Maternal Secrets (2020 Lifetime)
Stars: Kate Mansi, Kelly McGillis, Brooke Burfitt
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Synopsis (via Lifetime)
While on vacation in Bermuda, a woman searches the island for her boyfriend after he disappears
Thoughts
Newly inaugurated senator Jackson Lewis delivers an acceptance speech to his team and donors, celebrating their win. He promotes Laura, his campaign manager, to his PR manager. Laura has too much to drink (but is probably roofied) and is escorted to the new senator’s office. She wakes up naked in an office chair and throws a coat over herself and curls up in a fetal position.
Cut to a tropical island, Bermuda to be exact. We get so many establishing shots I forget what channel I am watching and think I am watching HGTV. Then I see a pregnant lady named Aubrey with a life-size boyfriend pillow and remember, I am watching Lifetime. Aubrey is married to Jackson Lewis. As she is taking pictures, Jackson walks around with seafood and rum, which is just rude to do around a pregnant woman who can’t consume either.
Aubrey doubts Jackson wants to settle down because he isn’t close to his family. Jackson hasn’t even introduced Aubrey to his mother because his mother can be difficult. While lounging at the pool, Aubrey can’t get herself comfortable because she is pregnant AF. She goes to her room to take a nap and ends up sleeping a little too long. When she awakens, Jackson is nowhere to be found. After multiple texts and calls, Aubrey starts to get frantic. (He has epilepsy and she is very concerned.)
In the middle of the night, Aubrey gets an email from Jackson saying he needs some space and that their relationship is moving too fast. While leaving the resort, Aubrey runs into Jackson’s mother, Rose, in the lobby. Rose is evasive and coy in the lobby about Jackson’s whereabouts. Rose tells Aubrey that Jackson doesn’t love her and needs some distance. Then coolly saunters off.
Jackson gets blackmailed by his own mother. While he was lounging at the pool (earlier in the movie), he received a letter asking him to meet his mother in a suite. (Why she is there and he goes so willingly, IDK!) Jackson’s mother isn’t in the suite a blonde woman in lingerie is, she attempts to seduce him. The blonde, Samantha, is Jackson’s ex-girlfriend. Samantha threatens to leak the story of the sexual assault that happened to Laura. (The movie cuts to 18 months ago to give us a very boring scene that gives unnecessary backstory. This happens continually throughout the movie to give a glimpse into Samantha and Jackson’s troubled relationship.)
Mama Rose walks around the island like a boss while Aubrey is alone and has no one to turn to. Aubrey tries to sweet-talk a receptionist but is deterred by the manager. The receptionist breaks protocol and gives Aubrey the information on Rose’s room reservations. Aubrey does some snooping and finds photos of Samanta and Jackson, a bunch of condoms, and a bathroom full of blood. The police are contacted. Rose and Aubrey are brought in for questioning and to review hotel security footage of Jackson being taken out of the building.
Outside of the resort, Mama Rose and Aubrey team up to look for Jackson; they meander around the island but do not find him. Then we get a shot of a bloody Jackson tied to a bed and being fed sedatives by Samantha, who is still wearing lingerie. He halfheartedly struggles against his restraints and has more flashbacks to 18 months ago. Samantha goes out for a bit to meet up with Mama Rose and leaves the largest pair of scissors by the bed. (I’m talking ribbon-cutting scissors!) Eventually, he passes out and dreams — or is this a flashback? Samantha drugged the campaign manager and staged the sexual assault while saying, “There is only room for one woman in his life.” Then she takes photos of the naked woman to blackmail Jackson into doing whatever she wants. (VERY cringe-worthy!)
Jackson pretends to come around, and Samantha is so excited she mounts him and undoes his pants. The mood is ruined when she finds an engagement ring in his pocket. Samantha doesn’t get it and thinks the ring is for her. Once she realizes, she starts slapping him and then goes to the kitchen to grab a knife and cuts Jackson free. Instead of stabbing Jackson, Samantha breaks a wine bottle and cuts her legs with the shards of glass, screaming for Jackson to stop hurting her. She blames Jackson for her injuries when the police arrive. Jackson is taken to the police station and uses his one phone call to contact his mother. (Who turns out to NOT be Mama Rose; it isCountess Luann?!?! (Luann de Lesseps from Real Housewives.)
On a private boat, Mama Rose and Aubrey sail out into the middle of the ocean. Aubrey goes through Mama Rose’s purse and finds out her name is Mama Kelly. Once they are back on the mainland, Aubrey runs away and screams for help. Samantha shows up and tries to kill Aubrey, and the three women struggle in the street. They are all hit by a car.
Aubrey wakes up in the hospital. Jackson is by her side and tells her that they had a baby boy by C-section. Jackson proposes. Countess Luann shows up and congratulates them, and so do Aubrey’s parents. Aubrey visits her son in the NICU. They drive away in a pink van that says “baby on board?” Whaaaaaaaaa?????????
Side Note
Lifetime usually goes all out for Mother’s Day; this one felt lackluster. I mean, a political storyline, really?
This movie premiered in 2020 but was filmed in 2018 by Marvista. I can’t say for sure, but I imagine this is a movie that Lifetime passed on and then reacquired because of COVID-19 and filming delays on other movies.
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Overall rating: Put a Cork in it
🔪🔪 (2 Knives)
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*Photo Credit: © 2020 Lifetime
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