or ill-considered. To that same point, though the holiday hues are primarily just seasonal seasoning, they are not exclusively so, and there are some genuine, somewhat clever ideas in the root plot. At the same time the film is firmly aware of what flagrant balderdash it is in total, and there are absolutely plenty of moments so outrageous as to inspire laughter. And I guess that leads us to the chief definitive fault of 'It's beginning to look a lot like murder,' which is tonal inconsistency. The feature is undeniable baloney, and it never pretends otherwise. Even so it swings a little too much, with too much disparity, between riotous absurdity, warm romance, and darker mystery or thrillers vibes, with the latter two facets being played with notably more seriousness. If Barrett or Lin had chosen just one track instead of hopping between both somber and overwrought, and embraced that one track more fully, then the end result would surely have been more enjoyable overall.
All told I actually do like this, and it's capably entertaining all on its own very forthright accord. It's just that with a little more judicious care applied one way or the other, I'm very sure it could have been either a terrific romp like 'My killer client' or 'Wheels of beauty,' or a more thoughtful, sober drama or thriller like 2006's 'Fatal trust,' with Amy Jo Johnson, or 2021's 'Lethal love letter' with Clare Grant. In any event, I think those who are receptive to all that the medium has to offer, and Lifetime - good, bad, weird, real, flippant - will have a good time watching this; if not, well, there's not anything here to change your mind. Don't go out of your way for this title, but if you do have the chance to watch and are ready to engage with it on its level, then 'It's beginning to look a lot like murder' is worth checking out.
