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Tuesday, June 14, 2016

REVIEW: 'The Boy She Met Online'



This is a "Throwback Thursday" review posted on a Tuesday. 2010's "The Boy She Met Online" makes the rounds on Lifetime and LMN, and I recently caught it on Xfinity On Demand. It's one of several social media/online thrillers dominating weekend marathons ... including "The Girl He Met Online," "The Bride He Bought Online" and "The Husband She Met Online."

As you can guess, this is another tale that will make parents second guess who their kids are talking to online. The story focuses on Cami (Tracy Spiradakos), a pretty, talented high school student. For some reason, this young lady feels the need to find love through the Internet and falls for dashing "college" student Jake (Jon Corr). As it turns out, Jake's place of higher learning is actually the school of hard knocks ... or as some people call it, prison.

Cami is being raised by her protective, single mom Tori (Alexandra Paul), who becomes suspicious of Cami's online activities. In the meantime, Jake gets out of prison and sets his sights and heart on Cami. He already has his shared of heartbreak. His mother and sister want nothing to do with him, so he's pretty much on his own ... except for a few shady contacts on the outside.

Cami and Jake meet and sparks fly. In the meantime mom Tori is at the end of her rope trying to figure out what's happening with her kid. Family friend Kendra (Thea Gill) is on the case though and begins to observe Cami's suspicious behavior. Once mom figures out what's going on, she's desperate to stop this relationship. That won't be so easy because Cami is hooked on her freed former jailbird.

So, what are Jake's intentions? Does he mean bad news for Cami? Is she being sucked into the criminal underworld? Or, could he actually be the prince she believes him to be?

Although this is an oldie but a goodie, I won't offer any spoilers. I will recommend it though. Great cast including the always excellent Paul as the exasperated mom. There are a few hard to believe moments though. Like, do prisons not monitor social media or online communications? Would Jake really be able to hook up with a teen using the prison Internet? And would Jake really emerge from a prison stay looking unscathed? And would Cami really need to find a boyfriend online?? As mentioned, she is a gorgeous young lady. I am sure tons of competent suitors are at her high school.

Regardless of plot holes or inconceivable aspects of the script, the cast's chemistry keeps things in check. And it competently transitions from forbidden romance into a thriller ... complete with a requisite Lifetime ending.

Look for this nugget on Xfinity on Demand (under Free Movies) or on Lifetime Movie Club.

"The Boy She Met Online": Directed by Curtis Crawford; Starring Alexandra Paul as Tori Winter, Tracy Spiradakos as Cami, Jon Corr as Jake, Thea Gill as Kendra, Eddie Guillaume as Dewayne, Tim Finnigan as Edgar



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