Held Hostage on Lifetime Movie Network

Julie Benz Stars in This Dramatic Story

Jul 13, 2009 Francine Brokaw

When masked men break into the home of a bank manager, she and her daughter are terrorized.

Michelle Estey (Julie Benz) ran away from home when she was a teenager, but now she is an upstanding member of the community. She is raising her daughter Breea (Natasha Calis) on her own, and she is the manager of a branch of a bank.

Held Against Their Will

One night she and Breea are watching television when three masked men break into her house and tie them up. They hold them there all night and in the morning tape dynamite to their bodies. Michelle is then driven to the bank and is told to bring out all of the money in the safe. A microphone is also taped to her body so the criminals can monitor what she says when she is inside.

If she doesn’t do what they ask, they will detonate the bombs taped to the two of them. She has no doubt that they mean what they say. With her daughter’s life in jeopardy she is not about to do anything that will anger the robbers. Her whole life centers on her daughter and she would do anything for her. If that means robbing her own bank, then that is what she has to do.

While in the bank, she manages to make her situation known to a colleague who promises not to call the police until she and Breea are safe. But once Michelle is out of the bank, her friend locks the doors and tells the others what is happening. They are not one hundred per cent sold on Michelle’s story and wonder if it was a ruse to steal the money for herself.

The Victim Becomes the Suspect

That is exactly what the police wonder when they are finally called into the situation. Michelle’s past life comes back to haunt her and also her current finances are under scrutiny. She doesn’t have much money and the police think it is plausible that she could be in cahoots with the men.

While she waits for the three men to be apprehended, Michelle and Breea move into a motel, where both of them show signs of post traumatic stress. What they endured and the mental stress the situation caused them, especially the little girl, is inexcusable to Michelle. And to make matters worse, the police do not believe their story.

The Victim is put on Trial

Then, the next phase of this horrific episode in their lives is the trial after the three men are arrested. The defense attorney does everything in his power to prove that Michelle and the head robber were lovers and that she planned the whole thing.

So, the traumatized victim becomes the one who is on trial. That is until her true grit returns. The woman whose fortitude helped her make a better life for herself and her daughter is the only one who can get them out of the darkness and once again live without fear.

The plot is predictable however Julie Benz plays her part wonderfully and makes this a story the viewers can imagine happening to them. The ups and downs, first of her rejoice in the capture of the men then in the realization that she is under suspicion for being an accomplice, is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. While the storyline is not filled with unpredictable twists and turns, it is an interesting movie and worth watching.

Held Hostage premiers Sunday July 19 at 7 PM ET, 4 PM PT on Lifetime Movie Network.

The copyright of the article Held Hostage on Lifetime Movie Network in Prime Time TV is owned by Francine Brokaw. Permission to republish Held Hostage on Lifetime Movie Network in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Julie Benz Stars in Held Hostage

Comments

Jul 21, 2009 8:16 AM

Guest :

This movie is sooo awesome....

Jul 23, 2009 6:57 PM

Guest :

i cried at the end

2 Comments