(Watch the trailer with caution. Contains spoilers.)

Zoey, a cyber crime cop, and Barry, a detective, raise their son, Timmy, in a quiet suburban neighborhood. When Zoey confides in her best friend about shift work and the lack of spark in her marriage. Zoey’s mind is set in motion and when she discovers Barry is screwing around, she calls him out. Willing to give him a second chance, Zoey tries to mend her marriage. When Barry is seen again with “that” woman, Zoey gets a restraining order and sole custody of Timmy. Late one night a fire in her home tragically takes the life of her son. The evidence points to Zoey taking sleeping pills and smoking – she’s charged with Timmy’s murder. Zoey goes to Barry for help but he’s distant and blames her. Zoey fights back, convinced she was set up to take the blame for Timmy’s death. As she fights to prove her own innocence she gets the biggest shock of all!

POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT: While I tend to do an excellent job of offering spoiler-free reviews, there is always the chance that I may ruin the story for you when I didn’t intend to do so. (After all, the trailer contains major spoilers.) If you are worried about spoilers, please do both of us a favor and don’t read on. Otherwise, here we go!

Daryl Shuttleworth as Pathologist

Daryl Shuttleworth is one of those actors who seems to pop up in unexpected places on a regular basis. And I didn’t even recognize him until I researched him and realized he plays the pathologist. He might go unnoticed on the screen sometimes, but there’s no denying his versatility and willingness to play any part, no matter the size.  Though this role is miniscule, it is worth noting that he gives the same solid performance for which is he known in all his roles.

Maxwell Kovach as Timmy

At the heart of the controversy of this film is precious and innocent Timmy as played by Maxwell Kovach. From what I can see, this was his first appearance in anything, and what a way to start a career. He is exemplarily cast in this film, and I can only hope that his undeniable talent will appear in more films and television works in the future.

Talk about living the dream! Maxwell works artlessly with the stars of this film, and it is probably safe to say that his cuteness and buoyancy practically steal every scene.

Matthew Kevin Anderson as Fish

I am so glad I looked up this actor because I thought I recognized him in the film, but I could not place him. Matthew’s resume is fairly extensive (I invite you to look it up). As Fish, he is exactly what one would expect. He is unflappable and always ready to leap into action.  His dependable acting has landed him many a character role, and this is one where his role often takes a backseat to the drama between the two leads.  Notwithstanding, it does not diminish his part in any way. It takes a strong supporting actor who can hold his own when sharing a film with two powerhouse leads as Julie and Rick, and he is definitely up to the task.

Chelah Horsdal as Ann

Possibly known most of all amongst Hallmark Channel enthusiasts as Cat from When Calls the Heart, this prolific lady has a career where she has tackled almost every kind of role imaginable, and she always manifests a natural and thorough absorption into her character. Indeed, Chelah plays an outstanding Ann, who is always there to support Julie’s character no matter what. In this film, it can be difficult to know whom to trust, and it’s reassuring to see Chelah playing a trustworthy character who is the kind of friend a character like Zoey could not live without.

Savvy viewers will want to be sure to watch out for Samantha Ferris in this film as well. If you are a fan of the Gourmet Detective films, you might just recognize her as the accomplished Captain Forsyth, but that is merely the beginning. I knew I recognized her, but I could not place her. You might know her from Let it Snow, Mistresses, Supernatural, and so many more roles that I cannot even begin to list here. Always a pleasure to see where she crops up!

Russell Porter as James

One more actor to watch out for–Russell Porter as James. You might know him from a variety of works (Hallmark movies among them). He is another I didn’t recognize until I looked him up, be he decidedly earns an honorable mention for his portrayal.

Julie Benz as Zoey & Rick Ravanello as Barry

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Julie and Rick are the unparalleled stars in this riveting film, and their unbelievable acting prowess completely mesmerized me. All too often, Lifetime movies are predictable, but with this film, my emotions ran the entire gamut as I viewed the bulk of this story through the eyes of Zoey (that is a normal Lifetime hallmark, but they added plenteous twists and turns). When on the screen together, these two interact so plausibly that I was intensely shaken at times. The chemistry between them is often restrained due to the marital difficulties between their respective characters. However, when the situation warrants it, their physical chemistry is exactly what one would expect from a somewhat estranged husband and wife who are purportedly attempting to work things out between themselves.

Julie Benz as Zoey

As Zoey, Julie is so engrossing in her character that I found myself thinking through her horrendous situation–the ultimate nightmare. Not only does she suspect (and find evidence) of her husband’s infidelity, but she finds her son ripped untimely from her, and then she is accused of his murder. In every instance, it is only that Zoey is too trusting and forgiving as so many wives are in these kinds of situations. Her pathos genuinely resonated with me, and her hopelessness nearly broke my heart. This is a role in which Julie infuses the entire emotional color wheel in only the most believable way. I honestly could not remove my eyes of the screen, and she is a spine-tingling half of the reason why.

As Zoey finds herself imprisoned for the unthinkable, my mind began to reel with the possibilities. I felt as though I was vicariously living this role with the character herself as Julie was able to bring such authenticity to a character that represents the worst scenario possible for any mother–being unjustly accused for the murder of a child she tried desperately to save.

As the story begins to unravel, the audience is never convinced that Zoey is guilty. And thankfully Zoey’s friend appears to believe her. She has seen the dark side that Barry tries to conceal from everyone else. Very few are privy to the real Barry, and I believe that even Zoey is reluctant to believe the worst about this man she has loved with all of her heart. She longs to know the truth, and in this case, the truth may very well cost her everything she has ever held dear.

Rick Ravanello as Barry

As Barry, Rick has brought his entire bag of magic tricks to this role thus endearing me to him even more as an actor and a person. In fact, the way he portrays this tormented man caused me to have compassion for Barry and only hope that he and Zoey would eventually reconcile. I wanted so desperately to believe that Barry was innocent of the unthinkable crime that comes to mind.  While Barry may have been misguided and possibly beginning to wander in his affections, I was hopeful of a happy conclusion for Zoey and Barry. And Rick was able to bring to this character those wonderful human elements that caused me to only want the best for him. That is something I so appreciate about all of Rick’s roles–he not only immerses himself fully in each and every role, but he has the undeniable knack for causing the audience to feel heartfelt sympathy for the “bad guys” he plays.  Not every actor is able to bring warmth, understanding, and tenderness to a character who is so hopelessly flawed, that if he were to exist in real life, we would be imploring the criminal system to lock him away for eternity or possibly even cheer his execution. But Rick always gives an almost likable or at least vulnerable quality to every one of his characters, no matter how diabolical nor reprehensible.  In his mind, I am certain, these flawed men are always “misunderstood,” as they are not bad men at heart.

When Zoey confronts Barry, it is as though he is forced into an impossible situation. As he is backed against the wall, he must develop a plan so that he can continue to see his beloved son. Again, Rick plays the broken man who in his character’s mind, has no other choice but to act on the inevitable and the unthinkable. As I watched the turn in his character, I found myself on the edge of my seat, hoping right along with Zoey that Barry wasn’t as debase as he appeared.  No doubt Rick’s characterization of Barry assaulted my heart, and I wanted to believe that there was another explanation for his actions rather than the conclusion that I dreaded to make. Indeed, Rick’s portrayal of the character had me nearly on his character’s side throughout the entire film.

However, sympathy completely perished when I viewed this horrendous scene. To witness the shift in moods that Rick is able to infuse into Barry was disconcerting and frightening in the extreme. If Barry was capable of this kind of violence, what other drastic measures might he perform? Would the ultimate dastardly deed be a reality for this character?

I won’t ruin the conclusion of the film for you (the trailer already gives you more clues than I would ever divulge), but just know that the ending will possibly thrust you over the emotional end of the cliff before you ultimately realize that appearances can be demoniacally deceptive.  While Barry lost all trace of support from me once his true nature was ultimately revealed, Rick’s portrayal was still just as stunning and captivating.  And in those final scenes with Julie, the tension I felt was so elevated I could barely breathe. These two are so thoroughly matched on the screen, whether in the bedroom or in attempts to outwit each other in the ultimate high stakes game. Had their performances not been so captivating, no doubt I would not have been so entranced by the film. I can say at this point after watching a total of six “Rick” films (and about two or three “Julie” films), this is my favorite for both of them. Rarely do I watch a Lifetime film that is so unpredictable, so impeccably cast, and so thoroughly bewitching. While everything works immeasurably well together to create this film, I’ll still declare that these two make this film the masterpiece it is. (And because of the affinity I feel for Rick, in my biased opinion, he is the ultimate reason I love the film so dearly.)

For more information:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2766882/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_17

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