User reviews

I was surprisingly engaged by this TV movie which I caught one rainy Saturday on Lifetime. Once I started watching it, I was unable to stop watching. Crystal Bernard is very effective in her role as a woman betrayed who then tries to get her life back on track. The rest of the cast is fairly good as well though it was disappointing to me to lose Barry Corbin's character so early. As the other reviewer noted, there are some unique plot devices in this movie which make it stand above the average fare on television. In particular, the horse racing story line is most welcome. Overall, I would recommend this movie. It is worth the investment of your time.

This movie, like most made-for-TV movies, was fairly low budget and shot in only 4 weeks. However, the characters are well cast and the movie works very well. I have seen it 5 or 6 times over the years, most recently on the USA Network, and have enjoyed it each time. In my opinion, the real star is Doug Savant who had one of the recurring roles on the old TV series, Melrose Place fame. Here he does a superb job of being the charming but scheming husband that makes this whole movie work well.

Although set in Virginia, it was filmed entirely in Texas. The scenes of horse racing were filmed at the Sam Houston horse track in Northwest Houston, during August 1998. I am very familiar with it because my wife and I were "extras" in the movie. A casual viewer would never notice it, but I appear in about a dozen scenes, all involving the race track. Even though it was one of Houston's hottest Augusts in recent memory, well over 100 degrees during afternoon filming, many of us were required to wear long sleeve shirts or wool jackets. A very memorable experience!

I give it 7 of 10 rating, for a made-for-TV movie. Against all the bigger budget blockbusters, I give it maybe 5 or 6 of 10, and much better than many of them. It was a ball being involved in the filming, and nice to meet and converse with such stars as Doug Savant and Barry Corbin, who created the memorable role of Maurice Minnefield on the old TV series, "Northern Exposure."

After serving time for a crime she didn't commit based on trumped up charges by her husband(Doug Savant), a disfigured horse trainer(Crystal Bernard)has plastic surgery and sets out to ruin her now ex-husband. Actually a pretty good made-for-TV drama that also stars Barry Corbin, Connie Cooper, Claire Rankin and Country Music singer Billy Dean.

My one line summary pretty much says it all. This film has little new to offer. It seems to be about deception and betrayal in the world of horse breeding(or something like that), which I guess is a nice addition(and a rather original one) to a genre dominated by plots about drugs and gun running. Personally, I've always thought the anti-drugs fad(I, myself, have no experiences with any hallucinogenic substances, but I simply don't consider them all that much worse than alcohol or maybe even tobacco products... neither of which I have any personal experiences with, either) that started a decade(or is it two?) ago, with all the villains in action flicks suddenly being drug barons is quite ridiculous. The film just didn't really grab me. I'd say it gently poked at me, instead. The pacing is somewhat unsatisfying. The acting is pretty hammy. I was looking forward to seeing Barry Corbin in something not related to the Red Alert games, but I was disappointed due to his part being small and insignificant. I know that this film was shot on a very tight schedule and on a very small budget, but I still think they could have done at least a little better. I noticed that the director has disowned one of his other movies(credited himself under the pseudonym Alan Smithee). I have to wonder why he didn't do so for this movie as well. All in all, I guess if you're a very big fan of the people involved in making it or the plot appeals to you, it's fair. I, myself, didn't care too much for it. 1/10

I.m a true "classic" film buff, so I was really surprised at how watchable this was And watchable is the ultimate test of a film. Well-crafted mystery-drama,few cliches,and horses and horseracing are more interesting than the usual drug/gangster themes.Not a "great" film, but enjoyable,worth watching.

There was a story to build upon - but it remained a story till end. The drama that a movie with such a theme could present was entirely missing. No drama; no suspense, no thrill. It didn't even manage to offer a worth viewing race. I was disappointed. Overall a useless movie.

Sure it follows the typical TV movie of the week formula (Disfigured woman thrown in jail for a crime she didn't commit, gets her face fixed and seeks revenge on those who wronged her), but it is actually pretty good.

Spoilers Ahead!!!

Crystal Bernard is a wonder as Allison, a young woman that was disfigured in a car accident, is thrown in jail for a crime that her husband was responsible for. While in jail, she gets her face fixed, and she goes after her(now ex)husband. Doug Savant is your typical TV villain, so don't expect something new. Some of the actors have incredible cliché accents (Like they watched "Gone With The Wind" and learned that way), but otherwise, it's a good movie.

This is quite possibly one of the WORST movies I have ever SEEN!! Everything about it was really bad! The story was ludicrous......and it got increasingly embarrassing as it went along! To make matters worse the horse races looked like they were filmed on home video. I was mad that I wasted my time on this movie......just awful. * The only thing worse than the movie was Crystal Bernard's OUTFITS!!! *

Albeit somewhat predictable, the movie was really enjoyable. Crystal Bernard and Doug Savant both did great jobs with their acting. It's not a "keep you on the edge of your seat" type movie, but it really is an enjoyable watch.

Alternative title: A Movie to Die From

Recommended viewing for all prospective producers, writers and directors on how NOT to make a movie.

This movie is so, so bad. The script is canned: just add water! (Or a few strained, pathetic tears on Bernard's part.) The plot is more predictable than what happens when you put popcorn in the microwave, and unfortunately, less interesting to watch.

"A Face to Kill For" had potential. Not to be anything outre or recherche mind you, but at least mildly entertaining in your typical brainless-Hollywood fashion. However, deus ex machina was the crutch of the writers/director and they mashed all potential into the ground with this contrived plot device. I don't need to spoil this movie for you by giving away the story -- that'd be like telling you what happens when you put your tongue to metal in the middle of winter. And believe me, after watching this movie, you might just do so as punishment.

Doug Savant is the only mildly redeeming quality this movie has: his acting is adequate. However, I'd like to now add Crystal Bernard to the list of people who should not act. She's in great company: Madonna, Courtney Love, Andie MacDowell, Elle Macpherson, Tori Spelling...

Okay, so here we have yet another Crystal Bernard vehicle in which our heroine is disfigured (does some fairly good acting in the early part of film) who gets framed by her husband and sent to prison. Prison toughens her up and she gets into fights with fellow inmates and, you got it, gets even more disfigured. But, alas, our heroine gets that plastic surgery and a new face and after prison release goes after her husband who has since re-married. From there on it goes downhill and Miss Bernard turns in some bad acting. Typical story? You got it. Nothing new here. The horses look beautiful.

Unfortunately, Miss Bernard continues to wear these short skirts, that make her look cheap, and still sports that mop of hair that is annoying to look at. Won't someone suggest that she get a haircut? Is this lion's mane look supposed to be attractive? It went out in the 40s when the likes of Rita Hayworth and Veronica Lake held the glamor department. The one redeeming value in this soap opera is the appearance of Doug Savant. I wonder why he always gets the villain roles? He's a good looking guy, who I remember did another villain in MASQUERADE even opposite the handsome Rob Lowe. This is not the best in TV drama. Saw this on Lifetime TV. But worth watching Savant. Even though there's a bad torture scene upon some of the horses.

This movie is a remake of A Face To Die For, made in 1996 and starring Yasmine Bleeth. Some facts are different but it is still the "scar-and-revenge" theme. Both movies though are enjoyable watches.