Adopted in Danger (2020 Lifetime)

Adopted in Danger (2020 Lifetime)

Cast: Allison Paige, Tyler Johnson, Christie Burson,

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Synopsis (via Lifetime)

When a DNA test helps Candace connect with her birth parents, she realizes some family histories are better left untold.

Thoughts

A woman is running while crying an holding a baby. (Has there ever been a more Lifetimey sentence?) A man takes the baby away from the woman, who is named Henrietta.

ANOTHER woman, named Candace, is running with her floppy-haired/charmingly out of shape husband named Sean. She has recently sent in her DNA to one of the 23 and Me things. The couple is trying to start a family, and she wants to know more about her past. (Her parents are both dead.) Candace is anxiously awaiting the results and busies herself with her work.

Outside of work, an old man confronts Candace and is mumbling about knowing her and apologizing for something he did. Candace is creeped out and runs inside. Thankfully her DNA test results are in, and she is 50% Irish and 50% Dutch. (Haha!) She was hoping for more info, and her co-worker Allie has connections in the police department.

Sean hears about Candace’s plan, and he tells her to be careful because families aren’t always so great. She should be happy with him and his shirtless self.

The police results come back. Candace is related to the Mason family, who practically owns the neighboring town. She decides to email Tom Mason, her father. The email doesn’t go through, so Candace and Sean go to his office. Candace walks in and runs right into Tom Mason. They go to a conference room, and she tells him that she is his daughter. He denies her allegation and to add insult to injury asks his sons to escort her out. He is lying, he is the man from the beginning of the movie but much older now, obviously.

Tom and his wife, Jeannette, have a heated conversation. It turns out Tom did one of the DNA test things last year as a Christmas gift. (This movie is shading these tests sooo badly!)

Candace can’t take no for an answer. Over cheesecake, she asks her journalist friend Margot to help her investigate the family. Margot finds out that Felix Rossman was a former business partner/VP of the company who was ousted by Tom Mason. He also happens to be the old man who creeped out Candace. He must have known Candace as a baby. Allie is happy the three girls are bonding over the investigation.

Jeannette isn’t so happy to hear about the investigation, she sends a worker or maybe a son to rob Candace for the files she has on the Mason family. Candace is shaken up, but Sean is adorable and cooks her dinner to make her feel better. Next on Jeannette’s to-do list is to take care of Felix. (He is suffocated to death.)

The three amigos get back together and drink wine and eat Chinese food. (Oh, and do more investigating!) The party is cut short when Candace realizes she left her phone at work. In the darkened office, Candace starts to think she isn’t alone. (She isn’t someone is snooping around hacking computers and stealing files.) The alarm goes off, and Candace runs out like she is a criminal for going into her place of work?

Shirtless, Sean convinces Candace to call the police and report that someone broke into her office. Detective Fraiser (Played by Cameron Radice.) comes to the office the next day, and he is the hottest detective I have ever seen in a Lifetime movie. Woah!

Allie and Candace go to a work function in Vegas. They plan on partying and even bring light-up baseball caps that read “party.” The girls dance with nametags on while drinking. Then they take a late-night dip in the pool. (Which is closed.) Candace leaves Allie alone and drunk in the pool, which seems like a bad friend move. (IT IS BECAUSE Allie GET SNIPED IN THE POOL?!?!?) It is a case of mistaken identity; the sniper thought that Allie was Candace because of the light-up party hat.

Morgan is getting too close to the investigation and is chased by another car. When she thinks she has evaded them, Morgan realizes that her breaks are out and gets into a fatal car accident.

This is turning out to be a deadly adoption! Candace is convinced this is all her fault and cries to Sean. (Who unfortunately has his shirt on this time.) Sean seems a little too supportive. I’m beginning to have my doubts about him now.

Candace continues to investigate on her own. In a strangely edited sequence, Candace sneaks into Tom Mason’s office and finds an old letter and missing person flyer. It is Henrietta! Candace is almost caught but hides under a couch. Candace overhears Jeannette yelling at Tom for having an affair thirty years ago. They killed the secretary and sent Candace away. Jeannette also admits to killing Felix, Allie, and Morgan. She really lays it all out in some very overworked/terrible dialogue. Literally saying, “You need to kill your daughter.” The scene lasts way too long, and Tom doesn’t even agree to do it in the end.

Jannette has to take matters in her own hands. She brings Candace to a cabin in the woods, ties, her up, and talks some MORE. The villain monologue is banal and repetitive since we just had a five-minute scene of her saying the same things to Tom. Candace attempts to untie herself and gets to her cellphone. She tells Sean that she is in the woods and needs help. He encourages her, but the call drops.

Sean isn’t a bad guy! Tom comes to him and says Candace is in trouble. They work together to stop Jannette from killing Candace. The only problem is they have no idea where she could be. Tom recruits his sons and tells them that his mother is dangerous.

Jannette follows Candace around with a gun and shoots at her. Candace finds a piece of wood and hits Jannette in the head. “That’s for Felix, and for Allie, and for Margot!” Candace cries. The hot detective shows up, and Tom explains everything. He didn’t kill Henrietta; he smuggled her across the Canadian border and is going to call her to bring her back.

Tom faces no repercussions for his actions, well six months in house arrest, and dating Henrietta. Candace has a gender reveal party (which is problematic.) and invites Henrietta! They are one big dysfunctional family.

Side Note

Minority Report: Allie, Cynthia.

Charming leads couldn’t save this dud. SO MANY POINTLESS SCENES. (Plus they did Allie so dirty)

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Overall rating

🔪🔪 (2 Knives)

🍷🍷🍷🍷 (4 glasses of wine required.)