Trapped in Her Dorm Room(2025 Lifetime Movie)
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Cast: Ciara Hanna, Will Sparks III, Nicole Dionne, Ishika Muchhal
Director: Peter Sullivan
Writer(s): Casey John
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Lifetime)
When a classmate’s adoration turns into a dangerous obsession, college student Erin finds herself held captive in her own dorm room during Spring Break. Ciara Hanna, William Sparks, Aja Hinds, Ishika Muchhal, and Nicole Dionne (2025).
Recap/Wine Thoughts
On an empty college campus, a guy calls out for Erin, but Erin does NOT want to be found. Is it a twisted game of hide and seek or a stalker situation?
Flash to one week earlier, Erin takes a painting class, and her classmate Cade, who has a huge backpack, is obviously obsessed with Erin. (Cade has the same voice as the hide-and-seek stalker and is clocked immediately.) They plan to stay on campus during spring break to work on a big project. Erin’s roommate, Kaley, wants Erin to join her on a beach trip and tells Erin she studies too much. Before Kaley leaves, she gives Erin a pair of earrings.
The earrings are not the only gift Erin receives, Cade draws a picture of her, and she is so touched that Erin hangs it on her wall. The dorm throws a big party the night before spring break, and Anna, the RA, is very annoyed. Erin’s last-minute changes her mind and decides to go with Kaley on spring break, and Cade gets VERY upset and judgemental.
The argument continues in Erin’s dorm room, and Cade “accidentally.” knocks Erin out. He puts Erin in her bed to make her look like she passed out. Kaley thinks Erin sleeps and blows her off for spring break, but Cade has other plans. Cade hides under the bed, changes the dorm room lock, steals Erin’s phone, and tells Erin he loves her.
Cade explains that he will keep Erin captive for the week and promises to take good care of her in her dorm room. Erin tries to call for help, but the campus is empty, and no one hears her cries. Cade tells Erin to cooperate, and things will go a lot smoother. Cade stupidly orders food, and RA Anna brings it to Erin’s room, surprised Erin is still on campus. Cade holds Erin hostage with a pair of scissors.
Erin calls Cade weird, and that is a mistake because he slaps her and demands she not call him that. Cade also makes Erin work on her art homework, which is at least productive. The only rub is that Cade wants a portrait of himself. Erin has to think fast and dumps some of her anti-anxiety meds to send Cade out to get a refill for her.
Cade has trouble picking up the prescription and tries to pretty-privilege his way into getting the Rx refilled. With Cade gone, Erin tries to pick the lock with a hairpin. She manages to get out, but Cade comes up the elevator, and she rushes back to pretend to be painting.
RA Anna starts to ask too many questions. She is rightfully concerned after not seeing Erin for days. Anna continues to knock on the door and even pulls up Erin’s social media. She notices Erin and Cade arguing in the background of one of Kayle’s social media videos and goes to talk to campus police.
Campus police are just as unhelpful as regular Lifetime police. Campus Security at this school is apparently a model. She joins Anna in the search for Erin, and they search both Erin and Cade’s dorm room. Cade holds Erin in the closet, then rushes to his dorm room and pretends to just be back from a run. Cade tells them that he is Erin’s boyfriend and everything is okay. Campus Security is satisfied but asks Cade to have Erin call the office. RA Anna isn’t as satisfied and calls Erin’s mother to ask if she has heard from her daughter. The mother begins to worry and calls Erin to check-in.
Cade zip-ties Erin to her bed after he catches her unlocking the door and gags her to keep her quiet. (All this happens during a thunderstorm, of course.) Cade thinks he is saving Erin from the debauchery of Spring Break and becoming a whore drug addict. When Kaely checks in, Cade sends a selfie and text to keep her off his back.
Erin asks Cade to let her shower and change her clothes. Erin tries to figure out how to turn her shampoo bottle into a weapon and settles for her leg razor blade instead. (Which is probs a better choice.) Erin hides the blade in her mattress like she is on Orange is the New Black.
While painting Cade, Erin has to not only be held captive, she has to hear about his childhood trauma. (Note to Erin, you do not need to be your captor’s therapist.) Cade can’t handle his emotions and has to rush off to his dorm room to hit himself and break a mirror.
RA Anna finally hears Erin’s screams and rushes to save her dormer. Surprisingly, RA Anna gets Erin free, and they rush to the elevator, only to be stopped by Cade.
Erin’s mother continues to text and call, but Cade ignores her. Erin convinces Cade to respond and works their secret safe word, “pineapple,” into the text response. Clumsely, sure, but Erin gets it in. Erin’s mother gets Cade’s criminal record and calls Cade’s ex-girlfriend, who has a restraining order against Cade.
Cade is confused when Erin’s tune changes. She asks him to plan a fancy dinner date for them. Cade is excited as he gets ready and chats with Anna, who is tied to his computer chair. When he brings the takeout to Erin’s room, she judges him for not using proper plates for a fancy dorm dinner. As Cade gets out of Erin’s nice China, Erin puts crushed-up medication into his Pad See Ew.
Erin asks the question we are all thinking, “What was Cade’s plan AFTER Spring Break exactly?” He thinks things will go back to normal, and he and Erin will date. Then he passes out from the pills. Erin rushes for her phone and tries to call 911, but Cade wakes up and wrestles the phone out of her hands. Cade strangles Erin in the heat of the moment and is horrified with himself. That doesn’t stop him from restraining Erin again and duct-taping her mouth.
Campus Security gets a call from Erin’s mother and is like, “Uh Oh!” She rushes to Erin’s dorm and busts down the door. Campus Security is horrified by what she finds and tries to free the college student when Cade knocks her out and ties Campus Security up with Anna. Erin reassures Cade that it will all work out and thanks him for inspiring her to paint for class.
When the painting is finished, she shows Cade, and he is so shocked by his portrait that Erin gets a chance to knock him over the head with a mason jar. Erin makes a run for it, and we are back to our hide-and-seek game. Erin’s mother makes it to campus and searches for her daughter, too.
Erin’s mother finds Cade, and the mother-daughter duo beat the crap out of him with some paint cans. Cade is arrested, and Erin asks her mom if she can study abroad next semester. (Soooo we are getting a sequel? Haha!)
STRAY Thoughts
This movie theorizes that Cade’s abusive/obsessive tendencies stem from childhood trauma. Cool, thanks for the backstory, movie.
Overall rating
Number of Kills: None (0 knives)
Lifetime Tropes: Stalker, Protective mother, trapped somewhere.
Enjoyment Level (1-5 scale)
🍷🍷 (2 Glasses of Wine)
Should you watch it?
Pour it Up (Give it a shot!)
Put a Cork in it! (Skip it!)
What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments or on social media at @LifetimeUncorked and @patrickmiguel.
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*Photo Credit: © 2025 A&E Television Networks, LLC
Let me know what you thought of the movie in the comments below or @lifetimeuncorked
That painting looks like my former roommate. He was awful.
They have got to stop casting 30-somethings as college kids! 🤦🏼♀️
It’s my favorite Lifetime thing hahah
The boyfriend from Nightmare at the Desert makes a small cameo appearance in this movie as one of the security guards
Hilarious recap as always. ANTM security guard took me out!! 😂😂