The Wrong Roommate (2016 TV Movie) User Reviews

Not logical

[Joannakathryn · 5/10 · 20 October 2017]

Spoiler ahead: How is that Mark got Alan established in the house as a renter BEFORE he knew that Laurie had gone there? It looks like she's only been there a day, and he's already set up in the attic apartment.

And how did he know that her sister would even let him move in? It doesn't look like she needs the money a renter would bring in.

Oh well--it's a Lifetime movie. (I must admit--I was sort of glad when Mark "got his.")

Okay for a Lifetime movie

[topix-761-664161 · 5/10 · 20 October 2017]

Spoilers ahead:

Do people in L.A. leave their doors unlocked all the time? I lost count of how many times "Alan" or Mark walked into the house through an unlocked door without knocking, and then, of course, Ricki walked into the attic apartment without bothering to knock.

Ricki was too smart (and the actress who played her was obviously NOT 17) to be so stupid as to see Alan lurking outside and instead of telling her aunt, walking out whispering that she'd help him, only to be kidnapped.

I was a college professor at 32, and there's no way I'd have worn a mini-skirt that barely covered me to teach. Also, the time line of her education doesn't make sense. She says she "dropped out" of college, but then went back and finished in order to teach. A college instructor has to have a master's degree, so she must have already had her bachelor's degree. She wouldn't have been stuck in a dead-end job, as Mark condescendingly told her.

The Wrong Profession

[wes-connors · 2/10 · 16 January 2016]

While her sister is in China on a business trip, beautiful blonde Jessica Morris (as Laurie Valentine) house-sits her luxurious estate. The college professor must also keep an eye on her sister's attractive 17-year-old niece. Also staying on the estate is muscular show-off Jason-Shane Scott (as Alan). The hunk is an artist who lives in the attic. Conflict arises when Ms. Morris' ex-fiancé keeps visiting, unannounced. He wants Morris back in bed. She has her eye on Mr. Scott, which isn't hard to fathom. Scott's physique is eye-catching. When the two meet, Morris wears a red bikini and denim shorts that flatter the female form very nicely. Later, she appears in black underwear. You get the feeling these bodies will hook up...

Prolific actor Eric Roberts appears. It seems, from the opening minutes, like Mr. Roberts is the star; yet, his is a supporting role. Roberts ties for second male supporting actor. The college professors speak more like seventh graders than professional teachers. Roberts discovers a plot twist that strains credulity. Lobster art is a hot commodity, apparently. Also receiving top billing is Vivica A. Fox. She appears late in the running, looking incredulous. Later, she looks incredulous again. Others in the cast are occasionally less singular in their performances. Roberts and the extras make the most of their roles. The leading players certainly look good. Unfortunately, "The Wrong Roommate" is a very dumb TV movie.

** The Wrong Roommate (2016-01-03) David DeCoteau ~ Jessica Morris, Jason-Shane Scott, Eric Roberts, Brianna Chomer

Moderately fun trash

[phd_travel · 5/10 · 30 September 2017]

Pretty professor (Jessica Morris) stays in her absent sister's house to babysit her teenage niece. But there is a charming artist renting a room there who happens to be set up by her ex. From the title you can tell he's a bit more than anyone bargained for.

There are not too many surprises here - but it's mindlessly diverting to watch things unfold. Strange cameo by Eric Roberts - what happened to his teeth? If you need a trashy Lifetime thriller - it's okay.

Also titled .........

[marklaw-37806 · 5/10 · 28 April 2020]

"The Lodger - Evil Upstairs".

Some of the beach-side locations for this film look fantastic!

Deja Vu

[babycr · 14 September 2017]

This movie has practically the same plot of "Unstable" (2012), it seems a remake! Ex husband (Unstable)/boyfriend (The Wrong Roommate) hires an ex-con, gives him a fake identity to tricks the woman into loving her. He lives in the guest house, puts some cameras in the house, is friendly with her son (Unstable)/niece (The Wrong Roommate),he kills his friend and the husband. Try to kill her colleague-friend assailing with the husband/boyfriend car, kidnaps the son/niece...

Vivica A FOX will play in ANYTHING!!

[mimiybyazphil · 1/10 · 19 June 2022]

Vivica A FOX will say yes to ANYTHING!!

This awful, sad, pathetic, so called "movie" proves she has hit rock bottom!

A plethora of of unheard of "actors" pitiful plot, and seems like it was filmed at the director's OWN home!

Vivica is the ONLY actress in this mess that I ever heard of and that's saying a lot!

An enjoyable time waster and a fun made-for-tv melodrama

[vnssyndrome89 · 5/10 · 17 January 2024]

The Wrong Roommate (TV Movie 2016) 5 out of 10 stars Time to Read: 1:55 min

BASIC PLOT: Laurie Valentine (Jessica Morris) has finally found the strength to free herself from her oppressive, overbearing ex-fiance, Mark Dupree (William McNamara). Catching him in their bed with another woman was the final straw, and she is starting her life over. Her best friend, Janice Dahl (Dominique Swain), encouraged her to start teaching, and now they both work at the same college. She's also looking forward to working with her friend and mentor, Floyd (Eric Roberts), who's head of her department. She's not quite back on her feet yet, so while her sister is away for the summer, she's staying at her place, with her seventeen year old niece, Ricki (Brianna Joy Chomer). Unbeknownst to Laurie, her sister was renting out her guesthouse to a handsome stranger, a man named Alan Cypher (Jason-Shane Scott). He's kind to Ricki, and he's nice to have around, especially since Mark keeps showing up at the house, trying to convince Laurie to come back to him. Other than Mark's inability to let go, things seem to be turning around for Laurie. She is enjoying teaching, and her students are achieving more than ever before. Her life is finally her own again, and her choices, and mistakes can be made without Mark's watchful eye. She's even enjoying her new found flirtation with Alan Cypher. But as her life turns around, Laurie's instincts tell her something is wrong. Can she discover what's causing this nagging feeling, in time to save herself?

WHAT WORKS: *THE CASTING WAS EXCELLENT This movie is cast very well, and it elevates the script. Everyone does a fine job, and for a made-for-tv melodrama, it is above average.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *FLOYD RECOGNIZING AN OBSCURE ARTIST FROM 20 YEARS AGO IS A STRETCH Floyd (Eric Roberts), a colleague of Laurie's, tells "Alan" his art is a forgery, because he recognizes the work, it was done by a student of his, that died twenty years ago. That's the biggest deus ex machina, I've ever seen. Wouldn't it be better to have Floyd as a volunteer in the arts program at the local prison? He'd have seen the work more recently, and it would be a hell of a lot easier to believe.

*WHY DO MEN ALWAYS WRITE WOMEN AS WEAKER THAN THEY ARE? So After Janice hits Kurt in the head, and he drops the gun, she just runs over to Rikki, even as Laurie struggles with Kurt for the gun. He's having them dig they're own graves, but we're supposed to believe the women wouldn't beat this guy's a**? Why not hit him again, and again and again and again, until he stops moving! I don't even have to look, I already know this was written by a man, and written badly. You know why women always have so many defense wounds when attacked? Because for one, we value our lives as much as the next guy, and for two, women are NEVER as weak as men imagine them to be. Why don't male writers ever understand this, especially when they are writing for women? This is why one of my favorite made-for-tv movies is Fatal Flip (2015), (also starring Dominique Swain) the main character in that movie doesn't require a man to save her, she saves her man, and takes care of the psycho herself. (I just looked, this movie is written by a man, Matthew Jason Walsh)

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *If you are a fan of made-for-tv movies, and you like and understand the art form of melodrama, then you'll probably like this. It's pure silly entertainment, meant for turning your brain off, and eating some popcorn 🍿. So, if your a fan of this type of movie, pop that corn, kick your shoes off, and enjoy. If you hate made-for-tv melodramas, then please stop watching and rating them.

CLOSING NOTES: *This is a made-for-tv movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.

*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. This review was NOT written in full, or in part, by a bot. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews (less trolls and fanboys), and better entertainment. Hope I helped you out.

***

[edwagreen · 7/10 · 20 February 2016]

There was a great story line here of deceit and ultimate treachery. However, those 2 girls as college professors? Come on. They spoke more like high school juniors or seniors on some escapade. One of the professors, yet a professor of English pronounced the "t" in the word often. That's inexcusable to say the least.

We do have a good premise here. Our young professor falls for an artist who gives her the line about breaking up with his girl. She is sympathetic to this as this has been the case with her recent detachment from her fiancé, a defense trial attorney.

Our break up professor becomes involved with her niece's tenant and surprisingly we discover that he has been in cahoots with her former flame. The connection is never really totally established.

We have the usual things happening, our lover boy killing the attorney and making it appear that he hit an older professor, Eric Roberts, who looks for the most part uncomfortable in the part. We have shootings and kidnapping before a satisfying ending takes place.

Miss Valentine's Bad Luck

[lavatch · 8/10 · 24 March 2020]

She may be a little gullible, but one has to feel for the protagonist Laurie Valentine. After a bum marriage to a man who was a super control freak, Laurie is now in the process of breaking up with another man, Mark, a philanderer/defense attorney, who is attempt to win her back. But she is also attracted to a big hulk named Alan Cypher, who is a tenant in her sister's attic. It is Alan who will be the roommate out of hell.

Miss Valentine is looking after her niece Fredericka (Ricki), and both of the women are quite taken with Alan. At one point, Miss Valentine confides in her best friend Janice that Alan seems too good to be true. Of course, that adage means exactly what it implies. Alan is actually a murdering a con artist named Kurt Krueger, and he is working in cahoots with Mark as a decoy to break Miss Valentine's heart, so that Mark may come to the rescue.

The pacing of the film proceeds at a good clip with Miss Valentine taking a teaching job and juggling her dicey relationships. One of her colleagues is Floyd Mesner, who appears on the surface to be a pervert. But he actually has Miss Valentine's best interests at stake. Floyd is struck by an automobile and nearly killed after he gets too nosy in the background of Alan.

In the end, it is the women who band together to do battle with the evil machinations of Alan Cypher. Ricki, Janice, and the savvy detective Valdez join forces with Miss Valentine to close the book on the nasty schemes of a charlatan and a psychopath. Miss Valentine may now return to teaching Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure" and Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" with one less roommate to have to worry about.

Xerox

[haroot_azarian · 10 June 2020]

Ok so this is basically a copy and paste of a 2012 TV movie starring Ashley Scott, but with a slight tweek here and there. Personally I think the 2012 version was much better with a happier ending!