The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story

Disappointment IN MOVIE-MAKING. The over-all movie lacked substance and what did go on was the trash we've already read in the tabloids. I don't know who wrote the film, but I feel like I could have done better myself being I've been following this case/trial since it started.

Just because I'm anal about these types of things, I noticed the fact that the leaves on the trees outside of the courthouse were orange which indicates it was fall when in the movie, it was supposed to be Winter. Also, being from the Bay Area, it was funny because all those news channels do not exist in the Bay Area. (I told you I'm anal about those types of things.)

It would be nice to see a movie made once the trial is completed and a verdict is reached (even though I'm almost 100% sure who's to blame). I'd like to see a film made with all the facts and details. This made for TV movie, had the worst ending I've ever seen. I kept waiting for something more to happen, but no, it concludes with Scott in jail.

For crying out loud, this has got to be the most ridiculous, insensitive thing I have ever seen! (Well I haven't seen the movie but just the fact that there is one made)...can't Hollywood leave anything alone anymore? Why is it that every real-life tragedy has to be turned into some MADE FOR T.V. MOVIE? I guess producers can't come up with anything else more original and as if they don't have enough money already they need to bring in old soap actors (Sarah Brown as Laci Peterson???)into this just so their careers don't fade away completely!

Seriously Hollywood, stop feeding off of the families' pain and come up with your OWN stories instead of trying to re-enact real life tragedies and leave well enough alone!

The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story is a TV-movie starring Dean Cain as Scott Peterson, the man accused of killing his 8-month-pregnant wife Laci (Meredith Lieber) and who'd had an affair with Amber Frey (Tracy Middendorf) in 2002.

The movie was filmed before the murder case against Scott had even began, so of course the movie has to be rather ambivalent in its treatment of him. That is one of the major flaws of the movie. Without a settled case, the movie really beats around the bush as to whether or not Scott did the murder or if he was just a man with a bad secret who was wrongfully accused.

For his part, Dean Cain plays the role well with hints of guilt, but the part was scripted as such it seems and he is not an endearing character. He could have been more convincing early in the script, before the revelation that he was a suspect, then shown as more conniving. From the get-go, his character just shows too many guilt signs and ever action of his says "look at me, this is a warning sign" instead of being more subliminal early.

In all, there is a complete lack of a true central character. Laci is non-existent as a character in the movie, mostly just referred to in the past tense. The parents, rightfully so, share a large portion of the screen time and most of the sympathy of the viewer. But there are a lot of useless actors with bit roles (investigators, for instance) in the script to keep it true to the real-life people instead of amalgamated into a few more meaningful, dramatized characters.

Overall, a lackluster effort and a movie made too soon with no real connection to the murdered individual. It just seems like the TV movie that it is instead of something more. 5/10

Overall, I liked the movie. Especially, I liked the acting of Dean Cain. He did a great job. Also, the filming is great. But I am still not sure if the husband is guilty or not. I didn't like about this movie that it comes with an open end and you are made to think how the story ends. Some of my friends say there is evidence that the husband is guilt of killing his wife. I think, the true murderer was his friend Tom. I had the feeling he knows something he hadn't told us. He believed so sternly in his friend Scott until the end. Too bad, that Scott never got the chance to confess to his girlfriend who the true murderer was...

Summary: If you want to see good acting watch the movie. f you prefer to have happy endings this one is not the right movie for you.

Was it even appropriate to make this movie before the case goes to trial!? It would appear that the American Judicial system continues to merge with the American Entertainment Industry such that there is very little to distinguish one from the other any more. So my short answer would be, "Yes it probably was appropriate".

As for the movie itself, I'm impressed with it's attention to detail and how well this made-for-TV movie stands up to multiple viewings. It's essentially just a chronology of highlights leading up to Scott Peterson's actual arrest. Portraying Scott as perhaps innocent would be a nearly impossible tasks just looking at those rather damning events. To get around that dilemma the producers use the purposely gullible character of Tommy Vignatti to convey the outside possibility of Scott's innocence right up until the final scene of the movie.

All the performances by all the leads in this movie are completely believable and they all do an excellent job of showing how those immediately involved went from initially supporting Scott Peterson to one by one viewing him with distrust and disbelief. I would give this movie very high marks for the type of expositive TV drama that it undeniably is.