The Bad Guardian (2024 Lifetime)
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Cast: Melissa Joan Hart, La La Anthony, Luis Bordonada
Director: Claudia Myers
Writer(s): Ashley Gable
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Lifetime)
The Bad Guardian is a riveting thriller about one woman’s fight to save her father from the clutches of a corrupt and greedy court-appointed “guardian”. When Leigh’s (Melissa Joan Hart) father Jason (Eric Pierpoint) suffers a fall while she’s out of town, the courts assign Jason a guardian, Janet (La La Anthony). At first Janet seems to be a big help to Jason, but things quickly take a terrible turn. Janet is legally in charge of every aspect of Jason’s life, and doesn’t waste any time placing him in a nursing home, auctioning off his house, all worldly possessions, and using the excuse that the proceeds are needed for his care. As Leigh continues to challenge Janet’s efforts, the guardian ultimately uses her power to prevent the family from visiting. In Janet’s care, Jason’s health deteriorates, to the point that he needs a life saving treatment which Janet decides is too expensive. As the whistleblowers around Jason meet untimely ends, Leigh finds the strength to take down the guardian and the corrupt system that supports her.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
Inspired by actual stories.
The movie starts with shots of nature. Melissa Joan Hart plays Lee in this movie but will only be referred to by her full name, is at a cabin with her husband and two kids. They all leave abruptly because Melissa Joan Hart’s dad, Jason Davis, is not returning her calls or messages.
When they get home, they find MJH’s dad’s phone on the floor and blood. The house is completely dark, and the father is nowhere to be seen. His car and keys are still home, so they call the police. The police searched for Jason but couldn’t find any patients with his name in the local hospitals. MJH and her family make MISSING signs like he is a lost puppy?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Jason is found to be a resident of Shadyside Retirement Home. Jason tells MJH that he slipped and hit his head. He called 911, and they determined he had a concussion. He tells MJH that the court-appointed Janet Timms (La La Anthony, who is unrecognizable.) as his temporary guardian. Janet won’t release Jason into MJH’s care because he needs rest, so Janet tells MJH to talk to the courts.
MJH works as a waitress and blatantly gets hit on at work while she is on hold with the court, but she keeps getting transferred and hung up on. When she finally gets through, MJH learns that the case for permanent guardianship is in one hour.
At court, Janet Timms, has sworn statements from a medical professional stating that Jason Davis is mentally unfit to take care of himself. MJH can’t serve as guardian because she has had a grand theft auto charge since she was 18. The judge grants full-time custody to Janet Timms.
Jason and his roommate take the medication prescribed and sneakily take Jason’s medical report.
Janet Timms holds an estate sale without telling MJH. She claims that the money will pay for Jason’s care and that she prioritizes his best interest. MJH grabs a Purple Heart medal and feels completely overwhelmed.
A nurse tells MJH that Janet Timms charges for everything, like phone calls or when she talks to MJH. Janet Timms represents multiple patients and makes a lot of money off of them. In her opinion, she helps older adults whose families are neglecting them.
Speaking of neglect, Jason Davis is sedated after he reviews his medical record, which causes a commotion. MJH stays by his bedside and is surprised to see how badly the nursing home is wearing him down. MJH tells her dad about Janet Timms selling the home and closing all his bank accounts.
MJH makes a serial killer board and pieces together that Janet Timm steals money and uses family members (her brother is the realtor, for example) to make money off of guardianship. She goes to the news station and tries to convince the anchor to cover the story, but he tells her that she needs to find more victims.
Cue a montage of MJH talking to people in town. (Even in Spanish!) When Janet Timms gets word of MJH, she visits her at the diner and threatens to stop giving her father care because she will be too busy with other clients.
MJH goes deeper into her quest for information and is run off the road for knowing too much. A hot cop doesn’t believe MJH, but he is hot!
The family is facing some real money issues and is no closer to exposing Janet Timms for the schemer she is. The news station takes the research but doesn’t make any promises. MJH helps at the station and even interviews the lead anchor! Putting the story together does take time away from her family.
The nurse at the nursing home has to stop giving MJH updates on her father for fear she will lose her job. MJH sneaks into the nursing home to talk to her father, and she finds out Janet Timms is ordering cheaper options, like amputation, instead of expensive and unneeded procedures. MJH gets arrested for trespassing, and Jason Davis gets his cellphone privileges taken away.
Janet Timm has the nurse fired anyway by threatening to take all her clients to another facility. This is the final straw for the nurse, who goes to the new station and spills everything she knows. Then, she is killed in a hit-and-run “accident.”
Jason Davis’s condition is worsened, and he and his roommate are drugged with sedatives to sleep through the night. It kills his roommate.
MJH has to argue her case herself in front of the judge since she can’t afford a lawyer. She hopes the news story will give her some momentum, but the news story is canceled.
In court, the judge is so biased it isn’t even funny. It’s a good thing Melissa Joan Hart recorded a conversation she had with Janet Timms before going into court that is incriminating to herself AND the judge. (It is a good “gotcha” moment.) MJH is awarded full custody of her father.
While leaving court, the press shouts questions at Janet Timms, and her brother is arrested for the hit and run.
Melissa Joan Heart busts her father out of Shady Sides and throws him an 85th birthday party. The end!
Side Note/Stray Thoughts
Shadyside or SHADYPINES!!!???
The B plot with the son joining the band was RANDOM!!! I was waiting for a Freak Friday concert reunion of the whole family.
There are approximately 1.3 million adult guardianships in the United States and an estimated $50 billion in assets under guardianship arrangements.
Victims of elder abuse lose $28.3 billion annually.
(AARP BankSafe Initiative. (2023).
The Scope of Elder Financial Exploitation: What it Costs Victims.
Over 70% of assisted living facilities are for-profit.
Overall rating
Number of Kills: 🔪🔪(2 knives)
Enjoyment Level (1-5 scale)
🍷🍷🍷 (3 Glasses of Wine)
Should you watch it?
Pour it up! (Give it a shot)
Put a Cork in It (Skip It)
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*Photo Credit: © 2024 Lifetime® | A+E Networks®
Gotta say I loved this one!