Lifetime Review: 'My Daughter's Psycho Friend'

Moving with her parents from Colorado to California has been hard on Sierra Reynolds (Taylor Blackwell). But upon her arrival in Calabasas, things seem to look up when she attracts the attention of Lexi Cooper (Avery Kristen Pohl), the queen bee of Sierra's new school. But as Lexi and her friend Kaitlyn (Lauryn Speights) begin to integrate Sierra into their clique, Sierra takes wary notice of Lexi's penchant for pulling pranks and ostracizing those she believes cross her.

It's during a party at Lexi's house, however, that one of Lexi's pranks backfires--and leaves classmate Jake (Sam Kindseth) dead. In the aftermath, Lexi becomes hellbent on keeping her tracks covered, and Sierra becomes horrified to see Lexi for what she really is. But as Sierra tries to break free of Lexi's web and expose her for her deadly prank, Lexi proves herself far more deranged than anyone could imagine--and willing to get some more blood on her hands to stay out of jail.

With gems under their belt like The Secret Lives of Cheerleaders and Most Likely to Murder, Lifetime seems to be having a recent good streak when it comes to their teen thrillers. The trend continues with My Daughter's Psycho Friend, which--like the previously cited Lifetime teen dramas--is greatly elevated by its deliciously psychotic villainess.

As played by Avery Kristen Pohl, Lexi Cooper is a mean girl queen bee that leaves Regina George in the dust. With the film opening with Lexi gleefully committing a swatting prank against a classmate and boasting about how she ensured she wouldn't get caught, the audience gets a taste of the true malice that lurks behind Lexi's catty remarks and juvenile pranks. As the film goes on, Lexi's psychosis goes from 0 to 60 as she becomes more desperate to protect her secret, to the point of even deluding herself into believing she's done nothing wrong. Pohl keeps up effortlessly with Lexi's villainous breakdown, and throws herself into Lexi's vicious and deranged mind every step of the way.

Surrounding Pohl and her excellent portrayal of Lexi is a similarly strong cast and a story that not only provides all the drama Lifetime fans crave, but allows for a solid message to emerge regarding peer pressure. Having previously only appeared on Lifetime in the form of supporting roles (including the previously reviewed Erasing His Dark Past), Taylor Blackwell shines in her first leading role on the network, bringing deep sincerity to her role as Sierra finds herself inadvertently pulled into a harrowing situation. From the beginning, we see Sierra's quiet discomfort at Lexi's bullying nature and petty pranks, but finds herself too intimidated to challenge her behavior--a feeling anyone who was shy in high school can relate to.

It's after Lexi's actions go too far and get someone killed, however, that we see Sierra's fierce side, as Sierra boldly stands up to Lexi and her efforts to cover up what she did, unwilling to allow Lexi to get off scot-free or allow herself to be dragged down with her. Blackwell shines most when this side of Sierra comes out, and it makes it easy to root for Sierra as she goes through this admirable character growth.

Alongside Sierra is her ally turned love interest Lance, who (unlike Sierra) never has any doubt about what Lexi is and is never afraid to call her out for her misdeeds. Played with a fire by Skyler Seymour, Lance becomes a fervent voice against the collective apathy of his classmates in regards to Lexi's heinous deeds, and Seymour additionally brings heart to the moments when Lance's softer side emerges (the scene of him trying in vain to save Jake is utterly heartbreaking). Seymour and Blackwell play well off each other as two teens to forge a romantic connection as they fight to get justice for Jake and take Lexi down, with their adorable chemistry together making their characters all the more likable.

Cerina Vincent and Bradley Snedeker give strong performances as Sierra's parents Melissa and Jeremy, thanks in part to My Daughter's Psycho Friend allowing their characters to avoid the pitfalls that have beset other Lifetime parents (for examples, see Cynthia from Undercover Cheerleader or David from Hidden Intentions). The film is quick to establish Melissa and Jeremy as loving parents to Sierra, and even as their daughter finds herself dragged into compromising positions, they never become unlikably harsh towards her. Their scolding of her for being at Lexi's alcohol-fueled, ill-fated party stays firmly in "Concerned but Not Overly Snippy" territory, and when Sierra finds herself in hot water thanks to Lexi's machinations, neither parent disbelieves their daughter's pleas of innocence and are quick to assure Sierra that they're in her corner no matter what.

Elsewhere in the solid supporting cast, Lauryn Speights (previously seen in Secret Lives of Cheerleaders) brings a sympathetic edge to Lexi's loyal-but-not-so-willing sidekick Kaitlyn, allowing you to feel for her--even in her nastier moments--as we see just how much of a stranglehold Lexi has on her. Lifetime regular Caia Coley also appears as Lexi's mother Jackie, with Coley playing Jackie with such a detestable sense of maternal indifference and self-centeredness that you might just develop a sliver of empathy for Lexi.

Drama revolving around teenage girls and toxic friendships may be becoming a new frequent plot type for Lifetime, but My Daughter's Psycho Friend does more than enough to distinguish itself from the fray. With a well-structured story, strong cast, and heroes you love to watch in action as much as the marvelously nutty villain, there's plenty here to recommend--especially if Lifetime's teen films are usually your cup of tea. Plus, with its positive message and protagonists that can serve as role models to parents and teens alike, My Daughter's Psycho Friend might even make for a good addition to the Family Movie Night queue if you have a family that can appreciate a good Lifetime feature.

Score: 10 out of 10 GHB bottles.