Geeks logo

Lifetime Review: 'The Sinister Surrogate'

A simple arrangement turns into a nightmare in this well-acted but dull surrogacy drama.

By Trevor WellsPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
Like

It seems that Danielle (Kelly Thiebaud) has everything a young woman could ask for. With a beautiful house and a successful and loving husband in Josh (Brian Ames), there's only one thing Danielle feels is missing from her life: a child.

With her being unable to conceive, Danielle and Josh decide to look into hiring a surrogate. It is then that they meet the young and chipper Kailee (Jaclyn Hales), who initially looks to be the perfect candidate.

However, once their infant daughter is born, Danielle and Josh become unnerved by Kailee's continued appearance in their lives, with surprising visits and gifts making them wonder how truly "perfect" their surrogate is.

Despite the assurances of the agency's head Carol (Maeve Quinlan), Danielle can't help but feel there's something dark lurking behind Kailee's pristine front.

As things escalate and it becomes apparent Kailee wants "her" daughter back, Danielle and Josh must fight to protect their child from a woman who will stop at no lengths to take back what she believes is hers.

MarVista has had a spotty history in terms of films they provide to Lifetime. While they've definitely had their share of quality films and even some that knock it out of the park, they've had their fair share of clinkers that tend to play into the bad reputation that continues to plague Lifetime.

The Sinister Surrogate, unfortunately, falls into the latter category, despite having the potential to be more than that. In the category of acting, everything is on point. Kelly Thiebaud and Brian Ames (the latter of whom is no stranger to MarVista features) make for strong protagonists that are easy to root for, especially since the first act of the film shows in heartwarming detail their devotion to their daughter.

Jaclyn Hales also plays Kailee with a surprising amount of subtlety, allowing her to become a genuinely crafty and manipulative villain. Maeve Quinlan additionally shines in her role and Kit Williamson magnifies his tragically underused role as Josh's friend and co-worker Tyler, making him pop off the screen much more than the typical "Protagonist's Best Friend" role.

Unfortunately, all the spectacular acting and characters in the world can't save The Sinister Surrogate from being overly drawn-out and plain dull in the plot department. While it's quick to get the ball rolling (by the first commercial break, Kailee has already given birth), the film's second act drags on with very little happening.

While having Kailee going postal on Danielle and Josh would've hurt the subtle character she was crafted as, having her do so little throughout the film's middle only serves to hinder the plot and make the audience wish they could get to an explosive climax already. While The Sinister Surrogate definitely delivers in that department, it comes too late to salvage the movie from being a mediocre snoozer.

In addition, while Danielle and Josh are overall excellently likable protagonists, they do have the flaw of coming to suspect Kailee's instability far earlier than they should have. With Kailee's actions starting out with benign gifts and visits to see the baby she carried inside her, there's nothing there that sounds out of the ordinary given the circumstances.

As a result, Danielle and Josh's (primarily the former's) anger at Kailee for "breaking their arrangement" comes off as uncharacteristically cold and thoughtless, with Danielle's referring to their arrangement as a "business transaction" (which Kailee rightfully calls her out on) further twisting the knife.

Overall, The Sinister Surrogate is an unfortunate waste of great talent in a movie that could've been great if the plot had been developed more to where it could be enjoyed, despite the story's deliberate slow buildup.

With better plotting, The Sinister Surrogate could've been an entertaining watch, but instead, this is sadly another dud for MarVista. One can only hope for improvement to come, as they have shown in the past that they are capable of a lot more than this.

Score: 4 out of 10 "business transactions."

review
Like

About the Creator

Trevor Wells

Aspiring writer and film lover: Lifetime, Hallmark, indie, and anything else that strikes my interest. He/him.

Link to Facebook

Twitter: @TrevorWells98

Instagram: @trevorwells_16

Email: [email protected]

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.