A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

I was living just outside the town of (Squamish B.C -Canada), where these events actually took place and I remember it well. The story was in the news for ages, such a tragedy on all accounts. On the TV-movie side of things, it was interesting to see here how they changed certain facts (the location, mention of Heisman trophy prospect) to make this more "Hollywood" or excepted by American audiences, I guess. Sadly this is a story that could happen anywhere so that's irrelevant. So Squamish becomes Washington State yet is filmed in Victoria? Anyways its a pretty good Lifetime movie, Kim Raver is convincing as the widow and I liked how it is slowly revealed what actually happened to her husband.The story follows Katy & Bob who live in a small close knit town. On New Years Eve there is a party at the house next door which gets louder and louder, it is mostly full of teens and after a while Bob and another man go over to quiet things down. A confrontation occurs though and Bob ends up dead. No one from the party will talk and the police and Katy hunt for the person responsible. The final scene with the teens confession is well done. 04.13

I will reframe from writing a summary of the plot or a detailed commentary. I want to address both previous and very differing reviews.I was engrossed while watching the movie and was eager to see the bond broken and for justice to prevail. I felt no sympathy for any of the kids including the sad sensitive remorseful boy who confessed. Underneath what you see is a violent sociopathic killer. True that violence is fueled by alcohol, but it is my opinion that drinking acts to unleash what is repressed. This being said, forgiveness is a great,admirable and spiritual virtue. Living with resentment and anger is poison and forgiveness is the antidote. It is also a process. I wish that the crime was wrapped up sooner to explore how the widow was able to come to that place of forgiveness. Watching her smile compassionately at the perp as he passes her in handcuffs after just confessing to beating her husband to death was a big letdown and ruined the movie for me!

I must have missed the advisory at the beginning that this was at least loosely based on a true story, but I pretty quickly guessed because the plot wasn't all neatly tied up with ribbons but had the messiness and uncertainty of real life. I was a bit disappointed in the production overall -- I think there were potentials in the story director Peter Werner and writers Brian D. Young, Edithe Swensen and Teena Booth didn't capture -- but I was especially impressed by the ending and would have liked more about just how Katy McIntosh let go of her desire for revenge and found it in her heart to forgive her husband's killer and even make joint public speaking appearances with him to try to warn other teenagers of the risks of drunken partying and do what she could to prevent a similar tragedy from happening to someone else. (Sequel, anyone?) She showed a lot more nobility of spirit than the previous reviewer, who seems to think she should have lived the rest of her life in a state of livid hatred and let his crazy, stupid action go on ruining her life over and over again.

While I realize that this was a true story, the liberal ending is just too much for one to comprehend.Here was a town who grieved with a widow and her 2 sons after her husband was viciously murdered on New Year's Eve. Once the neighborhood kids, who witnessed this execution,refused to talk, changes took place. This is essentially a story of attitudes within a town. It was disgusting how people turned against the widow as their livelihoods were being adversely affected by all the negative publicity.It is also a study of determination by the widow to see justice done. It was just nauseating to me to see that after what she went through, she was all forgiving to this monster of a young man, who was so drunk, that he kicked her husband to death. Yes, it is true that he showed deep remorse, but he was in with the click who tried to prevent the truth from coming out.A very sad and emotionally troubling story, not only of a tragic murder of a leading town's person, but the utter disregard and dismay shown by town residents when their lives were soon caught up in all the resulting mayhem. Yes, we are taught to forgive, but how much can you stand. This animal ruined the woman's life and made her a widow way before her time for such an event. In addition, her two young children were deprived of their father. Where are the parents of these animals? They were ready to hire lawyers to protect their drunken violent scum of children. This is what teachers have to put up with in too many a school system. Imagine dealing with this garbage? They shoot horses, don't they?