Even compared to other Lifetime original movies, this one has a very weird energy, whereby it seems like the character writing is just completely scattered; all four principles carry wildly inconsistent vibes throughout most of the length. Even heading into the third act the movie still has yet to give a firm beat on exactly who wife, husband, son, or long-lost daughter are, or what they're doing, and the narrative therefore also comes across as being all over the place. I suppose it's to the credit of the screenwriters that this is perfectly intentional, veiling the true nature of the course of events with a successful cloak of mystery until everything is lined up Just So. It's by design that we viewers are kept guessing. A single line of dialogue is all that it takes for the pieces to start to fall into place - though I think it's also true that there's an issue here insofar as the last twenty minutes throw so much plot at us in such rapid succession that it feels rushed and overfull. When all is said and done I think 'A wife's nightmare' is fairly well done and enjoyable, but I'm not entirely sure how to feel about it.
Broadly speaking, I'd be lying if I said I weren't at least a little bit impressed: it's the writing that comes off weakest at first, but as every seeming wrinkle is ultimately smoothed out and revealed to be part of the Big Picture, it turns out that Dan Trotta and Blake Corbet's screenplay might actually be the most readily commendable and stand-out aspect after all. This is hardly to count out the efforts of everyone else involved; while this is hardly a must-see presentation, all those working behind the scenes did fine work. The acting is nothing revelatory, yet Lola Tash, Dylan Neal, Spencer List, and above all Jennifer Beals do give swell performances in which I find no fault. Vic Sarin's direction is solid, and I'm happy to say that 'A wife's nightmare' is one of those few Lifetime productions (or TV movies, generally) that maintain a normal pace, never sprinting ahead. Why, for that matter: perhaps one shouldn't congratulate filmmakers for coloring within the lines, but it's safe to say that most of this picture's kin are astoundingly direct and brusque in their storytelling, leaving little to the imagination. If there were only one thing that could be said in favor of 'A wife's nightmare,' it's that it avoids that low-hanging fruit. On the contrary, once again, the narrative is certainly less than lucid at first blush, to the point that it initially seems like a flaw.
It must be said that there's no small amount of ham-handedness present, above all at the cringe-worthy ending but also possibly any time the feature tries to paint a portrait of glad tidings. This is, still, cut from the same cloth as its television brethren, even if it doesn't bear all the exact same troubles. It's a flavor of Lifetime that's mostly very sincere - and, sincerely, more worthwhile than not - though for anyone who has a hard time abiding such fare in the first place, this may not be the title to change one's mind. For as many reservations as I had at the outset, however, ultimately I'm a bit pleasantly surprised that this is at least in some ways a cut above its fellows. It may not have any especial spark to endear it to us, or help it secure a place in our heart over similar films, but it's pretty well made and entertaining, I think, which would seem to mean it achieved its goal. Don't go out of your way for 'A wife's nightmare' but if you do come across it, this is a fairly decent way to spend ninety minutes.
