False Arrest (1991 TV Movie) User Reviews

False Arrest: Certainly above average

[Platypuschow · 6/10 · 23 August 2018]

False Arrest is a made for television thriller based on a true story (Though I'm sure a lot has been changed).

The thing which struck me was it's cast, it's really quite astonishing. It's a regular motley crew of 80's and 90's cult stars and familiar faces.

Steven Bauer, Lane Smith, James Handy, Dennis Christopher, Paul Gleason, Kiersten Warren, Jason London, Robert Wagner and more. Colour me impressed.

It tells the story of a woman who finds herself framed for the deaths of two of her friends. Before she knows it she's in prison, very out of her comfort zone and the case is gradually stacking up against her.

It's actually better than you'd expect it to be, it isn't that the story is fantastic I think it's just a highly competent cast keeping the whole thing afloat.

Great for fans of the genre.

The Good:

Outstanding cast

Interesting enough plot

The Bad:

Perhaps should have been longer

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Women also have the "I love you too, just not in that way" problem.

brilliant actress

[trvwatson · 25 January 2003]

Donna Mills will always be a brilliant actress, and you can see why by watching this movie, those trembling lips, glistening eyes, and dazzling smile, are just some of the things that make her light up the screen, but pure talant she has aswell, this was such a sad story and had to be played by an actress that could turn on the water works at the drop of a hat, just watching it, it was hard to figure out if she was actually living it.

Acting is okay for the time; Horrible writing.

[amgcmg3 · 2/10 · 25 February 2019]

Disappointed. This could have been a great movie. With the right studio support, this story is worth producing a remake version.

Andrew Laskos (Bill LaMond) is at fault for this HORRIBLE script and depiction of characters. I have done extensive research on the cases related to the Redmond/Phelps murders. A large number of details are either missing, incorrect, or overly exaggerated.

The over dramatization in the first 20 minutes is enough to make you gag. Mills does a decent job with the crappy script she was given but what bothered me was the saint-like character they made Joyce out to be. Nobody is that pure.

Again, good story but the movie could have been so much better.

Classy TV thriller

[yendesk · 10/10 · 20 September 1999]

Donna Mills gives a powerful performance as a woman wrongfully jailed for murder in this pacey TV movie. The amazing thing is that it was based on a real life story. Robert Wagner is totally believable as her creep of a husband and I think this is one of the best TV Movies I've ever seen.

A Rare Review from Me!

[WhiteCSB · 3/10 · 16 October 2019]

I often "rate" movies/TV shows, but I rarely take the time to write a review since there are usually reviews that say all that I wanted/needed to say. As for this TV movie, I had to pipe in:

I have never seen such wooden actors in my 65 years of life! Robert Wagner is a joke; Donna Mills just whimpers away when her entire life/future is at stake, etc. I can't believe it got so many excellent reviews. I bet those people (at least some) had something at stake with this show and wanted good reviews. I've had it on since early afternoon, it's now after 7 pm and I just started Part II. I don't know how much is true vs. fiction, but all I have to say is watcher beware! IMHO, it's a TOTAL waste of time and I lost all respect for Wagner's acting ability. As for Donna Mills, she always has her makeup looking decent, if not perfect, no matter what kind of hell she's enduring in her shows. She seems like she always wants to look "perfect"-she should take a lesson from Bette Davis.

Anyway, that's enough from me. If you watch it, don't say I didn't warn you!

Things go very wrong for a Woman that has everything.

[nickm1946 · 10/10 · 21 August 2006]

If you like Donna Mills as I do you should enjoy this movie. It is about a wrong a terrible wrong-false arrest that is made right at the end and because I liked Donna I Journeyed with her through her pain that she felt and celebrated with her when at much cost she was finally vindicated at the end. So I also felt for the real Joyce who went thru this False Arrest and for her kids that suffered. The film shows evil that people do out of self interest with no regard to the people they hurt. There is also the theme of abandonment, a look at tough prison life and special friendships and love and a message about not ever giving up. This for me was an emotional movie for me to watch certainly not a comedy but a movie that keeps your interest-I would keep the Kleenex box handy if you get emotionally involved.

Wooden acting - laughable storyline

[maddock-95222 · 2/10 · 27 June 2019]

So much wooden acting that the whole film is a fire hazard. So many laugh-out loud moments as every plot direction just piled on the pressure for Joyce that in the end it was like one of the 'Airplane' movies. To say that the plot was hackneyed and predictable was an understatement - how the actors kept a straight face was fair play to them. So bad it became good in the end - I couldn't really believe what I was watching but it had something that made me stay with it until the so predictable end.

By-the-numbers movie-of-the-weak

[aromatic-2 · 3/10 · 23 June 2001]

At least some veteran actors get to have fun in this formula-driven, by-the-numbers, based-on-a-true-story, made-for-Lifetime TV movie. Donna Mills is up to the emotional task when she realizes who her betrayer is and why. Brian Bonsall has a decent bit. Amy Aquino and Steven Bauer are excellent in their roles. But, there's nothing new or particularly interesting here.

10 Stars for Cheeze Factor. classy too

[ahyousobad · 10/10 · 8 May 2019]

I laughed so hard and wished i was with a friend to hack it with. High Quality Sarcastic Commentary Worthy Watching

Woman falsely arrested

[smoothdesigns · 1/10 · 1 September 2021]

I don't believe This...at all ...she was drunk she had drug paraphernalia she should be in jail this is BS she shouldn't get a penny of the cities money she needs to be put behind bars sit her ass in jail She could've gotten in her car and killed somebody driving down the road drunk think about that ...