It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Yet another DVD I picked up at the local supermarket while searching through the bargain bin. It looked interesting, so I decided to invest 99 pence and settled for 171 minutes of crime drama, divided into two parts (UK version).Well, what's there to say - the first part wasn't overly exciting to watch: The acting wasn't that good, the actors appeared pale in their appearance and performance, and I did expect a bit more true-crime excitement. It's not actually bad or anything - just it's not really good either. There are, however, a few highlights that amused me in this one: First of all Peter Boyle as Sgt. Joe Van Nort - he has a really good screen presence and simply brings something to this film - or any film, for that matter. Then there's the fact that this is a movie from a time long forgotten - a time when smoking cigarettes on screen was accepted and normal, when the PC brigade wasn't around and you could light up whenever and wherever you wanted - these guys go through pack after pack - in the car, in the office (god forbid..), and Boyle even lights up while his colleagues are having lunch right next to him.The other thing that got me was something you could well call a "running joke" - quite a few times will you see the words "6 Months Later" on the screen - I know that this is probably meant in relation to the real case, and to make things authentic, but the viewer kind of expects these words every time a police building fills the screen while the camera doesn't move - and his expectations won't be disappointed. The second part of the DVD picks up a little bit, but it still didn't draw me into it as much as I wished it had - Peter Coyote just appears that little bit too obvious and over-the-top in his role of the manipulating killer, and the whole connection between him and Jay Smith (Robert Loggia) never really got clear to me - yes, they were working together, but why did Loggia only have a few screen minutes if he's so essential to the plot? Nevermind - Cindy Pickett was definitely good in this one, and I would even say she was the best of all the cast as far as on-screen performance is concerned (with Boyle coming a very close second).Over all, I was a bit disappointed with this one, but I didn't regret spending 99p on it - if you're ever at the dentist and have to wait for 171 minutes, pop this one into your portable DVD player or Laptop and enjoy a very average true crime drama - it won't be as bad as having your teeth pulled out, I promise...

I live in the town and attended the school where this took place around the time when it occurred. the frame work of the story is true, and the names of the people are true, but little else is true. Upper Merion is not on the Main Line, we did not go to school in a Gothic cathedral. Many of the people portrayed in the story are portrayed poorly and maliciously. These events permanently have harmed them, and this movie has not helped. These events did occur and affected the school and the people involved. However, this does not reflect the real stories behind the people and the school. This is a fine movie for entertainment value, but please do not believe everything portrayed in it.

Not familiar with the actual incident this movie is based upon, so cannot comment as to the accuracy of the facts and portrayals presented, but give this movie credit for holding a viewer's attention without being overly sensationalistic. The performances are stellar, and the tone of the movie is realistic and gritty - it feels like Pennsylvania, and it could be the town where you live.I was delighted by a small inside joke. Gary Cole, who plays an investigator in this movie, is sitting in the courtroom while one of the defendants is being questioned. Reference is being made to the books the defendant owned and used as references, including the book "Fatal Vision," upon which another television movie based on fact was made. The camera swings slyly to Gary Cole, who did, in fact, play the infamous defendant, Captain Jeffrey MacDonald, in the movie "Fatal Vision." Very cute.This movie was being broadcast on Lifetime, which I normally tune to when I want to fall asleep. Unfortunately, I was drawn in far enough I never took that nap.

An truly outstanding, compulsive drama based on a true story concerning charismatic would-be poet Peter Coyote (in a career best performance) and his manipulation of just about everyone he comes into contact with, eventually leading to murder. This is a fascinating, intriguing telling of a rather bizarre murder case with not only Coyote on top form, but also matched by Robert Loggia as his exceedingly odd, certainly unhinged partner-in-crime. Just watch those final moments in the court-room as he completely loses it and incriminates himself. Wonderful stuff! There are also some very fine supporting performances, not least Peter Boyle's turn as one of the investigating detectives.This is really what made for TV movies do best and I would recommend this without hesitation. Once you begin watching, you'll be hooked!