My Son Didn’t Do It (2023 Lifetime)
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Cast: Gina Holden, Jason Cermak, Zoë Christie, Quinten James
Director: Soran Mardookhi
Writer: Jan Libby
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Lifetime)
Doing her best to balance a successful career with family life, a single mom’s world spirals out of control when her shy teenage son is arrested for the murder of a young woman he met online. Stars Gina Holden, Jason Cermak, and Zoe Christie (2023).
Recap/Wine Thoughts.
The movie begins with a teenage boy named Taylor texting in a hallway while his widow mother, Helen, makes dinner in the kitchen with her longtime friend Judy. They talk about work, and then Helen shares her concerns about her son being bullied at school.
Taylor, who is definitely not a teen (He is more like a 30-year-old with a dorky haircut.) He is distracted messaging someone on his phone and embarrassed when his mother throws him a celebratory dinner. (He got an award for excellence in science.)
More NOT teens Gia and Miles come over and ask Taylor who he is texting. Gia is a protective sister and worries about his online girlfriend being a catfish or a bot.
Sophia, a popular girl throws herself a surprise party and invites everyone in school except a nerd named Lucas, who looks a lot like Taylor… so I’m confused. Taylor thinks it would be. a good opportunity to introduce Emma to his friends and sister.
Helen’s pitch for an energy-efficient home goes over well at work. She impresses a colleague from Chicago named Jack. Jack tries to win Helen over, but that isn’t possible after she finds the hunk looking through her office.
Taylor IS getting bullied at school, and people, including his sister, call him “King of the Nerds.” He receives a threatening photo with knives, and it is creepy. Gia tells her brother to be careful. He skips the party (Where everyone dances awkwardly!) after Emma ghosts him and doesn’t return any of his messages. Taylor thinks he might just be the worlds biggest loser. (Hate to say, he might be right!) Helen talks to her son and encourages him. She talks about an example of him exhibiting bravery and shares that he inspires her to do the same. (They are all still grieving the death of his father, who only died two years ago.)
Police knock on the door in the middle of the night with a warrant to arrest Taylor for the murder of Popular girl Sophia. Helen and Gia scream at the police. (Who says “Process” with a VERY Canadian accent.)
The next morning Judy brings over some muffins and tells Helen that she saw Taylor running down the street. She promises not to tell the police, but suggests that Helen talk to Taylor because he isn’t telling. the whole truth. Then Helen checks the security footage and verifies that her son did in fact leave the house. (The police didn’t have a warrant for that footage!? What evidence do they even have to arrest him?!) Helen shows her daughter the footage and Gia is sure that her brother would’t hurt Popular Girl Sophia.
The press hangout outside of the house and take photos. They couldn’t get THIS guy to play a teen? He looks more teenage than any of the actors portraying teens. (Amiright?!)
At the jail, Helen meets with her son in an empty room. He is handcuffed and in an orange jumpsuit. (Which seems extreme. He didn’t get offered bail?) He tells his mother that he got a text from Emma late at night asking to meet in a park. When Taylor went to the park he was surprised to find Popular Sophia there and they had a good laugh about being catfished. (Lifetime drops the definition here, haha.) Helen promises that she will do everything in her power to prove Taylor didn’t do it!!!!!!
Helen and Gia go through Taylor’s gaming laptop (Which was expertly hidden) to find the text messages he sent with Emma. Then Helen meets with a lawyer, who lays out the facts that the police have, which is basically Taylor was in the park with Sophia. There is also an eyewitness.
Jack randomly makes himself home at Helen’s house and makes dinner for her and Gia. Gia is happy her mother has a handsome man-friend. Jack stays to eat dinner and goes over evidence, which is presumptuous. He offers to go on a late-night walk with Helen, and it is obvious he has a crush… or is the killer.
While they are walking, Gia is left alone in the house. An intruder breaks in, and Gia is sure that the reporter AND someone else is inside the house. They steal Taylor’s gaming laptop and a present for Emma that Taylor had made. When they call the police, the cops say they will be by sometime and are uninterested in helping a “murder’s family.” Gia decides it is time to tell her mom about the bullying and the creepy notes. Helen has Gia go to the school and talk to the students to see what word around town in.
Gia gets to school and is surprised to find the doors locked. School is canceled. Jack’s daughter also goes to the school and tells Gia that school is closed. Her name is Delaney and she is in the chemistry class with Taylor. She suspects Lucas is getting revenge for coming in second in the science fair. (What is this The Hardy Boys?!)
Judy inexplicably vents to Helen about her failing app and Miles failing a midterm. READ THE ROOM, JUDY! Helen is a freaking saint because she comforts her friend before going to see Taylor in jail.
The lawyer and Helen meet Taylor and go through the evidence. The lawyer shows some footage from the city that shows Taylor and Sophia walking in the same direction. Taylor becomes irate and screams that he is innocent.
The green house project is in jeopardy and Helen is fired to end the bad publicity. Jack is assigned to take over the project and Helen doesn’t take it well. She thinks he had taken advantage of the situation.
After some threatening text messages and murderer scrawled on the garage, Helen and Gia review the city security footage and see Delaney’s car. Then Helen witnesses Miles and Delaney arguing in a car. It seems Delaney is upset because she saw Miles crying at Sophia’s lame candlelight vigil. She thinks Miles is in love with Sophia.
Helen and Gia start keeping things from Judy and Miles because they are possible suspects. Then Lucas, turns up dead and Gia is a suspect?!?! (Come on police, do better!) Gia finds Delaney a school and screams in her face, creating a scene.
Miles and Delaney come clean about making up Emma together. Miles tells Gia that Sophia’s death was his fault. He loved Sophia and send her a catfish text to meet in the park. He sent Taylor a message so they would meet as a decoy and then Miles would confess his feelings for Sophia. Sophia is unimpressed with Miles and calls him a creep. He grabs Sophia and. her head hits a rock, killing her. Then he called his mom to help him cover it up. (I KNEW JUDY WAS SHADY!) Gia tries to call her mom to warn her.
Helen doesn’t get Gia’s call but she gets. a call from Jack, who is also warning her about Judy. Judy tries to plead with Helen and there is a struggle over the phone. Gia and Jack race to help Helen before it is too late. Gia sprays Judy with pepper spray and the police arrest Miles (who wasn’t there, but ok!) and Judy. (The makeup team had fun with this one!)
Taylor is released from prison and the family have a nice dinner with some wine. Jack and Delaney are also now a part of the family, so that is nice for Helen. The end.
Side Note/Stray Thoughts
I know this isn’t Law and Order, but the law AND order were pretty sketchy on this one.
Also Known As: Catfish Murder
Minority Report: Lawyer Susan
Overall rating
Number of Kills: 🔪🔪 (2 knives)
Enjoyment Level (1-5) 🍷🍷🍷 (3 Glasses of Wine)
Should you watch it?
Pour it up! (Give it a shot, some good LOLs)
What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments or on social media @LifetimeUncorked & @patrickmiguel
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I’ve seen that actress in a lot of Lifetime movies. She needs bangs. Even side bangs. Her forehead is too prominent, her face is very square and severe. It’s distracting. Some hair across the forehead would soften her face.