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Lifetime Review: 'The Wrong Roommate'

Lifetime presents the perfect "Tainted Love" Lifetime flick with equal parts visual appeal and narrative gold.

By Trevor WellsPublished 6 years ago Updated 2 years ago 3 min read
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With Valentine's Day either here or just now passing, I decided it was only fitting to make up for my last review by picking a great Lifetime flick for my last "Tainted Love" review (or at least, the last one I'm making a point of doing a series of, because Lord knows Lifetime loves to turn love deadly). Not only is the acting good, but the plot is surprisingly fresh and is intriguing as it is riveting at times.

Laurie Valentine (Jessica Morris) is finally starting to get back on her feet following her breakup from her unfaithful fiancé Mark Dupree (William McNamara). With a new job at a local college and temporary living arrangements at her sister's house, Laurie is enjoying her newfound independence as well as bonding time with her niece Ricki (Brianna Joy Chomer). Not only that, but her romantic life is also in the midst of a rebound, as Laurie's sister was renting her guest house out to Alan Cipher (Jason-Shane Scott). Gorgeous, charismatic, and understanding of the troubles in Laurie's life, Alan seems like the perfect match for Laurie.

But it doesn't take long for the audience to learn there's another side to Alan. Because as it turns out, Alan has many skeletons in his closet that he will do a lot of things to keep buried.... even kill.

The plot may sound like something Lifetime has done a million times before, but writer Matthew Jason Walsh (who has a history of writing both Lifetime movies as well as low-budget horror films) crafts the story in a way that makes it feel fresh and thus, makes it entertaining to watch. The story moves at just the right momentum, allowing the action to flow smoothly and naturally while also allowing the audience to get to know the characters and learn more about them and their motivations.

This is greatly helped by the fact that the main cast consists of several great actors. Jessica Morris gives a likable, authentic, and refreshingly proactive portrayal of Laurie, with her character never coming off as overly naïve like so many other Lifetime heroines I've delved into lately. Jason-Shane Scott, meanwhile, gives an excellent portrayal of Alan Cipher. While his character is without a doubt horrendous for what he ends up putting Laurie and others through, some viewers will find themselves wondering if he's truly pure evil or if there's a part of him that actually wants to be the great guy Laurie views him as. What's more, Alan comes off as so authentic and kind that even the viewers (who know full well about Alan's dark side) will want that side of him to be true, despite knowing it's not.

Supporting cast members also pull their weight, with William McNamara giving a convincing portrayal of Laurie's sleazy ex and Brianna Joy Chomer using Rikki's short screen time to turn her into more than just the standard rebellious teen. Eric Roberts also makes a surprise appearance as Laurie's work colleague, with his natural charm being a welcome addition to a cast filled with natural charm.

The Wrong Roommate is an example of a Lifetime movie that fires on all cylinders: great performances, an expertly written plot, thrilling moments, and a villain with depth. These are the kind of Lifetime movies that can be readily used to defend the network against haters and, with movies like the spectacular Deadly Exchange under his belt, Jason Shane-Scott is quickly proving himself to have excellent potential as a Lifetime staple to join the likes of Lochlyn Munro and Jamie Luner.

Score: 10 out of 10 handsome artists.

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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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