Sinister Switch (2021 TV Movie)
Conflicted
17 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Firstly, I don't really like the abduction-themed movies, so that I watched this was a surprise. Secondly, I'm not sure how this movie happens if they'd just gotten a DNA test when Olivia came back, but they went w/o one. Justin, Olivia's father and Kristen's ex-hubs or estranged hubs, is a doctor or something and works in a hospital (he's in scrubs in his first scene in the present)....how would he not think to get a DNA test?

Sure if they did a blood/DNA test, they would have discovered who this girl was and there would have been no movie, but it was such an obvious thing to not include. Would a hospital and law enforcement really not confirm her identity? Especially given that there were several other missing girls? Press X for doubt. It makes no sense.

Not to mention, I would say except for maybe losing the baby fat or gaining some weight, maybe hair darkening, by the age Olivia went missing, her features should have been set. HOW do they not question their "daughter's" appearance? How is the best friend the first to acknowlege. To be fair, traumatized parents might want it to be their child, but it's a stretch. The wrong bedroom thing wasn't a huge red flag for me, so I didn't mind it.

A few "character development" things I did like were "Olivia" asking where Justin was when he wasn't at the house. It makes sense to me that their kid would notice her father not being home. I also liked Kristen explaining to "Olivia" the reason why her bedroom was packed up. Same for Justin grabbing "O" to keep her from eating shrimp which she's allergic to, "O" running off, and then her parents apologizing. These felt like "human" moments in a Lifetime movie, which is rare.

I also find it absurd that Olivia/Natalie escapes (for good reason) but then doesn't warn Kristen about where she's taking her. She doesn't seem to have Stockholm Syndrome or seem protective of her captor necessarily, so why not tell her where they were going? Especially if it's a chance to help the other girls. That was really bizarre.

I like the winter movies, but it's a little over the top here. I'm assuming this movie is filmed in Alberta or somewhere like that, so it is what it is I guess. It is kind of weird to see them with open coats, no hats or scarves just letting the snow fall on them lol. I also liked the house even though we didn't see much of it.

The ending was fine. Climax wasn't super dramatic which was fine. But did they even try to find Natalie's real parents???

It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. You have to accept the premise of no dna test and parents not knowing their own kid to sit through this.
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