Before Your Father Finds Us (2025 Lifetime Movie)
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Cast: Alexa PenaVega, Tahmoh Penikett
Director: Jason Bourque
Writer(s): Jason Bourque, Julie Auerbach
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Lifetime)
Sophia and her daughter are forced to go into witness protection after she has to testify against her ex-husband, Mason, for his crimes. After years of living a seemingly normal life, Sophia learns that Mason has escaped from his maximum security prison.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
Inspired by true events.
The movie begins in a parole hearing of a man named Mason Walker. He has been in prison for ten years and claims to have undergone a profound transformation. His parole is denied, so Mason Walker kills a guard and walks out the front door with his credentials. He is an escaped felon on the run and looking for his wife.
Sophia is at church with her teenage daughter, Emily, singing, “Amazing Grace.” Sophia is in hiding (maybe witness protection?) and dating a guy named Steve. (Steve is HOT!) Sophia rejects Steve when he tries to give her a key to his place; she wants no strings.
Emily is alone in a parking lot, and Mason comes up behind her with a family photo. He tells her that he is her father, and Emily is confused because Sophia told her that her father died. Mason asks Emily to keep his visit a secret and asks for a hug. IT IS CREEPY! Emily asks her mom what she would do if her father were still alive, and Sophia is like, “Uhh, why?”
Mason visits Sophia after her date with Steve, and she is surprised to see him out on parole. He tells her that he forgives her for testifying in his trial and says he wants to reconnect and repair their family. Sophia plans a date with Mason and plays it cool. She calls the detective working the case and grabs a gun. Sophia is running from her ex-husband.
Emily goes to her first sleepover with a friend named Tula. As they are hanging out, eating cookies and pizza, the friends see a news report on TV about the escaped convict, and Emily is like, “Uhhh, that’s my dad!” Amanda, Tula’s mom, calls Sophia and promises to keep the kids safe while she gets her things in order.
Sophia hot-wires a car and rushes to pick up her daughter from the sleepover. Emily is distraught to learn she has grown up in witness protection and calls her mom a lying bitch. (I may be paraphrasing.)
After a drive through the night, Emily and Sophia/Alex end up in the woods. They hide out and walk to an isolated cabin by the lake. They don’t tell anyone where they are. Sophia/Alex explains to her daughter that Mason is a serious threat to them.
Meanwhile, Steve looks for Sophia/Alex in her home and has a run-in with Mason, they get into a VIOLENT altercation, and Mason beats the crap out of Steve and throws him in the back of his pickup. Poor Steve! Amanda and Tulu are next on Mason’s list, and he tries to get them to tell him where Sophia/Alex is.
Sophia/Alex is ready for Mason and shows Emily how to shoot a gun and use a bear trap. It is good that she does because Mason finds them and kidnaps Emily. He takes her deep into the woods, and Sophia/Alex follows them with a gun.
There is a shoot-out, and the FBI shows up to ‘protect Sophia/Alex, and Emily. Too bad one of the FBI guys is crooked and working with Mason. They overpower the good FBI guy and take Steve hostage to get Sophia/Alex to come out of the cabin.
Sophia/Alex confronts Mason and lures him to her bear trap. She pulls a gun on Mason and tells him it is over after a long, drawn-out fight. Emily tells her mom that Mason isn’t worth it, and he is apprehended and returned to jail.
Sophia/Alex is out of witness protection, and she comes clean to the congregation about being in witness protection; everyone then sings “Amazing Grace” again.
The end!
STRAY Thoughts
I’m not sure what to think about Alexa PenaVega’s foray into Lifetime territory from Hallmark. Even though this was about an escaped convict who is working with a crooked FBI agent, it all seemed pretty tame.
Seemed like guns and bear traps solve everything!
Overall rating
Number of Kills: ????
Lifetime Tropes: Kidnapping, Fake Identity,
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!)
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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