This unusually frank Canadian TV-movie showcases one of the less touted aspects of incest, the parental practice of turning the kids against each other to make the victim(s) less credible. As the 11-year-old who finally speaks up against her father's sexual abuse, Vanessa King plays a believably angry, sometimes less than likable kid whose father has manipulated her entire character. Her imaginative nature has gained her a reputation as a liar, and parent-fostered sibling rivalry casts the girl as a bully to her younger brother and sister, so that, when she testifies against her father, her entire family turns against her and even the prosecutor doubts her story. This movie is one of the few depictions of incest to show the parallel to adult rape cases: blaming the victim, even when the victim is a child. Highly recommended.
13 Reviews
Compelling And Sensitive Presentation
Noirdame7921 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I first saw this film when it originally aired on CBC in 1992. Thirteen years later, it has lost none of its punch. Along with "The Boys Of St. Vincent" it is one of the best Canadian films to deal with the extremely sensitive subject of child abuse.
In this movie, accusations of incest takes center stage. Kelly Farrow (Vanessa King) is a preteen girl who has a history of lying and tormenting her younger siblings. She appears to have a "special" relationship with her father, Gil (Art Hindle), but is also at odds with him and the rest of her family when her bratty behavior gets the better of her. After making a scene at her younger sister Nini's birthday party, she takes her anger out on her adorable younger brother Patrick by locking him in the bathroom, which terrifies him. Gil proceeds to discipline her alone, and later, seething with rage, she informs her best friend that she is going to get back at her father for hurting her, and tells her teacher that her dad has been molesting her. The plot thickens.
Initially, no one but her teacher, brother, a social worker, and the prosecuting attorney, Susan Miori (Kate Nelligan) believe her; her family and friends all turn on her, accusing her of being deceitful. However, the boy she has been crushing on comes to her defense at school and tells her that she's doing the right thing. As the case is played out at trial, we are torn at first, but then learn that there's more to this seemingly typical middle-class family than meets the eye. If you look at the film again, more than one hint is dropped that not all is as normal with the Farrows as it seems. The fact that Kelly's older sister, Christina (Jann Mortil) was estranged from her father for many years, Patrick's fear of the bathroom and his father all foreshadow the revelation at the film's climax.
Christina has suppressed and denied the memories of her father sodomizing her, and when she realizes that Kelly and Patrick have both suffered the same trauma, she finally comes forward, confirming Kelly's claims. We realize that Gil's proclaimations of his innocence is a crock, part of his self-righteous attitude that he is incapable of any wrongdoing. The cast is fantastic, with the child actors the standouts. Rosemary Dunsmore, as Mary Farrow, is excellent as the mother who just doesn't want to know the truth.
In the end, we cheer for Kelly, who endured the process until the end, refusing to be her dad's "special angel" and victim any longer. The family is shattered, but justice has been served. "I always thought I was the bad one, but you're the bad one, because you're the adult," Kelly tells her father before the verdict is read. This young girl is more mature and courageous than her pedophile father could ever be. And tell me that the ending, with Gil being taken away, Mary sobbing alone in the courtroom, the children being led away, and Kelly and Christina embracing doesn't make you cry your eyes out every time.
This was a very realistic depiction of a crime that, sadly, occurs more often than we can imagine. But as long as films like this continue to air, awareness will continue to be heightened.
In this movie, accusations of incest takes center stage. Kelly Farrow (Vanessa King) is a preteen girl who has a history of lying and tormenting her younger siblings. She appears to have a "special" relationship with her father, Gil (Art Hindle), but is also at odds with him and the rest of her family when her bratty behavior gets the better of her. After making a scene at her younger sister Nini's birthday party, she takes her anger out on her adorable younger brother Patrick by locking him in the bathroom, which terrifies him. Gil proceeds to discipline her alone, and later, seething with rage, she informs her best friend that she is going to get back at her father for hurting her, and tells her teacher that her dad has been molesting her. The plot thickens.
Initially, no one but her teacher, brother, a social worker, and the prosecuting attorney, Susan Miori (Kate Nelligan) believe her; her family and friends all turn on her, accusing her of being deceitful. However, the boy she has been crushing on comes to her defense at school and tells her that she's doing the right thing. As the case is played out at trial, we are torn at first, but then learn that there's more to this seemingly typical middle-class family than meets the eye. If you look at the film again, more than one hint is dropped that not all is as normal with the Farrows as it seems. The fact that Kelly's older sister, Christina (Jann Mortil) was estranged from her father for many years, Patrick's fear of the bathroom and his father all foreshadow the revelation at the film's climax.
Christina has suppressed and denied the memories of her father sodomizing her, and when she realizes that Kelly and Patrick have both suffered the same trauma, she finally comes forward, confirming Kelly's claims. We realize that Gil's proclaimations of his innocence is a crock, part of his self-righteous attitude that he is incapable of any wrongdoing. The cast is fantastic, with the child actors the standouts. Rosemary Dunsmore, as Mary Farrow, is excellent as the mother who just doesn't want to know the truth.
In the end, we cheer for Kelly, who endured the process until the end, refusing to be her dad's "special angel" and victim any longer. The family is shattered, but justice has been served. "I always thought I was the bad one, but you're the bad one, because you're the adult," Kelly tells her father before the verdict is read. This young girl is more mature and courageous than her pedophile father could ever be. And tell me that the ending, with Gil being taken away, Mary sobbing alone in the courtroom, the children being led away, and Kelly and Christina embracing doesn't make you cry your eyes out every time.
This was a very realistic depiction of a crime that, sadly, occurs more often than we can imagine. But as long as films like this continue to air, awareness will continue to be heightened.
icky but standard
lilidoll11 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Most of the suspense in this amazingly grotesque little movie revolves around whether or not the young girl is telling the truth about her father sexually molesting her -- extremely cheap and exploitive handling of a serious subject matter. He did by the way, brutally anally raping her and most of her siblings in the bathroom in the guise of helping them bathe or as punishment.
However if you enjoy watching movies about child abuse (and there are definitely some of you out there for whatever reasons or else they wouldn't keep churning out these TV movies) then you'll probably find this one moderately entertaining. Although I would recommend Whose Afraid of the Muffin Man instead, both for treatment of the subject matter and as a rare artifact from the age when reports of satanic ritual abuse were assumed to be true rather than a byproduct of poor interview techniques.
However if you enjoy watching movies about child abuse (and there are definitely some of you out there for whatever reasons or else they wouldn't keep churning out these TV movies) then you'll probably find this one moderately entertaining. Although I would recommend Whose Afraid of the Muffin Man instead, both for treatment of the subject matter and as a rare artifact from the age when reports of satanic ritual abuse were assumed to be true rather than a byproduct of poor interview techniques.
A realistic, absorbing "docudrama"
Castor-113 February 1999
Not to be confused with the 1997 comedy of the same name, this gritty Canadian production reminds me of the no-nonsense social dramas once turned out by British studios prior to the sixties.
For unblinking looks at the real world, it seems we now have to look to Canadian producers for drama that reflects what can happen to ordinary people.
The family depicted here, could be any family..loving Mom and Dad, three kids, one grown and married, one at school, one in kindergarden. At least one of the children is a "problem" child.
The movie tells the story of what happens when one of the children, accuses one of the parents of incest...once the accusation is made, true or false, nothing can ever be the same again...everyone's life is altered, the immediate family, their friends, relatives, schoolmates, all are affected.
The movie does not sensationalize the necessary sexual content of the movie, but neither is it coy about going into detail about a grim fact of life...that parents are capable of sexually abusing their children, and/or that children are capable of falsely accusing adults, of that offence.
This movie reminds me of an even grimmer movie on the subject "The Pony Cart" again, a Canadian production of many years ago, which I also highly recommend, if ever you get a chance to see it.
For unblinking looks at the real world, it seems we now have to look to Canadian producers for drama that reflects what can happen to ordinary people.
The family depicted here, could be any family..loving Mom and Dad, three kids, one grown and married, one at school, one in kindergarden. At least one of the children is a "problem" child.
The movie tells the story of what happens when one of the children, accuses one of the parents of incest...once the accusation is made, true or false, nothing can ever be the same again...everyone's life is altered, the immediate family, their friends, relatives, schoolmates, all are affected.
The movie does not sensationalize the necessary sexual content of the movie, but neither is it coy about going into detail about a grim fact of life...that parents are capable of sexually abusing their children, and/or that children are capable of falsely accusing adults, of that offence.
This movie reminds me of an even grimmer movie on the subject "The Pony Cart" again, a Canadian production of many years ago, which I also highly recommend, if ever you get a chance to see it.
A sad but good movie
Mattswife9720 May 2002
Warning: Spoilers
I always knew the judicial system always takes the guilty person's side and says the hell with the poor victim. Well that is what happened when Kelly accused her dad of molesting her. Nobody in her family believed her and considered her going through a trouble time in her life. Finally towards the end, the big sister stood up for Kelly and told them how she to was molested by the father. It's a shame what some people will do just get sex. 10 stars for this movie.
excellent, sensitive treatment of a horrendous subject
jep83122 September 2003
I stumbled upon this movie quite by accident while lazing around Sunday afternoon. It was done extremely well, as I didn't know who to believe until the truth was revealed toward the end. All the performers, including the three young children, were excellent in their roles. As heinous as this kind of crime is, it is not particularly rare. I still remember a quote from an article I read many years ago and desperately wish I had kept: "The body of the child gives, because the mind of the adult cannot." I was a newspaper reporter years ago, and, believe me, this kind of thing happens just as often with "nice" white middle-class people as with anyone else.
good movie
lpnarnialover0927 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I was 11 when this movie came out so never saw it and if ever replayed on Lifetime I missed it. Luckily it's on Youtube.The set up of this movie makes you doubt Kelli as to whether or not she's lying because she told after she told her friend she had a plan to get back at her Dad and after she told her little sister her Dad would be sorry he hurt her ( while the viewers think she's being spanked though something much more sinister was going on). Throughout the movie there are times when it seems like Kelli is lying and you are just waiting for her to admit she was lying, it isn't until the last half hour when we the viewers realise that yes Kelli was telling the truth and she wasn't the only one it had also happened to her older sister and little brother, the only person who seemed to not have been molested was the middle child.I like movies that are unpredictable and this movie was unpredictable till the very end
Only 3 out of 4 children were abused by their father
wilsonandrewc11 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
On the night of Jean Farrow's birthday party, when Kelly Farrow locked Patrick Farrow in the bathroom, their father, Gilbert Jonathan Farrow took her into the bathroom and had sex with her and she told her teacher about it and no one believes her except her younger brother, Patrick Farrow, her boyfriend, Jonah, her teacher and the social worker until the older sister, Christina Farrow-Berezuk finds Patrick Farrow's backside hurting from the crayon in the bathtub and starts to remember that she was abused as well and then she rushes home and kicks her father out of her house and testifies against the father. The mother, Mary Farrow didn't want to believe it and instead of just listening to her lying husband, maybe she should have just tried listening to her own child and her younger sister, Jean Farrow was the only one of the Farrow children who was never abused and was far too stupid for thinking that her older sister, Kelly Farrow would lie about being abused by their father and that he just spanked her for being bad. At the end, Gibert Jonathan Farrow was taken to jail, Mary Farrow was crying alone in the courtroom and the children were being led away and Christina Farrow-Berezuk and Kelly Farrow embraced as Christina Farrow-Berezuk started crying and apologized to Kelly Farrow for not believing her and moving away from home and not taking her with her.
I like that movie
bentoncg5 February 2003
Warning: Spoilers
I remember seeing it in 1993 & Kelly telling everybody that she was molested by her dad. I see she was taken to court for that & they asked her why she asked her dad to put his private part near her and she said because she's never touched one. I know she was a real brat and locked her brother Patrick into the bathroom. And in the beginning she got spanked by her dad in the bathroom.
Not bad
alliesmom978 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Kelly Farrow (well played by Vanessa King) is NOT a terribly pleasant child. She bullies her younger siblings, has a reputation for lying, and in general causes trouble in the family. The day after she is spanked by father for locking her brother in the bathroom (which he is terrified of....and we come to learn why!) she tells a friend she's going to "get back at her father". So it comes as no surprise that when she tells a teacher she has been molested by her father, her whole family (except her little brother) and all her friends think she is lying.
I thought this movie was well written and acted. It was really an interesting story because unlike most movies of this sort, the makers initially managed to actually plant doubt as to whether or not Kelly was telling the truth. It was a different approach. It also did a good job of illustrating the "blame the victim" mentality so prevalent in the US legal system. I guess it exists in Canada as well.
I thought this movie was well written and acted. It was really an interesting story because unlike most movies of this sort, the makers initially managed to actually plant doubt as to whether or not Kelly was telling the truth. It was a different approach. It also did a good job of illustrating the "blame the victim" mentality so prevalent in the US legal system. I guess it exists in Canada as well.
it shows how people that are not in charge get treated like crap and people in charge get treated like kings and queens
lightfixer20 February 2024
I feel so bad for Kelley in this movie. Her father and her mother and her younger sister were all horrible. Her brother was a bit hard at first but eventually came around. When they all were upset in the courtroom I get the impression it was because they were not believed and the father went to jail and Kelley was believed they all that were not affected were against Kelley for that.
I was glad Kelley's older sister came around and did something about it , even if it took her a while and made her feel believed and important no matter who she was and finally woke up and made things right when she found out Patrick was molested too.
I was glad Kelley's older sister came around and did something about it , even if it took her a while and made her feel believed and important no matter who she was and finally woke up and made things right when she found out Patrick was molested too.
Lies or not? *SPOILERS*
mariamus9 November 2004
Warning: Spoilers
in the beginning of the movie, Kelly Farrow is profusely spanked by her father for teasing her younger sister. When Kelly talks to her friend about it, she says that she knows how to teach him a lesson, and she tells her teacher that her father is abusing her sexually. This sets the mood for the rest of the movie, where no one in her family believes her, and her younger sister hates her for breaking up the family.
As a viewer, at first, you're shocked that the girl would say something as serious as that to get back at her father for a spanking. but as the movie progresses, you understand that the sexual abuse is real, and that almost everyone is against the girl and calls her a liar. Even her best friend abandons her.
The movie is a pearl within the genre, and it's a good movie to shock you, and make you think twice about the world we live in.
As a viewer, at first, you're shocked that the girl would say something as serious as that to get back at her father for a spanking. but as the movie progresses, you understand that the sexual abuse is real, and that almost everyone is against the girl and calls her a liar. Even her best friend abandons her.
The movie is a pearl within the genre, and it's a good movie to shock you, and make you think twice about the world we live in.
A good look at reality
asherjdoak17 October 2002
Warning: Spoilers
This is a really good movie. I was really torn up over the fact that not only did this girl's father abuse her but also that nobody believed her, with the exception of the girl's teacher, the social worker and the little brother, who was also abused, as well as the oldest sister, as we soon found out. Nobody deserves to be treated that way by anybody, especially a parent. The worst thing about this is that this terrible crime is getting way too far out of control and the justice system always seems to take the culprit's side. I think I speak for abused children everywhere when I say that this has to be stopped because at this rate, every child on the planet will be a victim of either abuse or murder or God knows what else by the end of the decade.
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