This is the story of Karen Reese, a successful investment broker in Kansas City, who is very selective with the company she keeps with men. The harrowing tale unfolds around a mysterious intruder harassing Karen and her little boy Justin.
The film's narration waxes philosophical about life as "an open road" with many "twists and turns." But, at heart, this is a thriller with excellent suspense due to the effective screenplay and a terrific actress who conveys the vulnerability and helplessness in the face of stalker. There was a clever connection made between the squirrels in Karen's attic and a man in hiding, who had set up a sophisticated base of perverted voyeuristic spying.
The filmmakers are successful in planting subtle clues as the action unfolds. In one moment, Karen's new beau Dennis lets his guard down by confessing to little Justin that his father never took him fishing. In another moment, Karen simply states that "there is something" that is troubling her about the man who professes to adore her.
The characters were well-developed with the caring sister, the admiring boss at work, and the play-by-the-books detective. But the film belongs to Karen, who, with the eye of the tiger, refuses to back down in the face of adversity.
Plot summary
Kansas City investment broker Karen Reese has had a long history of bad relationships with men. Her marriage to John Reese was short-lived because of John's controlling nature. It nonetheless resulted in a child, Karen who has custody of now nine year old Justin. John is largely out of Justin's life, which bothers Karen if only because of Justin's want for his father to be truly a father figure. Karen just broke up with her latest boyfriend Randy Stroud for many of the same reasons she broke up with John before him. Karen's sister, Donna Eckhart, believes Karen sabotages many of her relationships out of fear. Karen's boss, Alex, is interested in her romantically, but she believes he is too young for her despite his devotion. When Karen meets venture capital consultant Denis Teague, who is Karen's brother-in-law Lenny Eckhart's new work colleague, Karen thinks that her long streak of bad relationships may have come to an end. Denis is handsome and attentive. And after a rocky start more from someone else trying to take his father's place, Justin becomes attached to Denis as that missing adult male figure in his life. Denis, too, is falling for Karen, he who has also had a history of bad relationships. Shortly before Karen and Denis started dating, strange occurrences started happening around Karen, such as weird sounds coming out from the attic of her house, which she attributes to squirrels, and three "hang up" telephone calls daily from a private number, which she believes is Randy stalking her. Regardless, Karen ultimately decides to call things off with Denis, because she believes he is moving too fast, and is a little too attentive for her comfort, he doing things to meet her every need even before she asks. These strange occurrences increase after Karen and Denis' break-up. Is the timing of these strange occurrences coincidental to meeting and then breaking up with Denis, or is Denis somehow involved?
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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Squirrels in the Attic
Above average TV movie
This is one of those above average TV movies that you'll be glad to have caught on, well, television. I saw it on LMN, and it is definitely worth the while. There's not really a dull moment - and what a creep! The warning signs of an obsessive/abuser is well done--women and girls will be well advised to take heed.
If a guy moves too fast in the relationship, if he doesn't respect boundaries, if he can't take criticisms, if he starts making decisions for you, if you get a gut feeling...listen to your friends, but don't be beholden to them - unless they're warning you against an abuser. It's better to have love and lost then to hold on to an unhealthy relationship.
Intimate Stranger- Strangers in the Night **
The common denominator of a Lifetime film seems to be that someone is harassing someone else and it becomes a guessing game who is doing the harassing. You don't need Jessica Fletcher here because it becomes obvious who the culprit is. The question who shall keep asking is why?
Woman meets the ideal guy through friends. Woman is divorced and has a bright child. The new love in her life buys the kid a bicycle which ticks the woman off. Man begins a systematic harassment of the woman. We know exactly what is going on.
As usual in these films, the police seem to be in the dark but by the end they find all the incriminating evidence they need.
This gal needs relationships to keep her going. At film's end, she is busy with her boss, 5 years her junior.