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Lifetime Review: 'Stalked by a Reality Star'

A teen finds herself being tormented by a TV star in a Lifetime thriller that raises the bar with a surprising twist.

By Trevor WellsPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Robert Scott Wilson as obsessive reality star Brad Benton

Sometimes, a movie that isn't going too well for much of it can make a surprise comeback in the final moments. Sometimes, all it takes is a well laid twist or a well executed climax to make whatever suffering the rest of the movie caused worth while. Such is the case for Lifetime's latest film, Stalked by a Reality Star.

Teenager Kendra (Emily Bader) basically checks off all the boxes on the "Bratty Lifetime Teen Girl" list. Deceased father? Check. Estranged from mother due to not being able to cope with her dating again? Check. Loyal female bestie and male friend who secretly wants to be with her? Check. And finally... a charming love interest who turns out to be a possessive nutcase???

Check infinity. This last point comes in the form of Brad Benton (soap opera alumni Robert Scott Wilson), the star of a Bachelor-esque TV show who Kendra runs into while at a Hollywood party. The two hit it off instantly, with Kendra being taken in by Brad's charming personality. But Kendra realizes very quickly that Brad's charisma is a mask for violent possessiveness. A dinner date turns sour when Brad berates the waiter. Then Brad comes on so strongly to Kendra that she panics and reveals she's underage. But then, in a very unsettling scene, Brad disregards Kendra's age and continues to feel her up until his manager Charlotte (Angela Leib) comes in and takes Kendra home.

After that, Kendra decides she wants nothing more to do with Brad... but unfortunately, Brad makes it clear he's not ready to let her go. He shows up to her school to talk with her drama class. He accosts her outside the auditorium to try and convince her she's in love with him. And in a Lolita-esque twist, Brad even begins a relationship with Kendra's mother Linn (Cynthia Preston) to stay close to her. With her mother dismissing her claims about Brad as lies to keep her from dating and Brad and Charlotte making sure to cover Brad's deranged tracks, Kendra will have to fight to prove how dangerous Brad is—before his obsession destroys her life.

In the beginning, Stalked by a Reality Star had the makings of an unbearable watching experience. Aside from the aformentioned moment of creepiness in Brad's attempted assault on Kendra, there's also Kendra's initial brattiness towards her mother. Then, when the second act comes around and Brad begins dating Linn to stay close to Kendra, Linn ignores Kendra's tearful claims that Brad tried to rape her and dismisses them as lies to ruin her romantic life, even going as far as to tell the police she's a liar. It's all a bit much, and some viewers will be tempted to check out of the film to spare themselves the headache.

But in the climax, all the good that the film seemed to be holding back came forth. After a Chekhov's Gun discovery made by Linn allows her to see Brad for what he really is, she goes from fiercely against her daughter to championing Kendra's claims, even doing so to the uncooperative police that she was initially on the same side as. Particularly, Linn's response to the officer's snide comment referencing "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" shoves the revelation Linn had made to the forefront; her previous attitude against Kendra led her to believe she would come up with any lie to prevent her from finding romance, allowing her to not only turn against her daughter, but be seduced by a psychopath. She's angry at being duped, just as much as she is upset at having turned against her own child.

Then, for the cherry on top, Stalked by a Reality Star takes what might've been a by-the-book climax and flips it on its head by throwing a stunning, most-likely-not-to-be-foreseen plot twist into the mix. While it's certainly not groundbreaking in originality, it's certainly a surprise to see in a movie that has such a finite formula laid out by previous Lifetime films regarding obsession. It's a nice treat for both hardened Lifetimers and newcomers who aren't familiar with the appeal of the network's material.

While it makes stumbles along the way to its excellent climax, Stalked by a Reality Star is a worthwhile watch. It just takes some patience to get through the rougher parts.

Score: 6 out of 10 plot significant high heels.

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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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