I was totally surprised at how great this film.You could feel your paranoia rise as the film went on and as you gradually learned the details of the real situation.

I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The true story of Alabama teenager Natalie Halloway, who went missing while on a class trip in Aruba in 2005 and the subsequent desperate search by her mother (Tracy Pollen) for the truth behind her disappearance.This is another one of those ripped from the headlines, made for TV dramatizations, that I tend to watch when I don't feel like thinking too hard. This one was just okay. I found Tracy Pollen's character to be very annoying and then I realized that was how she was supposed to be as the mother.An interesting story that is made even more so because at the end you are left with more questions than answers. The mystery remains unsolved even with a video confession. I did find myself annoyed by the constant "if this was America" preaching. You're not in America and things are done differently in other countries. 08.13

I caught this LMN movie after seeing its sequel, released earlier this year. This one holds up just as well.Again, Tracy Pollan is a surprise as the mother whom Joran van der Sloot never dreamed would haunt his every move. She is superb as a woman so focused on finding justice for her daughter that she alienates most of the people who support her, including her second husband.The "prequel" to this notorious case is presented intriguingly. Natalee comes across as a young woman in a bubble -- pretty and talented and somewhat indulged by her proud mother. Having seemingly been sheltered all her life, she was even less prepared for a long weekend in a foreign country than her similarly blonde girlfriends. Her fatal naiveté is depicted heartbreakingly here.I found it interesting that the Pollan character, Beth Twitty, seemed to find some peace in an explanation of the crime that an ambushed Joran gave to a person whom he thought was a drug dealer offering him work. (She seemed far less sure of this story in the sequel to this film, which mainly depicts Beth pursuing Joran to get an explanation straight from him.) Another intriguing angle was this movie's effort to show the corruption of law enforcement in Aruba, a little island whose reputation will forever be tainted by the lax and unhelpful attitude Twitty encountered.In all, a compelling depiction of what can be the extreme unfairness of life. My only quibble is that the movie probably should have been titled "Beth Twitty."

I thought the movie about Natalee Holloway's disappearance was very well constructed. I believe that her story should be told in order to raise awareness for teens traveling abroad reminding them to never separate from their friends or family or leave their drink unattended. This movie serves as a very good lesson for teenage girls. The disappearance of Natalee was very accurately portrayed. I read several news articles regarding her disappearance and I think the movie adheres to the facts found in newspapers and magazines. I don't think the movie attacked Aruba in any way. The police and investigators in Aruba were seen working with van der Sloot suggesting that their police may be somewhat corrupt. Van der Sloot comes from a wealthy family (as portrayed in the film) and many times money drives investigations and news, thus I believe this portrayal is accurate. I don't think the movie was biased in any way. The movie showed how Beth Twitty was frustrated with the lack of concern for her missing daughter so she took the investigation into her own hands. I do not blame Twitty for doing so. I am not a mother but if my brother or someone close to me went missing I would do anything in my power even if the Aruba government and people did not agree with me.Overall I think the movie was excellent and every girl should see this film in order to enhance their awareness while traveling abroad as well as going out with friends close to home.

**SPOILERS** Still making headlines over four years after it happened the disappearance of pretty 18 year-old Alabama high-school graduate Natalee Holloway has become one of biggest missing person mysteries since the disappearance of New York's State Supreme Court Justice Judge Crater back in the summer of 1930.It all happening on the evening of May 29-30, 2005 when Natalee was partying with her fellow high-school graduates at the Carlos'n Charlie's Bar in Orangetown on the island of Aruba where they were spending the Memorial Day Holiday weekend. Getting very friendly with one of the local homeboys Joran Van Der Shoot Natalee had him buy her a drink that Joran, without her knowledge, slipped a Mickey-Finn into that zonked her out and put Natalee on queer street. Together with his two Surinomese friends Deepack & Staish Kalpoe Joran supposedly took a very out of it Natalee in his car for a ride back to her hotel. That was the last time that anyone ever saw Natalee alive again.With Natalee not making her flight back home to Alabama her parents step-dad Jug Twitty and mom Beth flew down to Aruba to find their missing daughter. it's then that the real nightmare began for the Twitty's in not just that their daughter disappeared but may have possibly been kidnapped, and sold into a white slavery ring, but even murdered and deep sixth in the Caribbean Sea in order to hide the body by her killer or killers!As soon as both Beth and Jug arrived on the island they were met with very little cooperation from the island officials that included top cop Det. Frank Sneider. Sneider besides stuffing his face with corn flakes was also a good friend of Natalee's suspected kidnapper or murderer Joran's dad Paul Van Der Shoot. Paul at the time was in line of being appointed a top judge on the island of Aruba. That in fact would not only have him be Sneider's good friend but boss as well! As the frustrated parents got nowhere with the local police, headed by Det. Sneider, in finding their missing daughter Natalee they went public causing a carnival atmosphere of reporters, from MSNBC CNN and FOX, who instead of helping find Natalee were only there to help their own slumping ratting! In them exploiting to the fullest a heart-breaking human interest story more then helping find the victim, Natalee Holloway, of it. It was Natalee's mom Beth who did all she could to find whatever happened to her daughter by going public and demanding the Aruban authorities find her daughter by embarrassing them in how incompetent they were. Still after all this time, four years and counting, there's never been a trace of evidence if Natalee is either alive or dead!At the end of the movie were given an explanation to what really happened to Natalee by non other then her accused kidnapper or murderer Joran Van Der Shoot himself! Not to give away what Joran said, while under the influence of pot, it made about as much as sense, or nonsense, as anything else he said about the incident all throughout the film. The guy-Joran- himself said that even he doesn't believe anything that he says so why should we, the viewers, believe him!As of today Natalee is still considered to be, by the FBI and the Aruban Police, a missing person. Still her concerned parents Jug & Beth Twitty have given up all hope in finding their daughter alive and just want closure so that they can go on with their lives and finally put their daughter Natalee behind them as well as to her eternal rest!