Sin & Redemption

I have seen this movie more than once. I found this movie to be great.

The actors did a wonderful job of making the movie intense. The story plot put a twist on something that happens to many unfortunate women all over the world. Although the viewers can figure it all out before it unfolds, it is still intriguing to follow the story and see the reactions of the characters. I am not an avid "lifetime" viewer, but I have found there are some good programs on it. As I said, I enjoyed the movie. I give it 4 stars ****!

Yet, another Made-for-TV movie about a victimized woman that Lifetime tries to cram down our throats. In this one a woman gets raped on the job by an unknown assailant then her family pities her and she gets pregnant and doesn't know who the father is. Then a guy comes and helps her through only to find out later that her boyfriend was her unknown attacker. And get this, the boyfriend even redeems himself so he could be a father to his kid. Talk about obligation!

This type of plot for a movie is something you would normally see on Maury Povich or Jerry Springer! Richard Grieco and Cynthia Gibb are such talented people. Why did they have to participate in a pitiful movie like this? Were they promised a huge amount of money? In retrospect, Sin and Redemption is just another victimized woman movie that's shown on Lifetime, otherwise known as the All-Abuse, Victim, Anguish, and Whodunnit Channel that is a must-miss. Unless of course there's some people out there who like these kind of movies and that's okay with me. I give Sin and Redemption one star.

I left the TV on Lifetime because there was not much else on, and 25 minutes into the movie I had it figured out. Boring, contrived, and enough syrup to choke a cat. Lifetime bills itself as "Entertainment for women". With very few exceptions, I can't see why, unless the women who watch are hooked on victimization movies. Sorry, NO stars on this one.

Billie McDaniel is a "good" girl, who gets raped and gets pregnant. Her hypocritical dad(or who sins once in a very critical spot) accuses her of going against God's ways just like her ne'er do well older sister! He compels her--out of caring for her and shame of how the community and church will look at him now--to give the baby up. She is the loving type who would never do such a thing, but she respects her dad so much that she heads in that direction and gets a couple of fortuitous bounces that stops her just in the nick of time! Jim, the man who raped her--unbeknownst to her, steps in to marry her and raise who he knows is his daughter. Life goes on from bliss to the state of worrying Jim and (THE OBJECT OF HIS LUSTFUL OBSESSION) fertile Billie until his daughter needs a kidney donor...All I'll say is that God sometimes takes the scenic route to deliver His vengeance! A movie that could very well happen just as the movie: A good girl who honors her parents, a churchgoing or minister dad who has had one daughter go in a sinful direction blames the younger daughter of doing the same based on how things look(looks to him like her sister has rubbed off on her), the good girl gets raped in a way that she doesn't see him, and he wanted her then and wants her now(his part is also believable, because it's my belief that a rapist can love. A criminal can love--if only for periods of time or when not drunk. Some rapists or killers have lived lives of love and go out and take whatever frustrations they have out on others! Then again, there are some men and women who abuse their families and then treat most others with love!)

Not much wrong with this movie except Jim is a little too forthcoming when talking to Billie at the end. Can you say too much information? Anybody that has seen this movie knows what I'm talking about. He says a little(all that he really has to say) and she's fine with that, but he goes all explicit as if in English or Oral Communication class and messes up BIG TIME!

Cynthia Gibb is a waitress at a cafeteria. Her life seems repressed and alienating. She has no money, and her father (well-portrayed as a cantankerous and stern minister).

Basically, Gibb walks home at work late at night, she can't afford a car. She is suddenly attacked from behind, is shocked, and couldn't identify the culprit. She is very good in this movie, underplaying the emotions and histrionics. Rape usually causes shock and trauma.

Richard Grieco enters the scene as a well educated college student, from a moneyed family. His mother is well-portrayed by Concetta Tomei, an elitist who tells Gibb she is trash, and not good enough for her son.

At first, all is well in the marriage. Grieco is handsome and a good provider. He married Gibb when she was pregnant from the rape; she told him she had no idea who the father was, but Grieco said "this does not matter, I love you anyway". Her father wanted her to put the baby up for adoption, but she was not heartless enough to do that. Eventually Gibb has two more children with Grieco. He begins to get stressed, drinking and arguing and at one point forcing her to have sex while she is pregnant with her third child.

Overall a decent story with a twist. Watch it and you will find this to be interesting. 8/10