The Wrong Child (2016 Lifetime)

The Wrong Child (2016 Lifetime)

Stars: Vivica A. Fox, Gary Daniels, Tracy Nelson

Listen to the Lifetime Uncorked Podcast here!

Synopsis (via Lifetime)

Wealthy in her own right, Renee is happily married to the apparently successful architect Charles until Andrew, who claims to be Charles’ son, shows up on their doorstep. Charles seems suspicious of the teen, but Renee and her daughter are ready to welcome him with open arms — until they both realize that Andrew is a sociopath with an old grudge and a penchant for murder.

Thoughts

Eleven years ago, a man comes home from work to his family and demands dinner. He is an abusive jerk. The wife sends her child outside and then stabs the jerk husband. Mmmm, okay.

Present-day, a young woman, is running through her beach town. Her name is Amy, and she is Renne’s (Played by Lifetime VIP Ms. Vivica A Fox.) daughter. Renne is married to a successful businessman named Charles. They do not know that their creepy teen neighbor is photographing them with a telephoto lens. (He is most likely the same boy from the beginning of the movie.)

It is Renne’s birthday, and she gets a surprise birthday party at the bookstore she owns. It is nice to see Ms. Vivica A Fox in a leading role; she really is charismatic and a joy to watch.

In the middle of the night, the creepy neighbor takes photos of Renne. Then he breaks into the house and watches the family sleep. The next day the neighbor comes to the house and claims to be Charles’s son. His name is Andrew, and his mother recently dies of stomach cancer. Charles and Renne invite Andrew to stay with them. Renne is upset with her husband for abandoning his child and cheating on her; she is determined to make things right.

Renne even offers to take Andrew out for the day while Charles is at work. Amy and Andrew are excited to be step-siblings. They bond over childhood memories. (No mention of the murder.) Andrew makes himself at home but installing hidden cameras all over the house.

Charles apologizes to Andrew and claims to have not known that he had a son and shares that he has his doubts. Charles wants to submit Andrew to a DNA test. Andrew agrees, but he is angry and vandalizes Charles office with blue paint, but cover it up by playing paintball with Amy afterward.

The bad behavior escalates pretty quickly. Andrew murders Renne’s co-worker and sets her on fire?!?!?!?!?!??! Then he kills Amy’s blonde friend for pretty much no reason.

Charles breaks into Andrew’s apartment and sees the photo equipment and pictures. Charles knows who Andrew is; his name is Owen and is pretending to be Charles’s son. Charles hired Owen/Andrew, and they worked out a confusing plan. I’m not sure what the hell is going on. It seems like Owen/Andrew wants to take over Charles’s life, so he stabs him and kills him?

Renne finds surveillance cameras in her house and rushes to find her daughter. Then she learns about Andrew/Owen’s past. He lied about his mother and father when Renne tries to call Amy, Owen answers and has her held captive.

At the house, Renne calls out her daughter and walks around cautiously. She finds Charles dead and Amy wrapped up like a Christmas present? (LOL WHAT IS HAPPENING.) Renne begs Owen to let Amy go, and he tells her that he loves them because they are a family. Owen informs Renne that Charles hired him to scam them out of college money. Reene listens and tries to be understanding. She gets close enough to him and stabs him. As he bleeds out on the floor, Renne tells him that he is not a monster, he is just a scared little boy.

The end.

Side Note

Minority Report: Renne, Amy, Charles co-workers,

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Overall rating

🔪🔪 (2 Knives)

🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine required.)