Lack of good storyline.

A Major Disappointment

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Laren Sims (Joely Richardson) surrenders to the police and leaves her daughter Haylei (Hayden Panettiere). Ten years ago, they're living with Lauren's parents in North Carolina after her failed marriages. She does 90 days in prison after using stolen credit cards for Christmas gifts. She continues to steal. She runs away with Haylei skipping out on house arrest. They travel the country continuing to con and steal with numerous fake identities. In northern California, Laren gets a job working for attorney Lucas Mackenzie (Colm Feore) and later marries him. Haylei hates the marriage. Laren can't help herself and embezzles money. Lucas finds out and Laren tells him the truth. He grows angry as his business fails and always threatens to call the police. Laren, with the help of new hire Kristin, does something out of desperation.This is a Lifetime movie in its heart. It should try to be more especially with a great actress like Joely Richardson. It should try to be darker but it doesn't. It is a big disappointment. The story has no bite despite some pretty compelling turns. There is a great mother and daughter relationship. The material is done with limited style and no edge.

Hailey is a teenager who lives a life on the run with her mother in the southwest United States. Her mom is the subject of a nation-wide manhunt and has done grand theft, credit card fraud and identity theft, among other things. When she gets married to a seemingly nice guy, Lucas, he quickly becomes a monster addicted to drugs and alcohol and Hailey's mom murders him with the help of her bimbo ranch-hand, Krista.While 'Lies My Mother Told Me' is entertaining, it is annoying to watch, mainly because of the mom's fake southern accent, when she speaks it is headache-inducing. Some of the lines in the movie are pretty dorky, one example being, "I had a bad dream last night, but that doesn't make me a psychic. It was the same dream I had every night." from Hailey, who also narrates the film. No one in real-life talks that way so it's hard to take seriously. The character Krista is highly annoying, one of those prissy dog lovers who think their dog is their 'fur-child' and it's disgusting to have to see her kiss the dog. The acting wasn't very good, I think the best was the actor who played Lucas. The soundtrack was okay but there was a song they kept repeatedly playing, this annoying country song that just gets on your nerves. As in most Lifetime movies it has highly dramatized so it is very hard to take seriously. I honestly didn't care what happened to any of the characters. They all had very little personality; I think the only thing listed is that Hailey likes horses. This is one of those movies you'll only want to see once, just to pass the time, it isn't very good.

I was slightly interested in this movie when I first saw the previews on Lifetime a few years back. When I saw it however, I was very disappointed. The acting was alright. At times it seemed forced and a little overdone especially by Richardson. I knew this story sounded familiar. When I saw the "Snapped" episode on Oxygen that this movie is based on it clicked. Lauren Sims or her alias Elisa McNabney was from my hometown of Brooksville, FL and this is where she was arrested and killed herself in jail! That's where I knew the story from. All in all the movie was alright. The locations were obviously changed and from what I've read, the relationship between mother and daughter was exaggerated. But that's too be expected. I give it 5 out of 10 simply for being a Lifetime movie. That's what you get.

This movie was excellent. I just bought the d.v.d. Thursday night. Costumes, acting, production, script, directing, and photography is great. I give this movie 10 out of 10 stars.The mother, Lara, was a self-centered, rotten, spoiled brat who did whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, and had no consideration for the welfare of others. She stole people's id's, killed her husband, and betrayed her family. She deserved what she got in the end. The slaps on the wrists she got before obviously did not teach her a lesson.Kudos to the cast, crew, and filmmakers. Two Thumbs Way Up! Excellent Movie!