Cry Rape (TV 1999)
"Crime in Connecticut: The Story of Alex Kelly" (original title)

Director:

Ted Kotcheff

Writers:

Joe Cacaci (story), Joe Cacaci (teleplay),

Stars:

Matthew Settle, Cassidy Rae, Barry Flatman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew Settle	...	Alex Kelly
Cassidy Rae	...	Carrie Roberts
Barry Flatman	...	Joe Kelly
Wanda Cannon	...	Phyllis Roberts
Jeff Topping	...	Chris Kelly
Ron White	...	Bruce Hudock
Joel S. Keller	...	Craig Warren
Allan Royal	...	Mark Roberts
Ron Lea	...	Mr. Sherman, Alex's Attorney
Natalie Radford	...	Anna Carlsson
R.H. Thomson	...	Ray Marcassi
Margot Kidder	...	Melanie Kelly
Marni Thompson	...	Erica
Kristin Booth	...	Ashley Roberts
Andrew Tarbet	...	Andrew Roberts

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

date rape | fugitive | rape | flight from justice | lovers on the lam | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 March 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Return of Alex Kelly

Filming Locations:

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting, Canadian Television (CTV), Flashner/Gernon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min 120 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The policemen and the Volvo police car in the scene when Alex is almost apprehended while living in Sweden are done in a completely American style, the policemen in green uniforms and the police car beautifully designed exactly like it could have looked in lots of American counties, green with the word POLICE and the coat of arms of the county. The Swedish word for police ("polis") has been used, so it's really been imaginatively done. However, neither the policemen nor the car looks anything like they would have done in Sweden for real. Swedish police uniforms are blue, and police cars are basically white with blue and yellow stripes and the word "polis" in blue. And they only have blue flashlights on the roof, not blue and red like in the US.

User Reviews

Weak, disappointing TV Movie of important True Crime story.

The story of Alex Kelly is one of the most interesting, the most socially important of our time. Kelly, a high-school student in an upper-class family in suburban Connecticut was accused in 1987 of raping and threatening girl classmates. As the trial approached, with fear of prison hanging over him, Kelly fled the country. He stayed at large some ten years with the assistance of his parents before being apprehended and returned to the US (not coincidental to the time of his passport's expiration).

After one hung jury, he was convicted on retrial and sentenced to sixteen years in prison.

This tale is told from the perspective of rape victim #1, Carrie, the focus being her unresolved fears and torments throughout the period of Kelly's flight. Unfortunately, this angle only provides more fodder for a sanguine, soapy tale.

There is little information of Kelly's troubled upbringing, which by some accounts included drug addiction, and rehab, as well as burglary of neighborhood residences. It does splash a bit of light on the drug and alcohol addicted sibling of Alex Kelly, who took his own life via drug overdose while Kelly was in flight. But unfortunately, little time is spent on the Kelly parents-their dysfunction and denial. I will give the producers a thumbs up for the nice job type-casting the inherently pathetic Margot Kidder as Alex's mom.

Check A&E Investigative Reports for their version. It provides a more direct, uncluttered account.

Pass.