The Baby Stealer (2020 Lifetime)

The Baby Stealer (2020 Lifetime)

Cast: Sara Mitich, Kristian Bruun, Brigitte Kingsley

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Synopsis (via Lifetime)

After a traumatizing robbery, Rachel and her husband Peter decide to move away from the city to start their family. Rachel finds it difficult to get to know her new neighbors, except for Sandy. The two women hit it off instantly, and when Rachel is put on bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy, Sandy is more than willing to help. However, things start to take a dark turn when Rachel notices Sandy’s suspicious behavior. Rachel then sees Sandy with a baby no one even knew she had. As Sandy’s odd behavior begins to spiral out of control, Rachel begins to fear her unborn child may be what Sandy truly desires. (2020)

Thoughts

Reports of raise crime “in the city” play as a woman walks alone in an alley. She is on her phone, like a dummy, and walks right by a creepy man who is obviously a robber. He steals her purse, and the pretty blonde moves to the suburbs.

Seven months later, Rachel (the blonde) is pregnant AF and moving into a house with her baby daddy, Peter. Rachel and Peter (Orphan Black alumni, Kristian Bruun.) are a mismatch, but it is nice to see an average man in a Lifetime movie. (The hunks can be exhausting; this guy looks like a nice guy to Netflix and chill with, or Lifetime and chill.)

The suburbs are a weird place, and everyone is in Rachel’s business. Grace (who is into astrology), fit mommy Yvonne, and Sandy, the cool next-door neighbor. Sandy is a divorcee’ who could never get pregnant. She is thrilled to help Rachel set up the nursery and look at all the baby stuff. They are fast friends.

In the middle of the night, Rachel hears someone downstairs and grabs a melon to protect herself. Is it her mother or future mother in law, Patricia? (I think she also might be the realtor.)Does she move into the house? Who invited her!

Rachel begins to notice things amiss in the neighborhood. Yvonne catches her babysitter sleeping with her husband and kills her. Rachel and Gary (who is walking his dog) witness the whole thing through the window and call the police. The police check it out, but the nanny is nowhere to be found. Gary denies seeing anything. The stress causes Rachel to almost go into labor, and she is put on bed rest.

Since we have a lot of movie left, Rachel questions all the neighbors; none of them are thrilled to see her. Everyone slams the door in her face, pretty much. The only one who supports her is Sandy. They eat bagels together while gossiping, and if that isn’t bonding… I don’t know what is! Patricia is worried and yells at Rachel when she comes home. Then she takes her phone and computer so Rachel can destress. It doesn’t work and makes Rachel feel trapped. (Everyone in 2020 can relate.)

Ever the caring husband, except when his mother is around, Peter orders his wife dinner and sets her up with a she-shed in the back yard. Sandy stops by and has a cool conversation with Patricia. Then she rubs Rachel’s belly and stands outside her window in the middle of the night. “Nothing bad happens in the suburbs,” Sandy assures Rachel.

Peter and Rachel argue because she is so anxious about everything. Rachel is concerned that Sandy is going to kidnap her baby. He doesn’t believe the things she is saying and calls a doctor for help when Rachel insists on calling 911 again. She is prescribed anti-anxiety medication.

Rachel seizes an opportunity to sneak into Sandy’s home after she steals her house keys. The house full of empty picture frames and a replica of the nursery from her house. She is almost caught by Sandy, but gets out undetected. (Except for an overturned framed photo of a pregnant Sandy.)

In the middle of the night, Rachel and Peter hear a news story about a stolen baby. Rachel sees Sandy getting out of her car with a baby and screams at Peter to believe her. She throws something at Peter and gets so angry that she passes out.

The police investigate and don’t find anything. Everyone gaslights Rachel except one female officer who is sympathetic and gives her a business card.

The next day, Sandy brings over a pie. Rachel pretends to eat it but spits it out. Then she gathers her nanny cams and sets up a surveillance video on the block. She sees Peter flirting with Yvonne and decides to end things with him. Rachel is convinced that Peter is conspiring to take the baby. Peter and Patricia disappear, leaving Sandy to take care of Rachel and the baby.

Sandy finds the baby monitor and shames Rachel for not trusting her neighbor. Rachel knows she is in trouble and calls Office Lee, the lady cop. Sandy stops her with a butch knife and forces Rachel downstairs. Patricia is unconscious on the floor. Sandy wants “twin” babies and plans on stealing Rachel’s to complete her set.

In Sandy’s house, Rachel is forced into the basement with the stolen baby. Sandy opens up about her miscarriage that ruined her marriage. She is unhinged. Rachel smashes Sandy in the head with a vase and grabs the baby. Then she locks Sandy in the basement as her water breaks, and she goes into labor.

Rachel fights for her life and screams for help in between contractions. (Haha) Officer Lee bursts in and shoots Sandy in the back. Sandy somehow survives and knocks out the police officer. Rachel grabs the officer’s gun and shoots Sandy with some low budget CGI gunshots.

In the hospital, Rachel is united with her baby girl; she names her… Sandy. Just kidding, she names the baby Alice. Peter and Patricia show up and apologize for not believing Rachel. Rachel forgives them, but Patricia is still annoying and meddling in the worst way. They sell the house and move back to the city. No kiss? Ugh. The end.

Side Note

Minority Report: Officer, Reporter, Mystery Man, Doctor,

Also known as: A Deadly View, and was initially released in 2018 but rebranded for a 2020 LMN premiere.

There was some weird missing footage in this movie that repeated the same sequence over to fill time. Very strange.

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Overall rating

🔪🔪 (2 Knives)

🍷🍷🍷🍷 (4 glasses of wine required.)