User reviews

Well done and definitely toned down for TV. I personally think people need to start making movies that actually depict the true horror of the reality we live in. Her true events were 1,000 times more horrific. It doesn't do the victims justice by making the father out to be better than he was. He is pure evil. Men like her father should be tortured every second for the rest of their life.

This film is inspired by the life of Elisabeth Fritzl and the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father, Josef.

I knew going into this that it is not a big budget movie. This is a lifetime movie. I know that people like to hate on these simplistic made for TV films but I happen to enjoy them regardless. As long as the acting is tolerable and the storyline is decently put together. This film met my requirements.

No. It doesn't have the greatest actors but considering the subject matter they were portraying, I thought they were fairly good. The subject matter is awful but there is no need to feel as though you will be watching horror level violence or sexual assaults of an overly graphic nature. This is tame in those regards.

I personally liked the film. I found it to be a decent watch. If you like Lifetime movies, this is going to be right up your alley. If you don't care for those types of films, don't watch it.

Disagree with reviews of bad acting. All actors did quite well with what was given them. They had to summarize 20 years into a 90 minute movie so at least it moves fast and keeps you engaged.

Yes it may be a lesson for creeps to repeat this crime but it is also a lesson for the people living around it.

• if a daughter had a shaky relationship with her step or real father and she disappears he likely had something to do with it
• if he spends a lot of time in the basement after the disappearance, check the basement
• if you check the basement and the size does not match up with the size of the house there are likely hidden rooms
• if you're a neighbor who sees a flashlight signal coming from the basement don't knock on the door and tell the occupant, call the cops to check it out.

He may have made the basement sound proof from her and her babies screaming but I doubt that if she banged on the walls or sink that the vibrations would not be heard upstairs.

The true story behind this film , just proves ones again ,that humans are the terrible creatures , capable of unspeakable things ... Film itself is not bad , just feels that something missing ...

I knew something was off the moment our main antagonist delivered his first line of dialogue. He was such an atrociously bad actor throughout the entire film that it genuinely felt like a school project at times. It wasn't until the first cut to black during a tense moment that I realized this is a Lifetime made for TV type movie. With that taken into consideration, it held my attention well enough. What trumps even the poor acting and cinematography was the method of story telling. They attempt the classic move where they show a scene from near he end of the movie and then jump back 20 years earlier, slowly building back up to that moment to continue from it. The problem is that this particular scene shows us that any attempt at escape we see throughout the first hour will be unsuccessful, killing any tension and momentum. This was based off the harrowing real story of Elisabeth Fritzl, and more justice could have been done with it in the film realm.

This did not come off like the usual Lifetime movie - my comments:

1. Nice to see Judd Nelson working, though the part of the dad is light years away from the Breakfast Club. 2. Though there was not a lot of it, the violence was shocking. 3. The dad character was completely unsympathetic. 4. The ending was satisfying, yet left a lot of questions.

The delivering through a low budget standardized package of generic tv drama prevents the implications of such events to be fully developed for its own flaws of mediocre acting, underdeveloped plot and neglected atmosphere.

Still, there's something remaining that may make the movie watchable but the disappointment that it should've been much better exists.

This movie is a must watch, so that people can finally wake up and see that life is not only sunshine and rainbows.

This movie tells the story in a very good way, that keeps your attention throuout the very end.

I live in Austria, so this hits even harder. If this movie/story taught me anything ... it is to not trust anyone, even your closest ones.

Always question everything.

Why would they hire actress Elisabeth Röhm, to direct this film, when she's never been behind a camera before? This was such a troubling and horrific true story event, it needed professionals to tell it. The screenplay was on point, but Röhm's failure to direct her cast and scenes properly, really failed this film. Performances were adequate to decent, but that was strictly from the merits of the actors following a screenplay. Stefanie Scott's performance got better as the movie progressed, but I'm sure that was due to her getting comfortable with her character. Even Judd Nelson's performance was stale and amateurish, that with a better director, he would've shined. Had a seasoned director been involved, this could've been much more gut-wrenching and epic film. Nevertheless, it's a story that needed to be told, and I'm glad it was; It was a bold move for Lifetime to produce this. I just wish it was told in a better way. It's a generous 6/10 from me.

My comments on this movie:

1. This was not the typical LMN or Lifetime movie - good performances by all. 2. Shocking violence, though there was not very much. 3. Disturbing implication of incest between the father and daughter. 4. Judd Nelson's portrayal of the father seemed disturbingly real. 5. The ending took some of the edge off the movie, but left some questions.

Do not watch this if you are in a depressed mood.

This rather nasty made for cable movie is a fabrication that's based on some shocking true events. A daughter held captive in the family's home cellar, and constantly assaulted by her deranged father for 25 years! (fortunately this maniac is now locked away for life) During this hideous time, she gave birth to 7 children! Problem is that while this adapted version is traumatic, there are elements of this production that don't ring true. The director Elizabeth Rohm, seemed more like a trainee or someone who only took a superficial interest in her shocking story! Essential details such as; the unfortunate girl being depicted mostly looking way too youthfully healthy for someone locked away over such a huge time span.

Her skin would have had a sickly pallor from no Sunlight (Vitamin D) and her hair would have likewise suffered - but here she looks too clean and shiny. For someone who's given birth to several children, in terrible conditions, even her body shape only changes slightly. This creates a look that's more in line with a cheap 'exploitation' movie. Also, the cheap-looking handheld camerawork doesn't help. Unfortunately, this all ends up appearing more like 'sensationalism' rather than social comment. And that's not a good look for a movie of this serious nature.

Right, well a lot of things could actually be said about this 2021 movie titled "Girl in the Basement" from writers Manu Boyer, Leslie Greif and Barbara Marshall.

First of all, this movie is based on the gruesome and grotesque events that transpired for 24 years in Austria. This is something that was shocking and disturbing once Josef Fritzl's secret was revealed and the captivity ended for his daughter and the children. But to me, a movie such as "Girl in the Basement" raised the question of whether something that vile and traumatizing should be made into a movie for entertainment. Is it crossing a line? And the answer to that is, of course, very individual to each and every viewer.

I sat down to watch the movie given the historic references to the actual Fritzl case and to see how director Elisabeth Röhm would handle the job of bringing such a tale of horror and abuse to life on the screen. If someone sits down to watch "Girl in the Basement" solely for the purpose of entertainment, then it is perhaps time to seek professional guidance and councelling.

Regardless, then I must say that director Elisabeth Röhm managed to turn the tragedy into a movie that actually is every bit entertaining as it is appalling. Watching this movie and knowing that it is based on true events, sort of left a foul taste in my mouth. Not because the movie was presented in a sleazy or distasteful manner or way, no, but because of the events that the movie is based upon. Sure, this movie does not portray the events to the full extend, but still...

I believe that "Girl in the Basement" is not a movie that is easily watched by just anyone in the audience, as it is a fairly psychologically harsh movie to sit through. So keep in mind what gruesome events this movie is based on.

Now, a movie such as "Girl in the Basement" is one that require some rather stalwart performances, and I must admit that I was surprised to see Judd Nelson in the role of the deranged father. And believe you me, he really carried the role quite well with a good performance - I am not condoning the actions of the father here, but merely giving praise to Judd Nelson's performance in the movie.

Being familiar with the actual case in Austria, then the living conditions as seen in the movie were not even remotely close to the cramped quarters in the subterranean dungeon of horror that the caged family was living in.

While "Girl in the Basement" is a tough movie to watch at times, then it is actually a movie that I think is something that people should sit down to watch. The events that transpired in Austria are just too grotesque and inhuman to be quietly forgotten.

My rating of "Girl in the Basement" lands on a six out of ten stars. While this is an Americanized version of the Fritzl case, and with certain events being slacked upon or changed, then there is still some importance to this horrific tale.

Horrible acting, terrible direction, ridiculous script, annoying shaky shaky camera work.

I mean the actual story this was inspired by was horrific. This is just not doing any of what happened justice.

I'm not sure what they were trying to do here but it's just insulting to the real events.

I think the movie was well done. One review stated it felt like something's missing.

I didn't have this feeling at all. Again, in my opinion the movie was very well done.

I am not only shocked by the fact it's based on a true story, which is horrible enough in and of itself. Watching the movie for me was almost unbearable. I think they did a good job making it not too graphic except of maybe one scene. The story is just so disturbing, that I wouldn't wanna watch it more than once. It's just too horrible.

I have to admit, seeing Judd Nelson in this role and only remembering him from Breakfast Club messed up my perception of him. I guess that proves what a great actor he is. Normally I have no problem distinguishing the actor from the role he's playing. Since there are a limited number of different roles I have seen him in, this movie made me look at him in a way that was very uncomfortable for me. For an actor, that's surely a compliment. Doesn't help that I wish I'd never seen him in a role like this. He acted so realistically, that I wish I only remembered him from his role in Breakfast Club, which I absolutely loved.

This is one of those movies that just keeps haunting me. You know, like, once you see it, you can never unsee it. And so in terms of quality, I would highly recommend it. But be prepared, it's an absolutely difficult one. It is going to turn your stomach upside down.

I've seen a bunch of Lifetime movies. I tend to have a problem with the ones that based on a true story. I don't mind spending my Saturday night with an obsessed ex-boyfriend or roommate or whatever. But when it has to do with a real person's sufferings, I get uncomfortable. That is what happened as I watched "Girl in the Basement". The movie is well made with very good performances across the board. It's just that I have a hard time trying to relax while real victims scream. Honorable mention: an apparently ageless Judd Nelson.

The director did a poor job of portraying the timeline. Sarah & Don did not seem to age at all in 20 years. The third son looked a lot older than his older siblings. The bunker had only cement floors, and the captives seldom wore shoes as well as sometimes sleeping on bare concrete. Normal humans can't do that. Judd Nelson did a good job because I now HATE him.