Christina falls in love with Ted who takes her to his home to meet his family during a bad snowstorm and she discovers that Ted's brother died under mysterious circumstances and no one knows what really happened and why. But there's too many obvious clues as she starts snooping around in the house and it's easy to discover the missing pieces before the movie ends. I expected better and would not watch again!
23 Reviews
HGTV Cooking Show with Drama?? Calling Martha Stewart!
mja5814 May 2021
This movie had an inordinate amount of time spent in the kitchen and the dining room. At the mid-point the group were discussing recipes so much that I was ready for a sidebar cooking instruction (or a walk-on by Martha Stewart).
Look for:
1. The character of poor Angie - so sad!
2. Katherine (Ted's sister) - what a tool.
3. Jacob (Katherine's husband) - he looked stoned throughout the movie - I guess he had to be because he was married to her.
4. Christina shooting her mouth off at the mother's birthday party.
5. The bizarre ending with plot points being shot out one after another.
OK time waster.
Look for:
1. The character of poor Angie - so sad!
2. Katherine (Ted's sister) - what a tool.
3. Jacob (Katherine's husband) - he looked stoned throughout the movie - I guess he had to be because he was married to her.
4. Christina shooting her mouth off at the mother's birthday party.
5. The bizarre ending with plot points being shot out one after another.
OK time waster.
Lifetime Movie Quality
Sweet227995 June 2021
The movie wasn't bad but most of the acting was subpar. The lead female and the blonde were very good but otherwise, the rest of the actors were less than mediocre. Cringe-worthy in some cases. If you have nothing else going on and the weather is bad and you are supremely bored, give it a go. Don't pay for it though.
Don't Bother
tomfsloan15 December 2020
This movie was released on Lifetime in December 5th. I think it was filmed on December 4th. I can't lie, I've seen better acting, so they must have had no time for rehearsals or reshoots. The fake snow scenes at night seen from the windows indoors are just awful! Most Lifetime movies may not be stellar masterpieces but at least they are entertaining. This is neither. Pointless plot with a pointless twist. The chase scene and climax is ridiculous. Don't bother watching the last hour and 25 minutes. No spoiler here except the movie itself.
Slow, plodding, and dumb
deedrala20 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Slow and plodding with little action, bad acting, and ridiculous plot: so Ted killed his own brother Paul to get him out of the way so he and Angie could be together...?...because she wanted to stay with Paul after her and Ted's one night stand? Then why did he bring Christina to the family get-together for his mom's birthday? Why not leave Christina behind so he could woo Angie over the weekend and become a couple with her now that Paul had been dead a few years? Because he and Angie "were meant to be together and she needed to see how happy he was with someone else (Christina)", as he told Christina at the end after he had knocked Angie (the one he "was meant to be with") out in her kitchen.....
What a stupid, nonsensical, blatant contrivance as the weak climax to a boring useless movie!
And the unrealistic way he died at the very end - just standing there while the ice broke around him and then sinking into the water instead of trying to get away from the spot he was in and get back on the dock. Might not have made it but he didn't even try.
Waste of film and time. I only gave it 3 for the adorably beautiful German Shepherd ('Ace').
3 out of 10 - Grade D
What a stupid, nonsensical, blatant contrivance as the weak climax to a boring useless movie!
And the unrealistic way he died at the very end - just standing there while the ice broke around him and then sinking into the water instead of trying to get away from the spot he was in and get back on the dock. Might not have made it but he didn't even try.
Waste of film and time. I only gave it 3 for the adorably beautiful German Shepherd ('Ace').
3 out of 10 - Grade D
Don't. Just don't.
jmr-4649023 December 2020
I opened an IMDb account just to review this horrible movie.
Ahhh, where to begin? Yes, Lifetime movies, as a whole, are horrible but they're fun to laugh at. In fact, my daughters and I do it frequently.
But THIS one. Ugh. First, the 'actors' playing the mother and sister are TERRIBLE. They.just.read.their.lines.in.a.monotone.voice. and then the sister sneers often to show how 'tough' she is. Yikes.
But the funniest part - out of all the ridiculous trope they trotted out...the 'distant' father, the well-meaning newcomer, the oblivious mother....is the fact the ENTIRE movie takes place in the - wildly under lit - house because there is a HUGE SNOWSTORM outside. Everyone is snowed in!!!! Nobody can make the big birthday party!!! Except, curiously, when the outside shots are shown, there is no snow on the porch, about 1/2 inch of snow on the car and the GRASS is poking through the snow in the front yard. Come ON, that's just laziness. Come up with another plot point if the weather isn't cooperating.
The ending, although ENTIRELY predictably is laughingly bad. Just bad, bad.
This movie isn't even worth taking the time to laugh along with....it's simply horrid.
Ahhh, where to begin? Yes, Lifetime movies, as a whole, are horrible but they're fun to laugh at. In fact, my daughters and I do it frequently.
But THIS one. Ugh. First, the 'actors' playing the mother and sister are TERRIBLE. They.just.read.their.lines.in.a.monotone.voice. and then the sister sneers often to show how 'tough' she is. Yikes.
But the funniest part - out of all the ridiculous trope they trotted out...the 'distant' father, the well-meaning newcomer, the oblivious mother....is the fact the ENTIRE movie takes place in the - wildly under lit - house because there is a HUGE SNOWSTORM outside. Everyone is snowed in!!!! Nobody can make the big birthday party!!! Except, curiously, when the outside shots are shown, there is no snow on the porch, about 1/2 inch of snow on the car and the GRASS is poking through the snow in the front yard. Come ON, that's just laziness. Come up with another plot point if the weather isn't cooperating.
The ending, although ENTIRELY predictably is laughingly bad. Just bad, bad.
This movie isn't even worth taking the time to laugh along with....it's simply horrid.
So bad
annicaan-6730817 January 2021
Trash ending
annaconda-5076628 December 2020
What a waste of 2 hours. Want to know the ending?? So do I and I watched the movie. Lifetime movies are hit and miss but they are still typically entertaining and with a storyline that makes sense and has purpose. Don't waste your time, it just leaves you like what the hell!? Lol
Boring and Predictable
ThePissedOffButRationalReviewer11 December 2020
Excruciatingly bad. And slow
CranberriAppl28 February 2021
I ended up FF to the climax. This movie was so dull, so lacking in suspense, that I don't want to type more than a few sentences. Everyone's trapped in this house which to me would make it seem like the walls are closing in, but these characters are still lurking and sneaking around corners and whatnot. The main actress wears the same expression the entire movie. The villain attacks her at the end and in the cringy final scene, her entire demeanor is as if someone spilled a glass of wine on her floor...not as if she was afraid for her life. Just awful.
The ending
karlajromano2 July 2021
Honestly I don't understand the bad reviews. I never watch a lifetime movie expecting big Hollywood acting.. the only reason I'm giving it 8/10 is because the ending sucked. Like it was a good plot twist I did like that but it didn't give any closure. It didn't show the family's reaction to the news or anything. I thought the movie went into commercials but it actually was just the end. I feel like it needed more details on the end vs the waste of time during the beginning.
Horrible
texasreaderstacy25 June 2021
Not very good
racheladams-539816 January 2022
Just watched last 30mins of this (channel 5 in UK) whilst pottering around, and although i only saw the last 30 mins, it was so bad that i easily guessed what was what and what had happened. The main thing for me though was the make-up. 2 characters had exactly the same make-up and it suited neither, dark brown matt lipstick way too heavy, and the mother was the same, very heavy matt red lipstick that made her look like a clown. All i could see was the bad lipstick ha ha.
The most boring whodunnit ever
laurawalters-2750020 May 2021
Mum chose this movie to watch because the title sounded interesting I guess. I realised 5 minutes in it was a Hallmark type movie attempting to be a thriller.
Anyways nothing happens for 1h20m, it's literally a family sitting around in a house arguing. The final 5 minute climax doesn't make any sense and it then it just, ends.
Anyways nothing happens for 1h20m, it's literally a family sitting around in a house arguing. The final 5 minute climax doesn't make any sense and it then it just, ends.
A bit disappointing
lsworks11 June 2021
The movie revolves around the death of the boyfriend's brother and it's effects on the family, chiefly it's nuanced dysfunction and oddities. It took place over the course of a long weekend, of course during a sudden snowstorm which isolated the group long enough to have old secrets come out. Basically the protagonist girlfriend who was really a stranger to them was able to solve the mystery in 3 days while the local cops had been unable to decipher it for years.
Made me laugh
itfini2 September 2021
Just Watch The Trailer
pdbodyshop23 May 2021
Lifetime Movie Staple But With Interesting Family Drama
vbacon-111-57832919 December 2020
As someone who loves LMN movies, I was really pleased with this one. The plot line wasn't that much better than your average LMN movie, but the addition of the family drama leads me to give it a 9.
The quirky father was one of those odd family members that makes dramas like these funny and realistic as we all have that weird relative. The acting of the mother was a weak point but the others gave decent performances.
Aubrey Reynolds does well as the lead. She seems new to LMN and I hope this can be a stepping stone for her to move on to bigger roles. Or at least would love to see her in more LMN movies.
I will agree with the other reviewer who noted the fake snowfall in the background was so bad it almost qualifies as a goof.
The quirky father was one of those odd family members that makes dramas like these funny and realistic as we all have that weird relative. The acting of the mother was a weak point but the others gave decent performances.
Aubrey Reynolds does well as the lead. She seems new to LMN and I hope this can be a stepping stone for her to move on to bigger roles. Or at least would love to see her in more LMN movies.
I will agree with the other reviewer who noted the fake snowfall in the background was so bad it almost qualifies as a goof.
The 2 inch snowstorm that shuts down a northern city??
agreenskeeperscorp31 March 2024
1st off. Why do these two women want too be so much a part of this family? The sister/daughter is just not likable for her own reasons. Her boyfriend is just a tool. The mother is just as annoying as can be with all of her ridiculous birthday babble. How many times did Ted apologize to Christina for talking down to her?? This famous Teds Tavern where Christina "had to trudge through all of that snow just down the street" closes down? There wasn't 3 inches of snow in that parking lot. The father was the only believable one. Creepy and kept to himself in the creepier basement. And Aubrey Reynolds just can't act. She should've got her money back from Brigham Young. Just ugh!
Keystone cops. Poor editting. 2 hour show?!!!>>@#@$
Xavier_Stone19 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I stumbled upon this show after missing the beginning and at the 30 minute mark it was feeling rather repetitive with 2 separate murders from 1982. Immediately of course they focus on the ex-husband and he is cooperative and he agrees to take a polygraph. And shockingly he passes.
Then the clueless cops still focus on him, reminding the viewers that a polygraph is not allowed in court as they can give misleading results, and he's still the #1 suspect. This goes on until it's getting close to the hour mark and there still hasn't been any headway. Lots and lots of repetition statements, photographs and such.
Then it goes over and hour and I have to check, and it's a 2 HOUR episode. There barely is enough info for 30 mins here. The ex-husband is given another polygraph and he passes again. The female cop is shown at lease 30 times, with 10 being repeat statements. Unreal.
Some lawyer gets on and lets us know that it's a circumstantial evidence case, you know, like 95% of all criminal cases. Then continues that he has to prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt. Wow, amazing stuff here.
Then we get 90 minutes in and the female cop says it's her idea to check DNA through family history like the BTK killer was caught. This is nearly 40 years after the murders of the two women in 2020. And after a while they find a match.
So here's where it gets interesting. After getting the name of the DNA match the cops do some actual investigating, and look at other suspects beside the ex. And - You can not make this up - the guy is in the same newspaper, same page, side by side to the story of the murders. His story is how he was rescued with a gash to his head on a snow covered pass, some 20 or something miles from the murder scene. So keystone cops in full.
There is a 15 minute summary of the trial and quick conviction, followed by a 15 minute ending with victim statements which were sprinkled throughout.
Heavens sakes. How on earth can you stretch this out? Was there no editor available? So many repeated sections and statements, did you even proof read the script?
The only take away from this is that they show gleeful police in interviews from the onset and they think because they caught the killer after 40 years it means hope for all cold cases. No. Incompetent detectives were exposed by extremely poor police work. And this show is aggravating as all heck.
Then the clueless cops still focus on him, reminding the viewers that a polygraph is not allowed in court as they can give misleading results, and he's still the #1 suspect. This goes on until it's getting close to the hour mark and there still hasn't been any headway. Lots and lots of repetition statements, photographs and such.
Then it goes over and hour and I have to check, and it's a 2 HOUR episode. There barely is enough info for 30 mins here. The ex-husband is given another polygraph and he passes again. The female cop is shown at lease 30 times, with 10 being repeat statements. Unreal.
Some lawyer gets on and lets us know that it's a circumstantial evidence case, you know, like 95% of all criminal cases. Then continues that he has to prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt. Wow, amazing stuff here.
Then we get 90 minutes in and the female cop says it's her idea to check DNA through family history like the BTK killer was caught. This is nearly 40 years after the murders of the two women in 2020. And after a while they find a match.
So here's where it gets interesting. After getting the name of the DNA match the cops do some actual investigating, and look at other suspects beside the ex. And - You can not make this up - the guy is in the same newspaper, same page, side by side to the story of the murders. His story is how he was rescued with a gash to his head on a snow covered pass, some 20 or something miles from the murder scene. So keystone cops in full.
There is a 15 minute summary of the trial and quick conviction, followed by a 15 minute ending with victim statements which were sprinkled throughout.
Heavens sakes. How on earth can you stretch this out? Was there no editor available? So many repeated sections and statements, did you even proof read the script?
The only take away from this is that they show gleeful police in interviews from the onset and they think because they caught the killer after 40 years it means hope for all cold cases. No. Incompetent detectives were exposed by extremely poor police work. And this show is aggravating as all heck.
Movie didn't address loose ends
pinkplanetelle5 July 2021
There were enough plot twists to keep this film mysterious and interesting to me but the movie never addressed the first scene where the dog found the lady's arm in the snow. What happened with that, and whose arm was it? The movie ended without ever tying that in, like the directors changed the plot or something and forgot to cut that part out.
Also, as another poster mentioned, the movie ended too abruptly without a closure scene for the family, which Lifetime usually provides.
It was otherwise an enjoyable movie with an unpredictable ending.
Also, as another poster mentioned, the movie ended too abruptly without a closure scene for the family, which Lifetime usually provides.
It was otherwise an enjoyable movie with an unpredictable ending.
Let the Games Begin!!!
lavatch23 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
"Secrets in the Snow" was a well-crafted domestic drama with a strong central character. Christina had a rough upbringing having never lived in a single house longer than a few months. But at age 17, she turned her life around to become a successful caregiver.
Christina and Ted Ryant seem like an ideal couple as the film opens with a winter trip to visit Ted's family home on the occasion of the birthday of his mother Katherine. At the heart of the drama, Christina makes use of her skills as a social worker to do some family counseling.
The Ryant family's dysfunction stems from the death of Ted's brother, Paul, who died mysteriously in a nearby lake. While the death was ruled an accident, there is the strong suspicion of foul play. Christina's perceptive questions and good detective work eventually lead her to the truth.
The screenplay was successful in building dramatic tension as nerves are frayed over the weekend. An especially strong performance by the actress playing Christian contributed to the effectiveness of the drama.
At one point in the film, Ted's embittered sister Nicole blurts out, "Let the games begin!" as the family's thin veneer of stability is shattered. Nicole believes that Paul's fiancée Angie was responsible for Paul's death. The father, Jonathan Ryant, believes that he is to blame after an intense argument with his son. Ted tries to make Christina believe that Paul's death was an accident. A gala birthday celebration has been planned at Ned's Tavern. But the party will be derailed as the family secrets boil to the surface.
The film moves to a swift climactic scene as the true story of Paul's death finally becomes clear. The film's only shortcoming was the absence of a denouement to wrap up the loose ends in the wake an event that will alter the lives of everyone associated with the tragic Ryant clan. This saga will be talked up for years to come by the regulars at Ned's Tavern.
Christina and Ted Ryant seem like an ideal couple as the film opens with a winter trip to visit Ted's family home on the occasion of the birthday of his mother Katherine. At the heart of the drama, Christina makes use of her skills as a social worker to do some family counseling.
The Ryant family's dysfunction stems from the death of Ted's brother, Paul, who died mysteriously in a nearby lake. While the death was ruled an accident, there is the strong suspicion of foul play. Christina's perceptive questions and good detective work eventually lead her to the truth.
The screenplay was successful in building dramatic tension as nerves are frayed over the weekend. An especially strong performance by the actress playing Christian contributed to the effectiveness of the drama.
At one point in the film, Ted's embittered sister Nicole blurts out, "Let the games begin!" as the family's thin veneer of stability is shattered. Nicole believes that Paul's fiancée Angie was responsible for Paul's death. The father, Jonathan Ryant, believes that he is to blame after an intense argument with his son. Ted tries to make Christina believe that Paul's death was an accident. A gala birthday celebration has been planned at Ned's Tavern. But the party will be derailed as the family secrets boil to the surface.
The film moves to a swift climactic scene as the true story of Paul's death finally becomes clear. The film's only shortcoming was the absence of a denouement to wrap up the loose ends in the wake an event that will alter the lives of everyone associated with the tragic Ryant clan. This saga will be talked up for years to come by the regulars at Ned's Tavern.
See also
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