Waste of time

Simply Perfect

Absolutely Fantastic

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Acting, if you call it that is even a stretch, was merely one big dress rehearsal. Unbelievable that someone actually approved a budget for this after school special meets cliché don't get in the car with a stranger message. Then there is the cheesy background music forcing the viewer on an emotional ride throughout every single scene. Reality has been lost. Suddenly overnight a teenager hooks up with a random adult stranger and thinks she's hooked up with him. Where is the backbone of this family? Why don't they call the car Candice is using as stolen? Missing person report filed? I mean, where is the responsibility for a high school teen? Again, reality missing along with the plot and sub-plot. Save yourself the aggravation that I had to experience… just say no, no, no to this film. Read a book or watch another film… this is low-budget, no acting, and not worth the time invested.

Weight defines the performer, apparently, with Lifetime casting their boniest actress over 40 (O'Kelley) as a woman trying to save adopted daughter Kell (who couldn't be more stereotypical) from criminal Gavin (who's more an idiot-daredevil than a menace), and finds the girl's biological mother and brother (Hinkle and Alberti, respectively—both delivering more depth than any of the other principal characters) as unlikely allies. Frequently inexplicable: officer Pettis would never just give out an address just because someone asked for it; O'Kelley is such a hypocrite, that it's difficult to root for her; oh, and then there's the little kid Hopkins, who hasn't got a clue as to what's going on, but can still conveniently hack needed information by visiting one website. As if the story weren't lame enough, the movie fluffs itself by pointless subplots and other detours. Pretty close to being bottom-of-the-barrel, but is saved halfway decent acting and polished editing.*½ (out of four)

Somewhere around the Los Angeles area, blonde mother Tricia O'Kelley (as Shannon) screams for her apparently missing 17-year-old daughter. Soon, a white van dumps a blue bag near a dump Ms. O'Kelley is visiting. It appears to contain a dead body. "Somebody help me!" O'Kelley screams after unwrapping the plastic, but we do not see its contents...Two days earlier, snotty Ayla Kell (as Candace "Candy" White) tells off her science teacher and walks out of class. She's been told about the genetic possibilities of eye color. This leads to Ms. Kell learning she's adopted. After telling off her mother, Kell decides to run away from home. She meets handsome blond Ben Gavin (as Tobias "Toby" Alton) at a convenience store. With his liquor, looks and muscles, Mr. Gavin is very convenient. In fact, most of the male cast members look like professional models. Gavin also agrees to help Kell find her real mother. All seems well, but Gavin has some sneaky-looking friends. "Inspired by True Events," this is an obvious story, moved along well by Doug Campbell and the Shadowland crew.***** Missing at 17 (10/19/13) Doug Campbell ~ Ayla Kell, Tricia O'Kelley, Ben Gavin, Marin Hinkle

Overly involved yet a compelling true story of a girl who discovers through her biology class that she is adopted and runs away only to fall into the hands of a guy who is wayward from the law.In the midst of all this, she connects with her real mother and brother. The mother looks like she has been on a starvation diet. Her adopted mother is caring and yet very forceful. She divorced the girl's adopted father 2 years before. An airplane pilot, he seems to be extremely level-headed, also concerned as well as practical and realistic.Ironically, all come together to rescue the girl at the end. Of course, there is gun play, but surprisingly no innocent person is hurt in all this mayhem.