'A Murder to Remember' Review: Lifetime offers a Stockholm syndrome thriller that'll leave you biting your nails
Spoilers for 'A Murder to Remember'
Based on Ann Rule’s true crime collections inspired by a real-life story, 'A Murder to Remember' is a thriller film by Lifetime that brings to you the unnerving experience of Robin Rivera (Maddie Nichols), a young woman who finds herself in a life-threatening situation after her husband Javier (Kevin Rodriguez) gets killed under mysterious circumstances. The movie opens with a scene showing Robin completely distraught, being driven to the Sheriff’s office to report the death of her husband by a man called Sam Turner (TC Matherne).
Robin and Javier, a young couple, plan a trekking trip on the occasion of their first wedding anniversary. They are full of life, love each other unconditionally and come across as adventurous. Robin and Javier’s chirpiness catches the attention of Sam, a fellow camper, who befriends them effortlessly using his knowledge of fishing and the woods.
To make their special day more memorable, Robin convinces Javier to spend the night with her in an unknown location after they get lost following Sam’s instructions. Sam lures Javier into the woods by going after a deer to hunt it down. Before Robin could catch up with the duo, who were way ahead of her, she hears the gun go off. She runs into the woods to find Javier lying dead from the gunshot. Even before Robin could pull herself together to process what was happening, Sam establishes that it was a hunting accident.
After altering the cops about her husband’s murder, Robin tells them that she wouldn’t have made it alive out of the woods if not for Sam, who "saved" her life. Taking into consideration Robin’s condition and her behavior towards Sam, which seemed to be masked by an underlying fear, the police officer makes them undergo the lie-detection test. However, to her surprise Sam clears the polygraph, while Robin fails, thus convincing the cops that Sam was innocent.
However, Robin’s mother Celeste is determined to prove that Sam murdered Javier when she begins to notice her daughter’s strange behavior, mostly driven by fear and secrets she wasn’t willing to share. Eventually, Robin reveals to her mother that Sam held her hostage in the woods for five days before taking her to the cops.
At this point, you as a viewer will find it difficult to distinguish between reality and what seems like Robin’s delusion when she shares her experience of being abducted and abused by Sam. As the story progresses, it paints Sam as a master manipulator who had successfully brainwashed Robin into believing that her husband died in an accident and that only he could get her out of the woods alive. After being exposed to severe trauma, Robin starts believing the story constructed by Sam and lays her trust in her captor, clearly displaying Stockholm syndrome. When the cops get suspicious and dig into Sam’s records, they learn about his criminal past, which pushes them to reconsider the entire case.
With its many nail-biting moments, the movie keeps you gripped throughout. As it navigates the memories of a victim of abuse and violence, ‘A Murder to Remember’ gives rise to may intriguing questions, which makes the plot even more compelling. Premising on a complex concept, the movie touches upon the nuances of human behavior through the lens of its characters effortlessly. Robin and Sam’s roles complement each other and they have both well played their individual characters.
If you’re looking for a movie that could leave you puzzled and entertained at the same time with an intense story, ‘A Murder to Remember’ is the right pick. The movie premieres on August 2 on Lifetime.
