Escaping Dad (2017 Lifetime)
Stars: Trevor Donovan, Sunny Mabrey, Jason Wiles
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Synopsis (via Lifetime)
A woman goes on the run with her children to escape an abusive husband, who is the District Attorney. He puts out an Amber Alert for them.
Thoughts
Erin and Darren appear to have a perfect life. They throw extravagant house parties and have two children, angsty teen Amy and kid brother Charlie. (Well, Darren is their stepfather.) Behind closed doors, Darren is controlling and insulting. He uses his spit to wipe off Erin’s red lipstick, calls Amy trash, and picks a fight with Erin at every turn. Erin begs him to go to couples counseling.
When Darren gets physically abusive, Erin threatens to call the police. Darren laughs in her face because he is the DA and is “untouchable.” Erin opens up to a friend with a boathouse who tells her to head to California if she is ever in trouble. Trouble finds Erin quicker than she anticipated when Darren learns of her meeting with the boat friend. Darren gets jealous and accuses her of having an affair. They get into an altercation, and Darren threatens to bury Erin and Amy if she ever tries to leave him.
The next morning, Erin decides to go on the run, taking a few essential items from the safe. She quickly packs bags for her kids and gets the hell out of there. Before she goes, Erin changes the computer password, empties the bank accounts, and gets rid of her cellphone. Erin picks up Amy and heads to pick up Charlie from camp. (Well, she takes him from camp in an over the top way that makes it look like she is kidnapping him.)
Darren issues an amber alert, which causes Erin to trade in her car and evade cops on the highway and at gas stations. Did I mention that Charlie has epilepsy and goes into seizures throughout the movie? It is stressful!
While staying in a run-down motel, the police repossess Erin’s used car. Then the cops track the family to a truck stop. Erin and her children get away and hitch a ride with a Brad Pitt knockoff trucker named Wes. Wes is a country charmer and insists on helping the family get to California. Erin is at first resistant but eventually becomes appreciative of his antics. They sit on the roof of a motel and look at the stars. Erin opens admits to being on the run from her abusive husband, and they almost kiss. (Which would have bizarre timing.)
Darren uses all his district attorney resources and hosts a press briefing on national television. He accuses Erin of suffering from mental illness and having a weapon. Erin knows she is in trouble and has to get on the road as soon as she can. Amy causes a delay when she tries to hitch a ride home because she misses her boyfriend and friends. Amy is the worst. While Amy and Erin are arguing, Charlie has another seizure, and Wes isn’t capable of dealing with it. Erin saves her son just in time.
Road trip montage happens, thankfully. I’ve been waiting! Amy and Charlie play in the truck bed with a stuffed doggy? They cross multiple state lines. They finally arrive at California and board the boat with Erin’s boat friend. The boat friend’s name is Stacey. Wes leaves them and promises to come back for fireworks later in the week.
Darren also learns Stacey’s name from Friendbook, and he tracks her down. He packs a bag and heads to find Erin. A week later, he does. Darren boards the boat, ties up Amy, and demands Erin give him his passport. (Which was in the safe and is incriminating.) He then holds Erin at gunpoint as the fireworks explode. Erin grabs a boat paddle and knocks Darren off the side. Wes arrives and sees the women in distress. Darren makes one last attempt to kill everyone but is stopped when Erin shoots him in the head.
Does the family now live with Stacey and her family on the boat? It is much too small. The end!
Side Note
Minority Report: No POC’s in this movie.
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Overall rating
🔪🔪🔪 (3 Knives)
🍷🍷 (2 glasses of wine required.)
*Photo Credit: © 2017 Lifetime
