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Lifetime Review: 'Accused at 17'

A secret amongst teenage girls leads to betrayal and murder in this dramatic Lifetime thriller.

By Trevor WellsPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Fun fact: Nicole Gale Anderson appeared in Mean Girls 2, making this poster's tagline very ironic.

Bianca Madler (Nicole Gale Anderson) is having a tough time. Not only is she having trouble adjusting to her mother's budding relationship with her boyfriend, she has just found out that her own boyfriend Chad (Reiley McClendon) has cheated on her with her classmate Dory Holland (Lindsay Taylor). Angry and wanting revenge on Dory, Bianca conspires with her two best friends, Fallyn and Sarah (Janet Montgomery and Stella Maeve), to prank Dory in revenge for her actions.

Later on though, after their prank is finished, Dory suddenly disappears, with her body later being discovered near the area where the prank commenced. Fearing the police would blame her and her friends for Dory's death, Bianca goes along with Fallyn's plan to keep their prank hidden from the police investigation. But unbeknownst to Bianca, Fallyn and Sarah know more about Dory's death than they're letting on— as Fallyn had killed Dory in a fit of rage and had Sarah help her hide the body. When her secret becomes too much for Bianca to handle and she confesses the prank to her mother Jacqui (Cynthia Gibb), Bianca furthers her lengths to protect her secret—by framing Bianca for Dory's murder, aided by her wealthy and pampered mother Claire (Barbara Niven). Desperate to clear her daughter's name, Jacqui and Bianca work to reveal the truth while Fallyn proves she's willing to go to desperate lengths to protect her dark secret...

Like Dead at 17, Accused at 17 centers around teenagers unintentionally getting wrapped up in an accidental murder, with one of them going to extreme lengths to cover their actions. And much like Dead at 17, Accused at 17's central theme is regarding privilege that comes with wealth and how far some are willing to go to keep that privilege. The plot is also significantly darker, with one particular scene of Fallyn's most diabolical act going beyond what is typical of most teenage Lifetime villains. Fallyn initially appears to be the typical rich and pampered teenage girl, but quickly turns into a genuinely horrific villainess, with Janet Montgomery playing her with terrifying viciousness and surprising depth.

Casting is strong all around, with Nicole Gale Anderson making for a likable and sympathetic protagonist. While she's not immune to Lifetime's "Bratty Teen Girl" trope, Bianca is ultimately just an average teenager (with all the hormones that implies) that agrees to a vengeful prank out of anger and heartache. But even with that, Bianca didn't intend for anything bad to happen to Dory, and her emotionally driven mistake ultimately puts her entire future in jeopardy thanks to her so-called "friend". Cynthia Gibb and Barbara Niven also act as nice parallel characters, with Gibb excelling as a mother determined to protect her child's freedom while Niven does the same as a mother intent on protecting her life of leisure—regardless of who has to get hurt for that to happen. William R. Moses (a long time regular to the realm of Lifetime) also appears in a small but strong role as Claire's quietly unsatisfied husband, who shines in the climax as he finally stands up to his spoiled and self-centered wife and daughter.

In terms of plot, Accused at 17 measures up to its' preceding film, keeping the plot moving while allowing for tension to build. As Fallyn's actions become more insidious, the viewer will be wondering how far she'll be willing to go and how many people will be hurt by her attempts to cover her secret. While it shares in Dead at 17's pacing issues towards the third act, Accused at 17 is an enjoyable drama with a terrifying villain, great casting, and true moments of tension throughout. Anyone coming to Lifetime in search of a drama fix will certainly find it here.

Score: 8 out of 10 desert rocks.

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About the Creator

Trevor Wells

Aspiring writer and film lover: Lifetime, Hallmark, indie, and anything else that strikes my interest. He/him.

Link to Facebook

Twitter: @TrevorWells98

Instagram: @trevorwells_16

Email: [email protected]

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