Last night, Lifetime premiered "Hidden Truth," a typical Lifetime thriller. It's not exactly a whodunnit, but is kind of a flashback to old school "Columbo" episodes with the killer revealed and a an ensuing cat and mouse detective game.
Zoe (Diana Hopper) has it tough. The 16-year old's mother was murdered and her father (Brendan McCarthy) was the prime suspect. She is a pretty self-sufficient teen, but she still has a guardian, aunt Jamie (Sarah Lind). Zoe has a few secrets though ... including an affair with married stud and restauranteur Michael (Shawn Christian). When she tries to break it off, Michael reacts badly ... killing her and dumping her body in a lake.
Not the best way to respond to a break-up, but Michael doesn't seem to care. Jamie is on the case though, and so is Sheriff Underwood (Parker Stevenson). Jamie's definitely a better detective than the local cops, so Michael's goose is cooked, right? Well, Michael's no fool. He is one step ahead of everyone, throwing the cops off his scent. Jamie, however, braves death threats and murder attempts to find out the truth.
So, there's not a lot of mystery in this thriller since we know who the culprit is. It's just a matter of finding out whether he'll get away with it. Lind is effective as the amateur detective aunt, who is undaunted in her investigation. Christian is the scene stealer though as the remorseless Michael. Throw in ex-Hardy Boy Stevenson as the befuddled cop, and you have an above average Lifetime movie mystery.
I did find it hard to believe that in a small town no one would have known about Michael and Zoe's fling. Likewise, how the heck did Stevenson's character become sheriff? He's as effective as Barney Fife.
Look for a few Lifetime cliches including a chase through the woods and a remote lake setting. Still, the setting (Mammoth Lake, California) is absolutely gorgeous!
It's pretty predictable, but serves its purpose as a sturdy weekend thriller. Judge for yourself and let me know what you think.
"Hidden Truth": Directed by Steven R. Monroe; Starring Sarah Lind as Jamie, Shawn Christian as Michael; Parker Stevenson as Sheriff Underwood; Brendan McCarthy as Pace; Dianah Hopper as Zoe; Heidi Fielek as Layla; Brittany Underwood as Natalie
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