BoardChiri Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Cooktopi The acting in this movie is really good.

Geraldine The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

TCall2004 I came upon this movie as I was channel-surfing on a Sunday afternoon (a bad day for television, even with digital cable).Lifetime was showing it and when I saw the cast, I decided to watch.The late Robert Urich did a marvelous job in the TV movie "Blind Faith" as Robert Marshall, the NJ insurance man who had his wife, Maria, murdered in 1984, and is now serving life in prison.He did not disappoint in this movie as a control freak of a father who went so far as to kill his two sons-in-law for insurance money (and to blow off his own right hand for the same reason).A truly scary guy.A young Gwyneth Paltrow (one of my favorite actresses) did an equally terrific job as Carol Fagot Holland, the daughter who was loyal to her father at first but , in the end, helped to bring him down.Roxanne Zal also does a good job playing Urich's psychotic second wife, Marty.Shelley Fabrares does not get enough air time in this move, but makes good use when she is on screen.Good scenery , fine acting.Nice way to kill two hours on a Sunday afternoon.I'd recommend it.

marbleann This one of my favorite Lifetime type TV movies. This is not repeated as often as most of these types of movies so I was pleasantly surprised when I caught it on Lifetime. Movie is about a domineering father of 4 daughters who life spirals out of control. He uses the daughters and their various husbands to pay for his lifestyle by taking insurance policies out out on them. I don't have say what happens. No one can play crazy murderous fathers the way Robert Urich could. He played a similar role in another true story about a husband who kills his wife. I really miss seeing him in TV movies, a void was left when he past away. Forget about Spencer for Hire, these were those roles he was best in. Ms Paltrow plays his favorite daughter, Carol. I have never been a big fan of hers. She seems to be permanently underwhelmed and she seems that way in this movie. If she got hit by a bolt of lightning you would never know it by looking at her because she would look too bothered to show any emotion. She is not a bad actress it is just that she is just there. She is OK in this movie. Shelley Fabares plays the put upon wife. She knows what is going with her hubby, but this is the mid 60's-70's what was she going to do? Her husband was a powerful lawyer at that. Her choices were very limited. She does try to leave but he won't go for it. A very sad position but a very real position for women years ago. I like the way she transforms herself. I can't think of the actor who plays Carols second hubby, Mike, but he is very good. A weasel, but we know that as soon as we meet him. But I do think he loves her. You can see that in a scene where he is arguing with her father about a failed job. He seems more concerned for Carol then the doting father. Yes he gets mad at her and they have a heated scene But the husband is mad because Carol always takes daddy side even though she knows he is a jerk. The actor is very good in the part. All in all it is very good movie. Watch it if not just to see Mr Urich at his best. I want to add that I loved the house they used for the movie. As another reviewer mentioned it does look like a Frank Lloyd Wright type of house. This movie is suppose to take place in the New Orleans area, so I don't think that house looks like a houses in that area. But it is a gorgeous place.

gorgeous_529 What some people may not realize that, while this was a great TV movie, it was also a true story. My family lived next door to LJ Fagot before he made his insurance money and my father once worked as their gardener and was friends with Carol. My father and his siblings were also babysat by Joanne.I was impressed to see the acting cast and thought they did a wonderful job. Urich's portrayal of LJ Fagot was great and very close to how dictatorial Fagot was in real life. Gwyneth Paltrow and Matthew Perry were virtually unknown when filming this movie, yet still demonstrated superb acting abilities. The house where this all took place still stands, at least it did before Katrina, and is still inhabited. It looks nothing like the house in the movie but is still beautiful in the way only New Orleans houses are. I will continue to show this movie to my children as it is apart of our family history, as well as that of the Fagot family.

Larry Peebles This movie is so "real," I felt it must be based on fact. But after a little research, I realized that it's just a very intriguing story, expertly crafted. Good performances all around. Highly recommended.