Based on V. C. Andrews' first of 5 books of the Cutler Family, Dawn is about a young girl named Dawn Longchamp who finds out some grim truths about her true identity and how she actually is blood-related to the messed up Cutlers who wield a tremendous amount of power and control over her until she discovers the truth. Veteran actress Donna Mills stars as the grandmother Lillian Cutler and newcomer Brec Bassinger as Dawn. The movie pretty well follows the 1st book and it is worth watching if you like the Lifetime adaptation of Andrews' novels. Shot in Vancouver, the film has some very nice cinematography and a solid Canadian cast but the script and direction could have been better. Still do recommend, though.
10 Reviews
What In The World??!!
janinefordham25 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
What was the deal with the poor family having two teenagers sharing a room and bed? It would have been highly inappropriate as sister and brother, but when you realize the parents knew they weren't related..... It seems to me that she went from one bad situation to another.
In all of the reviews no one seemed to address this glaring issue from the beginning. In fact, when the poor dad spoke about the relocation to Richmond he mentioned needing a space for the new baby! Maybe the book accounts for this. The movie plot was so sloppy all around but I found the very beginning with the two teenagers sleeping as if they were a couple was just too weird.
In all of the reviews no one seemed to address this glaring issue from the beginning. In fact, when the poor dad spoke about the relocation to Richmond he mentioned needing a space for the new baby! Maybe the book accounts for this. The movie plot was so sloppy all around but I found the very beginning with the two teenagers sleeping as if they were a couple was just too weird.
Fun and interesting
montgomerysue12 August 2023
The direction, acting, and production values here are very inconsistent, shifting from just okay to quite good, but the story unfolds in a way that is very intriguing and it really keeps your interest throughout. At times, very dramatic and, at others, very campy, but it's all fun and worthwhile.
Brec Bassinger as Dawn can be quite excellent, and Kobe Clarke (as Jimmy) is consistently good in a heartfelt performance. Donna Mills has her most villainous role since Abby in "Knot's Landing," and she nails it here. Always good to see her. The same with Jesse Metcalfe, quite good as Dawn's "father", and Fran Drescher, who is always a hoot and really adds to the camp here. All in all, a worthwhile, good but not great, way to spend your summer evenings.
Brec Bassinger as Dawn can be quite excellent, and Kobe Clarke (as Jimmy) is consistently good in a heartfelt performance. Donna Mills has her most villainous role since Abby in "Knot's Landing," and she nails it here. Always good to see her. The same with Jesse Metcalfe, quite good as Dawn's "father", and Fran Drescher, who is always a hoot and really adds to the camp here. All in all, a worthwhile, good but not great, way to spend your summer evenings.
OMG - just horrible!
michael-manolis25 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I tried to keep watching but had to give up to protect my sanity! This has to be one of the worst movies/series I've seen! The plot made no sense, the dialogue was out loud laughable and the acting was so bad it can't have helped any of the actor's careers. The long last kidnapped daughter is returned to the family who missed her so much that they don't bother to see her until the next day and of course she's made to work as a chamber maid at the family hotel and taken out of school!!! In summary don't waste your time watching this - it's just so bad that I can't believe they wasted time and money making this show!
A Dark and Twisted Family Saga
ergo-5853414 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Dawn is the first installment of a four-part TV movie series based on the novels by V. C. Andrews. It follows the life of Dawn Longchamp (Brec Bassinger), a young girl who discovers that her loving but poor parents are not her biological ones, and that she belongs to a wealthy and powerful family with a dark and twisted history. She moves in with her grandmother Lillian Cutler (Donna Mills), who rules the family with an iron fist and has a sinister agenda for Dawn. Along the way, Dawn faces secrets, lies, betrayal, and romance as she tries to find her true identity and happiness.
The movie is a faithful adaptation of the book, capturing the Gothic atmosphere and the melodramatic tone of the story. The cast does a good job of portraying the complex and flawed characters, especially Bassinger as the innocent and resilient Dawn, and Mills as the cold and manipulative Lillian. The movie also features some surprising guest stars, such as Fran Drescher as Agnes Morris, a friendly teacher who helps Dawn, Jesse Metcalfe as Ormand Longchamp, Dawn's adoptive father who has a dark past, and Joey McIntyre as Michael Sutton, a charming musician who falls in love with Dawn.
Dawn is a captivating and entertaining movie that will appeal to fans of V. C. Andrews and Lifetime dramas. It sets up the stage for the next three movies in the series, which will explore more of Dawn's family secrets and challenges. If you are looking for a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat with twists and turns, then Dawn is the one for you.
The movie is a faithful adaptation of the book, capturing the Gothic atmosphere and the melodramatic tone of the story. The cast does a good job of portraying the complex and flawed characters, especially Bassinger as the innocent and resilient Dawn, and Mills as the cold and manipulative Lillian. The movie also features some surprising guest stars, such as Fran Drescher as Agnes Morris, a friendly teacher who helps Dawn, Jesse Metcalfe as Ormand Longchamp, Dawn's adoptive father who has a dark past, and Joey McIntyre as Michael Sutton, a charming musician who falls in love with Dawn.
Dawn is a captivating and entertaining movie that will appeal to fans of V. C. Andrews and Lifetime dramas. It sets up the stage for the next three movies in the series, which will explore more of Dawn's family secrets and challenges. If you are looking for a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat with twists and turns, then Dawn is the one for you.
Fail.
katie-4992113 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
As an avid reader of V. C. Andrews smut, I am livid with this poor excuse of a movie adaption. Why is is SO hard for Lifetime to get these book-to-movie adaptions even remotely accurate? Casting: ALL WRONG, with the exception of Dawn who at least looks the part. Everybody else makes me irrationally angry. Writing: Terrible. Huge chunks of the story are missing, making the movie incredibly clunky and confusing. Perhaps a voiceover with Dawn's thoughts would have helped make the story more cohesive? And why do they keep changing names that don't need to be changed? Acting: Awful. Possibly due to poor writing. I need somebody to write a good version of this movie please!! Like the 80's version of Flowers In the Attic.
Wow
ebonibarnett23 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Wow I didn't expect this four part limited series to be so good already, I'm excited to see it goes in part 3 and everyone should definitely watch this ,I'm glad that tiktok recommend this limited series to me, I absolutely love how Dawn Didn't want to be called Eugenia , Berc Bassinger is such a great actress..........
I have to say that I wasn't expecting this to be good to be honest, The clothes, hair and everything is so unique...
That twist in part 1 was so good that I was expecting more and it blew my mind so quickly, I can't stand Clara Jean for obvious reasons and all that , I can't stand Philip too since he annoys me so much while watching it .......
In my opinion Philip should have just taken a hint that dawn wasn't into him once she found out that they were siblings......
It was good
MeganLynn200814 November 2023
It was good but it was disturbing and intense as you navigate through the series of four movies when you binge watch them after they are released. I gave a five star rating instead of ten because of the certain elements I seen in the film that may be disturbing for others. I love the characters and cast but not the stuff that go off into the night. Other than that, the movie is good. I just not gonna continue her other series. She's not a horrible author but she is not my cup of tea either. I actually wanted to watch flowers in the attic but after watching the dawn series, I decided not to atm.
It was so bad
fafryns9 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The whole thing was just so bad, the acting, the story.
I mean omg you've been brother and sister for 16 yrs but oh you find out you're not blood related so that means you can now want each other sexually.
I can't believe I actually watch all of it as well. I kept hoping that something even remotely good would come out of it but Dawn was absolutely spineless letting her actual blood brother harass her and not tell anyone.
I still can't get past the fact that they got married and had a kid.
Dawn hears she isn't blood related to him and what instantly has sexual feelings towards him.
The whole thing was so absurd and the acting was so cringy.
I mean omg you've been brother and sister for 16 yrs but oh you find out you're not blood related so that means you can now want each other sexually.
I can't believe I actually watch all of it as well. I kept hoping that something even remotely good would come out of it but Dawn was absolutely spineless letting her actual blood brother harass her and not tell anyone.
I still can't get past the fact that they got married and had a kid.
Dawn hears she isn't blood related to him and what instantly has sexual feelings towards him.
The whole thing was so absurd and the acting was so cringy.
Great Acting
feldmanrivkah10 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The acting was really good from most of the characters. Brec Bassinger put on a great performance especially during the birth scene. I actually had to pause it and take a mental break. The storyline was also great but could be confusing if especially if you haven't read the book series. I really only understood who everyone was and the relation at the very end of the series. Personally wish it was longer and we got to see what happened in between the years that Dawn went from being a teen to a full time mother with two kids. The characters had great potential (Fern in particular) Beside that, I would very much recommend this little series. It's both funny, scary, confusing, maddening, & silly. A great watch for when you're bored.
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