The Sinister Surrogate (2018 Lifetime)

The Sinister Surrogate (2018 Lifetime)

Stars: Brian Ames, Maeve Quinlan, Kelly Thiebaud, Jaclyn Hales

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Synopsis (via Lifetime)

Josh and Danielle have found the perfect surrogate, Kailee, to bear their child. But when Kailee gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, the happy couple learns how deep and dark a mother’s love can go. But is it really Kailee whom they need to fear, or is she just a pawn in someone else’s game? Someone who will stop at nothing to take what she views as hers.

Thoughts

A woman is in labor, and it sounds excruciating. The woman receives the worst news; her baby didn’t make it. She cries and wakes up in a hospital room. The woman rips out her IV, trows on some boots and a jacket, and steals someone else’s baby.

Flash to the present day. An insanely attractive couple is having trouble conceiving, leaving them with the option of surrogacy or adoption. Josh and Danielle decided to make a “test-tube” baby.

The couple gets dressed up and invites a surrogate matchmaker named Carol into their non-baby proofed home. Carol interviews them and says that “her girls” must be treated very well while pregnant. Danielle and Josh agree to the terms and meet their potential surrogate Kailee. The meeting goes well, especially when Kailee talks about being adopted and understanding the importance a child can be to a new family.

Eight months later and Kailee is pregnant AF. She goes into labor and has a c-section due to some complications. The baby and surrogate are doing well. Danielle and Josh are thrilled to meet their new daughter and name her Sofie. When they visit Kailee, she has totally changed. Detached and distance, Kailee won’t even look at them.

Once she is recovered, Kailee visits the family. (Even though that is against the agreement.) Danielle and Josh are polite and invite her in, but it is awkward. When Kailee asks to see the baby, Danielle tries to make excuses, but Josh says it would be “nice” for them to meet. Kailee holds the baby, and it is very uncomfortable for the couple to watch.

Later that night, shirtless Josh thanks his wife for being understanding. He is already working on that dad bod, and I am into it.

Kailee pops up again at a park and scares the shit out of Danielle and Josh. The couple reminds Kailee of the agreement, and she calls them ungrateful. Danielle tells Kailee that it was a business transaction, she was paid well, and these run-ins need to stop. Danielle sends Josh to make sure she knows they are serious. Josh tells Kailee that they never want to see her again as she gives him a death stare.

At the surrogate agency, Danielle and Josh talk with Carol, who assures them that this hasn’t happened before, and they have no reason for concern. Later that night, Josh notices a car outside of the house. He chases it and thinks Kailee was inside but can’t be sure.

Danielle takes a nap with her baby and wakes up to Kailee in the house, holding her baby, she grabs a fire poker and scares Kailee away. Kailee calls the police on Danielle and makes a case against them. The unhelpful cops take Kailee’s side and refuse to file a restraining order for Josh and Danielle.

A crash noise is heard downstairs, and shirtless Josh heads downstairs, flexing the hell out of his abs. Embrace the dad bod, Josh! He doesn’t see anything, but the next morning Danielle’s car is spraypainted with the work “Liar.” Detectives return and are unhelpful. Danielle and Josh are both very frustrated.

Josh works with a man named Tyler, who has a past. I’m not sure what they are talking about, but the sexual chemistry is off the charts between them. Josh asks Tyler to hack into the records from the agency and NOT to kiss.

After downloading the files, Tyler shows up to their house on a motorcycle. Josh and Tyler drink scotch while the third wheel Danielle is there too. The data shows that Kailee has been in therapy for her whole life. There is one record that is encrypted, and Tyler will need more time to decode it. On his way home, his motorcycle gets hit, and when he approaches the car, his throat is slashed. The files are stolen, and it is made to look like a robbery.

Feeling even more threatened, Dannielle and Josh install cameras around their house. While looking for a place to put the final camera, Josh notices a recording device is already in their home. Kailee is listening to them at all times. They decide to leave the device up and use it to their advantage.

Before that, though, we have to visit Kailee’s therapist. (Catherine Bell from General Hospital.) The therapist can’t give any information about Kailee but speaks in hypotheticals. She tells Danielle that Kailee is unstoppable or something. When Danielle leaves, she calls Carol or Kailee to warn her.

Kailee breaks into the home to steal the baby, but is tricked Danielle in a blonde wig??? Josh hits Kailee in the head, and they call the police. THIS time the cops believe them because everything was recorded on camera. Usually, this is where the movie would end, but we got 10 minutes left.

Danielle and Josh drink wine and celebrate that it is all over. While folding laundry Danielle sees that the therapist has been murdered. Kailee has been released from the custody of her mother. The lights go out, and the baby screams. Danielle and Josh rush to find their baby and run into Carol. At first, they are like what the hell are you doing here. Don’t worry, Carol tells them.

Carol is the woman from the beginning of the movie, and she stole Kailee as a baby from the hospital. Kailee couldn’t have kids, so she got fertilized instead. Carol stabs Josh, and then Danielle tackles Carol while screaming, “Leave my baby alone!” Carol is about to cut Danielle’s throat when Kailee shoots her mother dead.

The police take Kailee away while Danielle and Josh watch from under an umbrella. ella. ella.

Side Note

Minority Report: Multiple nurses, Dr. Peggs,

I enjoyed the leads in this movie. They were all great actors with nuanced performances.

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Overall rating

🔪🔪🔪🔪 (4 Knives)

🍷🍷🍷🍷 (4 glasses of wine required.)