In my opinion this is a great movie and it has become one of my favorites.In general i am usually against made for TV movies but this one really got me. *May contain spoilers* When it comes to Self Injury(cutting,burning,etc.) i am extremely critical of movies that contain the issue.Most of the time Self Injury is represented completely wrong.That always upsets me but this movie was actually surprisingly accurate in most aspects.Lets take a look at the facts of this movie.It's about a girl who is extremely distressed about many of the normal teenage problems such as a bad relationship with her parents,a less than understanding sibling,a boyfriend who doesn't care about her at all,a constant feeling that she doesn't fit in and that nobody likes her.(I think that anyone and everyone has also had to deal with at least one of these issues at one point or another in there lives.)The point is that in order to deal with these problems she cuts herself.Which happens to people who are in extreme distress and are generally quiet,keep to themselves,and just have trouble communicating there feelings.I'm very passionate about the issue of Self Injury and i love when movies,TV shows and whatnot actually represent the issue in an accurate form.From beginning to end i really think that you can connect with the character of Dawn and feel her pain.She seems to be painfully shy and all she wants is to fit in and make friends.The mother in this movie is just terrible but in reality i think this may actually be the way that a lot of mothers may act in reaction to finding out that there child is a self injurer.At first when i was watching this movie and i saw the mom's character play out and i thought maybe she was just scared of losing her daughter to cutting, but then i realized she was just plain selfish and that all she cared about was people knowing that she raised a daughter that was a cutter, and it wasn't even that she was worried about the embarrassment that Dawn would face because of her cutting but the embarrassment that she,the mom, would face because of Dawn's cutting.That is why i believe the mom told everyone that Dawn was cutting,to force Dawn to stop cutting so that she wouldn't have to deal with the fact that her daughter was a cutter and her embarrassment.The Dad on the other hand seemed like he genuinely cared but no longer had a good relationship with his daughter so he wasn't quite sure how to communicate with her.He wanted to help her but had no idea how to go about it.There were a couple scenes in this movie that demonstrated that wonderfully.The so called popular girls in this movie were completely ruthless and enjoyed every moment of Dawn's pain.I have never seen girls this terrible before.The only people in this movie that really seemed to care about Dawn's pain was her new friend Lorraine, and her father.Lorraine was definitely one of the best things that happened to Dawn.You could tell that Lorraine really cared about Dawn and just wanted to help her.The best acting in this movie was definitely provided by the teenagers.They were all really great and completely believable.One real issue that i had with this movie was in fact the ending.The ending was very unsettling and left a lot of unanswered questions.I really think that more should have been added to clear up a few things but overall this was a good movie and i give it a 9/10.Also,i suggest to anyone who is a Self Injurer or has been a Self Injurer, or knows someone who is a Self Injurer to give this movie a chance and watch it you might just learn something.

As a recovering cutter, I'd read Steven Levenkron's book (as well as other books on self-injury) and I was very interested when I heard that a movie was being made about this very important issue, and I watched (and taped it) when it first premiered under the title, "Secret Cutting" (before the title was later renamed as "Painful Secrets")When I had been cutting, and when it had been discovered, 10-12 years ago, there had been hardly ANY information about it anywhere. As such there was a LOT of stigma, discrimination and myths associated with it. I think it is a good thing that important issues like this be brought out of the closet and discussed, so there is more information about it out there, and those who suffer will not be scared or ashamed to get help.So I was very excited when I heard this movie was coming out.However, even before I actually saw the movie, I had a feeling that the casting would not be good when I saw Rhea Perlman being interviewed on one of the morning shows or talk shows about the movie, and heard that she would be playing the role of the therapist. I thought that, it was an AWFUL choice, and if that was a representation of the judgement of the casting director, that for most part the other characters would probably be no better - and I was unfortunately right.Now don't get me wrong, I have NOTHING against Rhea Perlman. She is a WONDERFUL comedic actress. I LOVED her in "Matilda" and other movies and shows. But she is not good at serious drama, and she was totally unsuited for an important role that is not meant to be funny like that of this character.I mean every time I saw her different facial expressions and body language, I got the urge to laugh, which is not the purpose of a serious issue movie like this.A better choice would be someone who can exude compassion, and empathy in her acting, like Nancy Lee Grahn (of General Hospital, 7th Heaven, and other shows) or Teryl Rothery (of Stargate SG-1, who has acted in MANY, MANY made-for-TV movies). Alternately, actresses like Stepfanie Kramer, Patti LuPone, Veronica Hamel, Pam Dawber, and a few others would likely have been good choices for this role. Even Sean Young (who played the mother in this film) would have been a much better casting choice for the part of the therapist, than Rhea Perlman was.Unfortunately, the bad casting choices did not end with Rhea Perlman. The main role of this movie,the starring character, Dawn Cottrell, was played by Kimberlee Peterson - another HORRIBLE choice.Again, I have nothing against Kimberlee Peterson, I think she is a great budding actress, and I really enjoyed her in other roles, such as when she guest starred for several episodes as a homeless teen, in "Boston Public", and when she guest-starred on "Strong Medicine". But she was just not right for this role. For one thing, and I mean no offense by this, but she looks like a freak. Especially with her constant raised eyebrow expression (which is extremely annoying and distracting) and the way she would become so excited, nearly to the point of being giddy, while self-injuring, it just perpetuates the myth that those who mutilate themselves, are just "insane, psycho freaks", and it just reinforces the stigma and discrimination against them.Kimberlee Peterson is a good actress but totally wrong for this part. Better choices for this role would be Kellie Martin (of ER, Life Goes On, and TV movies), Jennie Garth or Tori Spelling (of Beverly Hills 90210), Jessica Biel (of 7th Heaven, and various movies) and Jessica Bowman (of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) Alternately, Katie Wright (of Melrose Place, and various made-for-TV movies), Ariana Richards, and SEVERAL others would likely have been good choices for this role. Even Crystal Buble (who played cruel bully Rebecca in this movie) would be a better casting choice for the part of Dawn Cottrell than Kimberlee Peterson.The casting of the other characters in this movie ranged from mediocre or average (Mr.& Mrs. Cottrell, the school personnel, etc.) to EXCELLENT (Lorraine, Alex)Though this is a good movie, the casting for a majority of the main characters was AWFUL, and it really took away from what could have otherwise been a great, informative, and important movie.

This is not the best of movies out there; but for a made for TV movie its about ten to one hundred steps better that a lifetime movie. I was forced to watch in my Psychology class and while most of the class was gasping or wincing I was laughing from the over acting. The only nearly decent actress was Rhea Pearlman from "Cheers" who plays the understanding psychologist. All in All it offers a good glimpse into the life of those who cut and if anyone out there thinks that people would not cause pain to themselves in that manner it is all too real.I digress. Ms. Petters delivers a melodramatic performance which is really what this movie is. The overall sense of this movie seems suited to the health classrooms or as a training film for teachers so they can spot those cutting.

well.. now that i've refreshed my memory by reading some comments. i can say some things about this movie. but first.. i'd like to say.. cutting urself isn't really a disease or a syndrome, like some have said. instead i believe it is an addiction and a way of dealing with things. i think some people who have commented on this aren't thinking about how every situation is different. i think this is a typical situation. an unpopular girl is depressed and gets angry and tense and what not and calms herself by cutting herself.. not my situation in the least..i don't remember the acting too well, but probably it wasn't too good.. that is to be expected though i would think.. self-mutilation is not known very well. in fact when i started i did not even know people did that. and there are several ways to mutilate yourself. burning and branding yourself, hitting urself, gauging your ears for the purpose of inflicting pain upon yourself, digging things into your skin, or little things like scratching yourself are other ways to hurt yourself. that is not really shown in this film.on the whole this film is informative, but you really don't know the feeling of it unless you have experienced it. it may be scary to see fake cuts on people, buh seeing your skin open up a cm or more wide.. now thats something to be scared about.. i know that most people don't get why people cut themselves.. they don't understand. in this movie though, at least it gives information, situations, outlooks, behaviors, etc so that people may understand more.. buh really there is so much more to it. more situations.. like death and suicide and the inability to cope with things.. oh well, it was alright i guess. from what i remember..