Lifetime Review: 'A Daughter's Deception'

Despite her idyllic life with a loving husband and daughter, Laura Parker (Jade Harlow) has still been unable to keep her past out of her mind. As a teenager, Laura became pregnant and was ultimately forced by her parents to give the child up for adoption—a decision she was never able to forgive them for. Then, one day, Laura is stunned when Bree (Kennedy Tucker) arrives at her front door, introducing herself as her daughter.

Beautiful and charming, Bree hits it off well with Laura, as well as with her husband Michael (Rusty Joiner) and daughter Skylar (Brianna Gage). But as Bree begins integrating herself into the Parker family, Michael and Skylar find themselves wondering if they really know who Bree is, even though Laura is convinced Bree has been completely upfront with them. But soon, it becomes clear that Bree may have some skeletons in her closet—and that she may be willing to get her hands dirty in order to stay with Laura and keep her dark past hidden.

Fresh off their premiere of Nightmare Tenant, Lifetime gives us another entertaining drama centered around a perfectly cast villainess. In addition to that, A Daughter's Deception manages to take its' own well-worn story (long lost child returns home, but isn't what they appear to be) and gives it its' own identity among other such movies in Lifetime's catalog. The plot unfolds in a subdued and down-to-earth fashion, allowing for the viewer to wonder just who Bree is and what it is she might be hiding. This mystery continues even as it becomes clear Bree is up to no good, making for an intriguing viewing experience where the tension is kicked up to eleven once all the answers are revealed.

As mentioned before, Kennedy Tucker provides a stellar performance as the seemingly perfect Bree, making her the type of villain that hides in plain sight. While we know from the beginning that Bree is hiding something and she's allowed her brief moments of outright psychosis, she acts in a way in which you can't blame others (particularly the vulnerable Laura) from failing to take notice. Tucker allows Bree to effortlessly camouflage her true nature, making her more dramatic behavior in the film's dramatic climax feel more earned on the part of the audience and a natural transformation for her character.

Jade Harlow acts as a good counterpart to Tucker's antagonist, playing Laura as a woman haunted by her past and regretful over not fighting to keep the daughter her parents forced her to give up. Even as Laura turns a blind ear to her husband and daughter's attempts to tell her Bree might not be all she claims to be, Harlow plays Laura in a way that makes you (at the very least) understand the reason she's so defensive of Bree and dismissive of any claims against her. After spending years feeling guilty over allowing her daughter to be taken from her, Laura longs to make up for all the years she missed with her first child—leaving her susceptible to Bree's manipulations.

Meanwhile, Rusty Joiner is as proactive and likable as he was in The Perfect Mother, and Brianna Gage makes a big impact as Skyler, becoming a highly proactive and strong-willed young woman as she begins to untangle Bree's web of lies and fights to protect her family. Max Gray Wilbur also shines in his brief but powerful performance as Michael's work assistant Gareth Drury, throwing himself into his sassy and slightly reckless character with almost the same vigor that Tucker uses to throw herself into Bree. Wilbur also appears to play Gareth as a sort of audience surrogate for Lifetime regulars, being quick to question Bree's intentions and investigate her past. As a result, Gareth becomes a fun and relatable character, who is unfortunately not utilized half as much as he could've been. Dan Gauthier also makes a memorable appearance as Michael's co-worker Tom Caldwell, sharing great chemistry with Joiner and Wilbur in their short but fun scene together.

As a whole, A Daughter's Deception features all the essentials of a good Lifetime movie: thrills and suspense, a strong cast to carry the action, a well-paced plot, and a climax that brings it all to fruition. A definite recommendation for anyone in desire for Lifetime at its best.

Score: 9.5 out of 10 well-coiffed assistants.