As someone who grew up in South Carolina at the time of these events, this movie is crap even by TV movie standards. The attempts at Southern accents by all of the actors are beyond awful. I'm a life-long resident of the Palmetto State and this movie is the only time or place I've ever heard anyone talk like the characters in this waste of celluloid.The producers couldn't even get their geography right. There's no such thing as Columbia County, South Carolina. I realize the need for creative license, but why not call it, "Murder in Carolina?" or anything other than what the morons called it.I noticed many of the reviewers like this story because it was something they could relate to personally. That's one of the reasons I hate it. I spent roughly 15 years as a reporter covering this state (I was in elementary school at the time of the Bell murders). But this movie was so poorly produced, it's insulting to everyone involved. Every remaining copy should be boxed up and thrown into Lake Murray for the catfish to eat.

Sadly, this TV movie is based on a true story. The problem with some of these dramas ripped from the headlines is that, after you've seen and heard the real family, there's simply no comparison.Thanks to some nice performances, however, this film does a pretty good job of telling the story of a beauty queen who disappears outside of her home and whose family is then tortured by the kidnapper even after the young woman's body is found.The actual shocking details are depicted in the movie - for instance, the poor mother having to keep the killer on the phone, on the day of her daughter's funeral, as the killer asks her if she wants to know how her daughter died. As the real-life mother said in the documentary done on Court TV, "Did I want to talk to him? No. But what choice did I have?" The young woman writes a letter to her family (also depicted in this movie). She states that she is ready to die and requests a closed casket. Though I can't imagine anything more unbearable, in real life, the parents say it has helped provide them with the closure they needed to go on for their lives.Though this film does a decent job, certainly, the focus is on the Jeri Ryan character, the victim's sister. After viewing the Court TV story, one walks away inspired by the courage of the entire family in the face of such torment, and is haunted by the photo of this beautiful, radiant young woman with her entire life ahead of her.In 2006, "What Not to Wear" did makeovers on three past beauty pageant contestants when they brought them back to re-enter the competition. One of the former contestants was a rather perky and annoying blond from the south. I later learned she is the sister on which the Jeri Ryan character is based; her sister was the one killed. I went from thinking this smiling and somewhat cloying older women was a pain to thinking she's one of the most remarkable women I've ever seen.

Kitsch of the worst kind. They don't make 'em like this anymore.Bad acting by virtually the whole cast. Typically your now-i-am-gonna- play-someone-angry-just-watch-me kind of acting.Highly predictable. If you cannot predict the movie's end, you are either dead or have fallen asleep.Beauty of the lead actress is corrupted by her overacting. Overacting is not sexy but repulsive. An overacting woman is usually on the verge of depression and marriage dissolution.Cannot be saved by William - Marathon Man - Devane's method acting too. The man can act so why doesn't he?

WoW!! My drama teacher is Larry Gene Bell!! (Butch Slade) Well, Mr. Slade let us view this movie in drama, and I must say, he did a very good job, along with the rest of the crew. I especially like the scene in the court where he jumped out at the crowd. That was pretty cool. I recommend this movie because of its ability to touch something inside of you. If you ever get a chance, see it!!!!