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.

I have been both 17 and the mother of birth and adopted children. I find this girl annoying and her mum a bit too much too at times, but she loves her as much as her own. At 17 really is incredibly selfish, narcissistic like a lot of us at that age, but so unaware of others feelings it's incredible. The way she falls into the criminals clutches is laughable. If she's so sophisticated to have sex straight away why is she immature? She says I don't owe these people anything, talking about her adoptive parents. MY GOD how about 17 years of love hard work, and provision. She is a spoiled brat who needs a good kick up the bottom to sort her out. Oh Blah blah there are starving kids in our countries, who get neglected and abused and she has it all, and is so "confused", when there are people all over the world who would kill to be in her shoes. GOD give me strength. Anyway that's a GOOD thing as the films well done and provokes emotions so it's done it's job, and well done beautifully filmed and thought provoking. I'm an artist so if you get a reaction you've done your job. I still want to slap her around the face and tell her to either grow up or go away.

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