"When He's Not A Stranger" really sums up the ordeal that rape victims experience, and it aired at a time when sexual assault on college campuses was hitting headlines.
Annabeth Gish's performance as Lyn McKenna, who is raped and brutalized by her best friend's beau, football player Ron (John Terlesky)is what really makes this film. She is lured into his dorm room thinking that her friend, Melanie will be there, when in fact, it's just her and Ron, who has her trapped and forces himself on her, asking her after the attack, "How was I?"
We watch as Lyn goes through the turmoil of her ordeal, showering, not talking to anyone, trying to avoid Ron, which is a teensy bit difficult as he is the boyfriend of her friend and roommate.
When she finally tells another friend, played by Kevin Dillon, she slowly begins to break her silence, confiding to her parents, Melanie (who refuses to believe it at first) and finally she tells the school administration, who basically wants to sweep it all under the rug, since the perpetrator in question is the star of the college football team. She finally takes him to court, all the while he protests, "Why are you doing this to me? What did I do that was so bad?" The creep doesn't think he's done anything wrong, which is the attitude of most of these offenders, unfortunately. She even finds a kindred spirit in one of her classmates, who, as it turns out, went through the nightmare of violation but was too scared and embarrassed to take any action. To make a long review shorter, she wins the case.
This movie should be aired often, and even shown in post secondary institutions. The sad fact is, it can happen anywhere. People need to be aware.
Kudos to the cast and crew of "When He's Not A Stranger" for bringing the story to life and raising this very important and ongoing issue.
The silence needs to be continually broken.
Annabeth Gish's performance as Lyn McKenna, who is raped and brutalized by her best friend's beau, football player Ron (John Terlesky)is what really makes this film. She is lured into his dorm room thinking that her friend, Melanie will be there, when in fact, it's just her and Ron, who has her trapped and forces himself on her, asking her after the attack, "How was I?"
We watch as Lyn goes through the turmoil of her ordeal, showering, not talking to anyone, trying to avoid Ron, which is a teensy bit difficult as he is the boyfriend of her friend and roommate.
When she finally tells another friend, played by Kevin Dillon, she slowly begins to break her silence, confiding to her parents, Melanie (who refuses to believe it at first) and finally she tells the school administration, who basically wants to sweep it all under the rug, since the perpetrator in question is the star of the college football team. She finally takes him to court, all the while he protests, "Why are you doing this to me? What did I do that was so bad?" The creep doesn't think he's done anything wrong, which is the attitude of most of these offenders, unfortunately. She even finds a kindred spirit in one of her classmates, who, as it turns out, went through the nightmare of violation but was too scared and embarrassed to take any action. To make a long review shorter, she wins the case.
This movie should be aired often, and even shown in post secondary institutions. The sad fact is, it can happen anywhere. People need to be aware.
Kudos to the cast and crew of "When He's Not A Stranger" for bringing the story to life and raising this very important and ongoing issue.
The silence needs to be continually broken.