TV Review Jackie K Cooper
"Hidden Away" (Lifetime)
What do you do when it is Saturday night and there is no "Sharknado" on to scoff at? Well you find something almost as idiotic and that is the Lifetime Original Movie "Hidden Away." Yes, this is a movie so ridiculous that it will make you laugh in spite of yourself.
The plot concerns a woman named Stephanie (Emmanuelle Vaugier) who is married to a man named Andrew (Ivan Sergei). She has a daughter Sage (Allie Gonino) by a previous marriage but Andrew is the only father Sage has ever known. When the film opens Stephanie is taking Sage and fleeing from Andrew who is abusive. She fakes their deaths and then goes into hiding.
Ten years later Andrew finds information that makes him think Stephanie and Sage are still alive. He hires a private investigator (Thomas Calabro) to find them. It takes the wink of an eye for the investigator to find Stephanie living as Alexandra in Palm Springs. Her daughter is now known as Rachel.
Alexandra is a real estate agent and plants her picture all over Palm Springs, which is a little unusual for someone trying to hide from her past. She also lives in a house without an alarm system, which is really dumb. And when Andrew finds them he is able to put a "bug" on Alexandra's purse which she never notices. At this point it is hard to take any of the story points seriously.
The acting is a little sporadic with the script and Sergei's performance never making a decision as to whether or not Andrew is a good guy or bad guy. Vaugier is bland as Alexandra/Stephanie. Gonino has something about her that reminds the audience of Emily Van Camp ("Revenge"). Her's is probably the most interesting performance in the movie. It certainly beats out Sean Patrick Flanery who plays Alexandra's new boyfriend Brett. Flanery is too good an actor to waste his time with a weak role like this one.
Lifetime has offered some good movies in the past but this is not one of them. It is definitely a Saturday night burn-off. Still if you watch it with a jaundiced eye and a sense of the ridiculous you might be able to glean some entertainment benefit from it.
"Hidden Away" doesn't live up to its title and is on full display Saturday night July 26 at 8 on Lifetime.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com