A Neighbor's Deception

A NEIGHBOR'S DECEPTION (TV Movie 2017)

BASIC PLOT: Chloe Anderson (Ashley Bell) can finally see light, at the end of her dark tunnel. She's working to recover her inner strength, after a recent breakdown. Her husband, Michael (Adam Mayfield), has been her rock, always loyal and supportive. After trying for years to have a child, the stress of failure, drove Chloe into anxiety attacks, and bouts of paranoia. Unable to overcome her issues on her own, she sought inpatient care at a mental health facility. With that episode behind them, Chloe and Michael are looking forward to a new chapter in their lives. They're moving to a suburban neighborhood, far away from their urban existence, and the memories. There are still some problems. Michael often works twelve hour days as a lawyer, leaving Chloe alone with her demons. She's not coping well, until a chance meeting with her new neighbors, the Dixons, leads to a budding friendship. She discovers Gerald Dixon (Tom Amandes), is a retired psychiatrist. He notices Chloe's distress, and offers to treat her for free. At first she refuses, she knows Michael would not be happy with her decision to share their personal problems, with the new neighbors. But after a brutal panic attack, she agrees to Gerald's offer of help. Soon after, she receives cryptic phone calls, warning her to stay away from the Dixons. Then, an obituary for someone named, Caroline Rooker (Marissa Labog), appears in her mailbox. She's sure she's being watched, and maybe followed. Is Chloe strong enough to uncover what lies beneath the surface, of her new suburban paradise?

WHAT WORKS: *THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN CHLOE AND MICHAEL MAKES THE MOVIE WORK The chemistry between (Ashley Bell) and (Adam Mayfield), who play Chloe and Michael Anderson, feels authentic. They are easy with each, even intimate, and it seems like you're watching two people who care for one another. This believability adds a layer of depth to the movie, not often seen in the made-for-tv thriller. It also makes you root for this couple, to overcome their adversities, instead of just watching them crash and burn.

*THE DIALOG IS BELIEVABLE For the most part, all of the dialog in this movie is believable. The conversations are convincing, there's never an exchange that suspends your disbelief, and I often found myself wishing this had a bigger budget, or a sequel. Who wouldn't want to see more of Gerald Dixon (Tom Amandes)? (Hint, Hint: Adam Rockoff)

*GREAT PERFORMANCES FROM THE ANCILLARY ACTORS The peripheral characters all give outstanding performances. Gates McFadden is outstanding as Dr. Constance Abrams, an old colleague of Gerald Dixon's. I wish her scene had been extended. Ben Whalen's performance is also top notch. He embodies the sympathetic and grieving James Rooker, and evokes real compassion from the audience. He does his job so well, I am angry at his fate. Marissa Labog also delivers an expert performance as Caroline Rooker. She sets the mood for the film, by creating terror and suspense, in the opening scene.

*THE COVER ART WORKS The cover art represents the movie better than the trailer. However the tagline, "Be Careful Who You Trust..." needs some work.

*THE MUSIC IN THIS MOVIE IS BETTER THAN MOST Decent music in a movie adds emotionality and depth. In this case, the music is representative of Chloe's (Ashley Bell) inner feelings. During Chloe's anxiety attack, she blasts music, with words and tempo, that represents what she's doing and feeling. It's a nice touch, especially since Chloe is alone so much. It's a window into her inner struggle. The music was was written and performed by Mike Bennett and Rod Castro, both top tier studio musicians. I'm pretty sure it was created just for the movie, which is why it works so well.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK:

*TRAILER IS TERRIBLE! IT DOES NOT MAKE ME WANT TO WATCH THE MOVIE! Why does such a good movie, have such a terrible trailer? I find this time and time again, the voiceover script is laughable, and the guy reading it, needs to go back to doing toilet paper commercials. I do not believe there aren't scary sounding voiceover artists still out there. PLEASE FIND THEM, and put them to work.

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *I highly recommend this movie to thriller fans. It is a made-for-tv movie, so there are some budget constraints, but the superior acting of the four leads, (Ashley Bell, Tom Amandes, Isabella Hofmann, and Adam Mayfield) more than makes up for it. (Also, look for a quality cameo from Gates McFadden) It is top tier in it's made-for-tv class, and a triumph for Adam Rockoff.

CLOSING NOTES: *This is a made-for-tv movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.

*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews, and more quality entertainment. Hope I helped you out. (This was not written by a bot, IN ANY WAY!)