**SPOILERS** True story of the notorious as well as severally dysfunctional Geck, the fictional name in the movie, family headed by the 800 pound gorilla in the room or the movie the Geck family matriarch Brenda Geck played by, who must have gained at least 100 pounds for the role, actress Kirstie Alley. It was Brenda's love of children that had her adopt almost a dozen of them in order to give them a home in her over-sized New Hampshire home with all the goodies that they can possibly have or need. The goodies were in fact stolen by the children at Mrs. Geck's insistence by having them shop lift the merchandise from local stores and shopping malls.It's when one of the Geck clan the diagnosed mentally retarded Marie Devereaux, Deanna Milligan, just had enough of Mrs. Geck both mantel and physical abuse that she went to the local county D.A Philip Rothman, Will Patton, for help! With D.A Rothman not believing Marie's accusations against Mrs. Beck, Rothman was in fact a good friend of her's, she went public on local TV to tell her story. This had the by now deranged Mrs. Beck throw a fit and almost have Marie killed by her slum buildings enforcer Leroy , Viv Leacock, who also did part time work for Mrs. Geck as an arsonist.Marie who by then had a child by her boyfriend Barry Crandell, Tygh Runyan, who's also an adopted member, like Marie, of the Geck family didn't want her child Jeremy, Brandon Baylis, to end up like she did. A mental misfit as well as trained, by Mrs Geck, shop lifter and arsonist! In fact the father of Marie may well be Mrs. Geck's filthy swine of a husband Kenneth, Kevin McNulty, who's been having occasional sex with her mom Nadine, Kathleen Wilhoite, for the last 20 or so years. It was Nadine who was kept by Mrs. Geck locked up in the basement all that time where she eventually lost her sense of reality that resulted her suffering from a sever case of Stockholm Syndrome. In fact Nadine was so brainwashed by Mrs. Geck that she actually thought that what she was doing to her her daughter and the other members of the Geck household was in their best interests!As the evidence started to mount against the Geck family's criminal operations D.A Rothman started to put the heat on her and her family of mentally unbalanced psychos that also included her # 1 son Joey, David Rihmond Peck, who together with strong-arm man Leroy did all the dirty work for her. Put into a safe house together with her mom and little boy Jeremy Marie was still harassed and threatened by Mrs. Geck, who was at the time behind bars awaiting trial, with her outside the family enforcer Leroy tracking her down and on one occasion torching her car.***SPOILERS*** In the end the Geck's, Brenda Kenneth and Joey, got all that was coming to them in long prison sentences and heavy, that amounted in over $300,00.00, fines when they were convicted of a slew of charges that also included unlawful imprisonment of Nadine Devereaux. All that thanks to Marie testifying against them in open court. Very disturbing but true movie about man's, or in Mrs. Geck's case woman's, inhumanity to man. Brenda Geck and her accomplices were able to get away with their crimes for so long because of the terror they instilled on their many victims. A terror so great that those victimized were far more afraid of them the Beck's in what they could do to them then in having faith in the power of the law that was there to protect them. There was also the fact that the Geck's were held is such high respect that no one not even the local D.A would ever believe them in the first place! It was Marie's great courage in not only going public but risking her life, in being murdered by one of Mrs. Geck's goons, that finally put the Geck's behind bars for good!

Superb film dealing with a family that used the system to take full advantage and do the most horrendous things to people who were under their foster care.The film is marvelous as it is really a stinging indictment of the foster care system. That social worker saw all the symptoms of child abuse and chose instead to make notations, look at her watch and simply walk away.Kirstie Alley again proves that she is a magnificent dramatic actress as the devil of a mother. Teaching children how to steal, setting fire to real estate that she owned, having the most disgusting children herself, and married to a brute all come together to make such an outstanding film.The film is also a testimony to a criminal justice system that finally worked and meted out appropriate justice.This is a marvelous film which should be viewed by so many groups alike.

This is a very horrible sad and depressing TRUE STORY, which makes it even worse to view. Kirstie Alley,(Brenda Geck),"Back by Midnight",'02, put her heart and soul into this horrible role and made you hate her over and over again. Will Patton,(Philip Rothman),"The Agency",'01 TV Series, acted his usual calm ways and was soft spoken, but very powerful in his building a case against Brenda Geck. It is a shame that such a person did exists and did so much mental and physical harm too so very many people's lives. It is a great film to alert the general public as to what can actually happen in their own neighborhoods or even your next door friend. It was nice to see Kirstie Alley give such a great performance in this very sick TRUE STORY!

I thought Kirstie Alley was awesome in this role. When foster daughter Marie runs away from the Geck family home in search of assistance, she finds no sympathetic ear. The Geck's are philanthropic pillars of their community, and on friendly terms with politicians and other high profile residents. In the beginning, you only catch glimpses of the Gecks true colors, so it is easy to see how they could charm such a great deal of people, even though they give the viewer an uneasy feeling. As the story unfolds, Brenda Geck (head of the house of horrors) slowly reveals herself. I'm wondering if they chose to do this movie now, because the Burts (who the movie was loosely based on) are up for parole? If you like "movies of the week," this is a great one for Chinese food and a night at home. Not once was I bored watching this, and Kirstie's powerful performance washes away any weak characters.