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Lifetime Review: 'Boyfriend Killer'

Kate Mansi plays the mother of all crazy exes in this thriller that's undone by poor plotting.

By Trevor WellsPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Something I've noticed during my years as a Lifetime fanatic is that the channels seems to be the go-to place for soap opera stars wanting a new place to spread their acting wings. One such case of this would be Kate Mansi, who Days of our Lives fans might recognize as Abigail Deveraux (Mansi's only other acting role before Days was a one episode appearance on How I Met Your Mother). Kate Mansi has recently begun starring in a handful of Lifetime films, among them being 2017 MarVista feature Boyfriend Killer.

Mansi plays Krystal Kellers, a young woman who might initially appear to be every man's dream woman. Beautiful, charming, and from a wealthy family, one couldn't blame Krystal from attracting the attention of Preston Durro (Michael Ryerson Uribe). But when Preston dies in a mysterious motorcycle accident and his mother Sandra (Barbie Castro) comes to his house to collect his belongings, she becomes suspicious of his son's girlfriend. While Krystal claimed that her relationship with Preston was solid, Preston's emails to her tell another story. As Krystal's deceit becomes more clear to Sandra and her ex-husband Charles (Patrick Muldoon), Sandra must fight to expose Krystal for what she really is--all while Krystal's psychotic nature threatens anyone who steps into her path.

In terms of acting, Boyfriend Killer excels. Kate Mansi may be new to the Lifetime world, but that doesn't stop her from excelling as the compelling psychotic Krystal, tearing into the role with a fierceness that might make one root for her despite her malevolent deeds. Barbie Castro is also a newcomer to Lifetime, but has firmly established herself as a compelling actress. From the moment she learns of her son's death, Sandra's grief and difficulty to move on while contending with her grieving ex-husband re-entering her life (their divorce having been a result of Charles' alcoholism) is incredibly palpable and paints a realistic portrait of loss. The same can be said Lifetime vet Patrick Muldoon, who manages to subvert the typical "Jerk Ex" trope common in Lifetime to accurately depict a man struggling with both the loss of his son and the realization that his past troubles prevented him from being more involved in his life than he could've been.

But sadly, all the great performances in Boyfriend Killer run the risk of being weighed down by the lagging plot. Much of the film's first act is essentially a dedication to showing how unbalanced Krystal is. While this would be fine as an establishment of her character, it goes on for much longer than is necessary and can leave viewers feeling bored and restless. This continues throughout the second act, which is namely Sandra working to uncover Krystal's deceit and Krystal becoming further unraveled at her plans being threatened by Sandra's investigations and refusal to believe Krystal's lies. Again, while the acting is excellent, it all feels like too much for too little pay off.

When the plot gets into gear, however, it's the typical Lifetime-esque drama that will keep viewers entertained, with a satisfying conclusion that matches the authentic and realistic depiction that the film had been cultivating throughout. Overall, while Boyfriend Killer can be a challenge to watch without dozing off, it's worth sticking through for the great acting and for the surprisingly authentic story. And of course, there's enough drama and craziness on the part of Krystal Keller to keep drama-centric viewers entertained. And if you loved Kate Mansi tackling the role of crazy Krystal, be sure to check out her 2016 offering to Lifetime, Unwanted Guest.

Score: 7 out of 10 dead koi fish.

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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.

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Twitter: @TrevorWells98

Instagram: @trevorwells_16

Email: [email protected]

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