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Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer

  • TV Movie
  • 2020
  • TV-14
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
785
YOUR RATING
Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer (2020)
CrimeDrama

When Chris Watts stoically yet smirkingly pleaded to television cameras for the safe return of his missing pregnant wife Shanann and their two young daughters, dark secrets loomed just benea... Read allWhen Chris Watts stoically yet smirkingly pleaded to television cameras for the safe return of his missing pregnant wife Shanann and their two young daughters, dark secrets loomed just beneath the surface.When Chris Watts stoically yet smirkingly pleaded to television cameras for the safe return of his missing pregnant wife Shanann and their two young daughters, dark secrets loomed just beneath the surface.

  • Director
    • Michael Nankin
  • Writer
    • Barbara Marshall
  • Stars
    • Ashley Williams
    • Brooke Smith
    • Chloe Van Landschoot
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.9/10
    785
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Michael Nankin
    • Writer
      • Barbara Marshall
    • Stars
      • Ashley Williams
      • Brooke Smith
      • Chloe Van Landschoot
    • 16User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations total

    Photos6

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    Top cast18

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    Ashley Williams
    Ashley Williams
    • Shanann Watts
    Brooke Smith
    Brooke Smith
    • Tammy Lee
    Chloe Van Landschoot
    Chloe Van Landschoot
    • Nicole Kessinger
    April Telek
    April Telek
    • Amber
    Sean Kleier
    Sean Kleier
    • Chris Watts
    Reid Price
    Reid Price
    • Officer #2
    Nola Augustson
    Nola Augustson
    • Sandy
    Taylor Olson
    Taylor Olson
    • James
    Dan Willmott
    Dan Willmott
    • Eddy Watts (Dad)
    Sean Skerry
    Sean Skerry
    • Officer Coonrad
    Samuel Davison
    • Amber's Son
    • (as Sammy Davison)
    Kristopher Anderson
    Kristopher Anderson
    • Waiter (Thrive)
    Allison Basha
    Allison Basha
    • Angela
    Joshua Young
    Joshua Young
    • Phil
    Junior Moaku
    • Police Officer
    Dahlia Oldham
    Dahlia Oldham
    • Bella Watts
    Ellie McPhee
    • Ceecee Watts
    Don Bottomley
    • Line cook
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Michael Nankin
    • Writer
      • Barbara Marshall
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews16

    5.9785
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    Featured reviews

    1tiffanyhankinson

    Awful

    Awful representation of an innocent woman, awful hints at excuses for watts' behaviour. Awful depiction of watts as some kind of character it almost seems like they want us to like. Because they sure didnt want us to like his poor, innocent wife!! Awful timing. Completely disrespectful. Her poor family must be so upset. There have been far better films produced about killers where the psychology is thoroughly explored and the victims more honorably portrayed. This just reeked of a rush to make money as fast as possible. Almost just a copy of the police bodycam footage and stuff with nothing new added. Awful.
    7phd_travel

    Straightforward depiction

    If you followed the headlines about this terrible tragedy you will recognise a lot of the story incorporated into this Lifetime movie. The happy social media of the young mother is contrasted with an affair the hubby had going on.

    The actor looks like the murderer and the actress Ashley Williams with her big smile from Hallmark movies looks like the unfortunate woman.

    The killing which is even more heinous than the Scott Peterson is recreated not too gruesomely but frustratingly there's no much insight into how he could kill his daughters even if he was in love with another woman.
    1Citygal92

    What is the point?

    I've been a visitor of IMDB for 13 years, and have never found a reason to join/comment as others have said what needs to be said...But this.. two years after a disgusting massacre occurs, so does this documentary. No reason, purpose, dignity or integrity. I do not recommend this to anyone, what is the point?? As someone who studies serial/heinous cases, this shouldn't have been made. The agenda behind this is to normalize it, when this happens daily. Think about it. Sending whoever reads this light and big love.
    4rupert-ian

    Not bad but went way too easy on Nichol

    Chris is a total disgusting monster, but if you really look into this case you know Nichol was in on it for sure and this movie made her out to be another victim, no way.

    She lied dozens of times and changed her story several times No alibi Phone pinged near his house at time of the murders Deleted tons of evidence off her phone Told Chris to delete stuff off his phone and pawn her wedding ring Helped plan the attempted miscarriage w/ oxy Knew about the entire Watts family before Chris even met her, and before she even started working for Chris's company.

    Lied about not knowing he was married or that she was pregnant.

    Had tons of very damning google searches from what they did recover from her phone.

    Those are just a few things, I highly encourage people to look into her. This movie disgraces the victims by making her seem like a saint.

    RIP Shanann, Bella, Celeste, and Nico.
    6Ed-Shullivan

    Chris Watts: A coward of a man, an adulterer as a husband, and a callous murderous devil as a father

    This Lifetime film serves one purpose only and that is to illustrate how one man who was a husband, a father and an adulterer committed four (4) heinous murders. If the actual four (4) murders was not enough Chris Watts disposed of his entire families bodies as if they were garbage by burying them where he believed they never would be found. But like most adulterers and criminals, their cumulative lies to the people and family that surround them, the truth is rather easy to put the puzzle together for any good detectives.

    I understand why most people would not consider this Lifetime film to be "entertaining" as any father who would commit such heinous acts should automatically be put to death, no "Ifs", "Ands", or "Buts". This film rather satisfies the urge to understand how "any man" could murder his entire family and curiosity how he did it and in his mind the one question that needs to be answered is "WHY?"

    I will let the medical professionals and forensic criminal investigators provide us with that answer another day, but for now, I was satisfied to know the families bodies (what was left of them) were recovered a few days after their reported disappearance. Chris watts admitted to burying his pregnant wife and daughters at the place of his employment at Anadarko Petroleum, on August 16. He was fired on August 15, the day of his arrest. The girls' bodies were found hidden in oil tanks. Shanann and the unborn Nico were buried in a shallow grave nearby.

    As this is only a ninety (90) minute movie we really should not expect to glean too much factual information into the head of the murderer Chris Watts, but I would have preferred if the producers would have depicted this devil of a man as being soulless without a conscience, and instead the film almost normalizes these murders as just another entertaining made for TV film.

    I give it an IMDB rating of 6 out of 10 as it did answer some basic questions that were lingering about the Watts family murders.

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    Storyline

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    • Trivia
      Dahlia Oldham's debut.

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • January 25, 2020 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Untitled Chris Watts Project
    • Filming locations
      • Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Magic Rock Productions
      • Sony Pictures Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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