The Elizabeth Smart Story (2003 TV Movie) User Reviews

Based on a true story

[ewiddison · 6/10 · 10 November 2003]

I live in Utah, and was around for most of the events depicted in the film. I was even recruited for search parties. Having seen everything first hand and then seeing it on the small screen, I realized that this version took various liberties with the story, especially in terms of Elizabeth's reactions to her captors and her rescue (it was Elizabeth who asked a police officer, "You think I'm that Elizabeth Smart girl everyone's looking for, don't you?", not the other way around).

Was it a good movie? Perhaps. I think it did a good job at capturing some of the emotions of the family (it almost entirely skips any depiction of the emotions of the entire state, who were all united in their concern for Elizabeth). I think that the movie was terribly unfair to the local police (who were handling the case as they had to, even if it wasn't to the satisfaction of the Smart family), and that it skewed enough events so that I can't accept anything from the movie as fact. The movie also failed to address the traumas that Elizabeth must have suffered in captivity, but I agree with the producers that it would not have been right to do so.

It's an okay movie, just don't base your opinions or perceptions of Elizabeth Smart's abduction, captivity, and return on what you saw in this movie.

Pretty good

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 13 December 2009]

I did not know the story going into this, though I was aware that it was based upon something that really happened. If it truly had something to do with the creation of the Amber Alert, then I can see why they'd make a movie out of it. This, in spite of how unusual the concept itself can seem, feels authentic from start to finish, with the one brief exception being when the line "do what you feel in your heart" is spoken; nobody actually talks like that, in fact, outside of Hallmark and Disney, no one would ever utter anything *that* corny. Apart from that, the dialog is great. The plot is engaging and develops consistently throughout. Pacing is quite good, I was seldom bored. The acting is marvelous, even the children aren't half bad. This is well-directed, and it's no wonder that the guy went on to do Lost and Prison Break. The script is well-written, and sequences may genuinely hold surprises for you here and there(I sure did not see them coming; among other things, the ending played out differently than I thought it would. There is disturbing content in this. I recommend this to any fan of films dealing with kidnapping. 7/10

solid ripped-from-the-headlines fare

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 4 December 2016]

Emmanuel and his wife Wanda Barzee are religious zealot drifters. Emmanuel cleans up and encounters Lois Smart while street preaching. She's out with her kids and she recommends him to her husband Ed. He starts working for the Salt Lake City family as a handyman and fixates on daughter Elizabeth Smart. He soon disappears and 8 months later, he returns to kidnap 14-year-old Elizabeth. It's the start of a terrifying ordeal for the entire Smart family.

This is a solid ripped-from-the-headlines movie. The adults are good solid actors. Dylan Baker and Lindsay Frost are especially good playing the most intense parts. Their complicated relationship with the police has nice tension. Tom Everett is good and the girl who plays Elizabeth is good enough. The production is Canadian TV like many of this type of movies. This is not going to win any awards. It lays out the case well. It's a compelling story told well enough by a good cast.

Well-done retelling of Elizabeth's amazing story

[Malli · 9 November 2003]

I was happy to see the tasteful way they told Elizabeth's story. The actors were all great(that guy they got to play John Walsh looked just like him!)and mostly, the facts were straight. I hope that this movie will enlighten people and that she will be able to get the help she needs to recover. We love you, Elizabeth!

Compelling true crime story

[jondallaslawyer · 7/10 · 15 August 2021]

The movie gripped me, especially the creepy performance of the actor who played Emmanuel. However, two omissions troubled me. First, the movie never mentions that the Smart family is Mormon. Second, no mention is made that Emmanuel repeatedly sexually assaulted Smart, an obvious key fact in the case.

Elizabeth Smart

[carole_goddard · 3/10 · 18 November 2017]

I had mixed emotions while watching this movie. I feel so sorry for what Elizabeth Smart went through. However, the casting was terrible. The actress who played Elzabeth seemed much older and I kept feeling, why did Elizabeth try not to escape as she had ample opportunity. But I had to keep remembering that she was only 14. The brain of a 14 year old is not developed. The casting director obviously miscast the role of Elizabeth Smart.

Flawed

[popple-02715 · 4/10 · 20 November 2017]

Awful casting lost me from the get-go! You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig...and you can put pigtails on an adult, but she's still an adult. All the impact of a small, waif-like child in the clutches of two big, evil grown-ups was forfeited by casting a 20-year- old as fourteen-year-old Elizabeth.

Spoiler Alert.

Impact was again sabotaged in the ending. In real life, the traumatized Elizabeth denied her identity to the police for the better part of an hour. In this movie, "Are you Elizabeth Smart?" "Yup."

Lack of research on the Mormon culture

[sheldonlinda · 4/10 · 12 July 2018]

It's been several years since I watched this movie, and I only stumbled upon the IMDB entry after recently becoming a fan of Amber Marshall from watching "Heartland." I live in Utah and very closely followed this story including going on one of the searches. I am also a very active Mormon aka member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Obviously since I haven't seen the movie since it aired I remember little of it, but one thing I do remember from the movie is that the actress who played Elizabeth's mom Lois is wearing a sleeveless dress. Had the producers done even the slightest research on the Mormon church and the Mormon faith they would have known that a practicing adult Mormon woman because of the special clothing which we wear under our regular clothes always wears at least a cap sleeve. I also remember hearing a report that someone had to ask that prop coffee cups be moved from a breakfast table on the set. Many are aware that coffee is against what Mormons call the "Word of Wisdom" their health code. Those two items are such basic parts of Mormon culture that it shows an extreme lack of research or attention to detail on the part of the producers. I don't recall now the accuracy of other parts of the story - and others have commented on those things, but I was very disappointed in the lack of attention to basic things about Mormon culture.

Linda Ann Sheldon - July 6, 2020 Monday

I didn't realize until researching Amber a few years ago that that had been her. She did very very well. The film had horrible costuming however. The actress playing Elizabeth's mom was wearing sleeveless tops which an active Mormon mom would never do. And the set people were so stupid that someone else had to step in I heard and take the coffee cups off of the table.

More stuff - August 10, 2021 Tuesday

I was finally able to see this last night when I found the dvd at my local library.

The things I said before about not getting it about LDS culture still hold true. They didn't get it about the clothing. The church that the family came out of was obviously not an LDS church. The blessing on the food with them holding hands was not the way LDS members give blessings on the food - we just fold our arms and bow our heads as we do in a regular prayer. They did surprisingly get right how family prayer in more observant families is done - kneeling with arms folded, heads bowed, and eyes closed. The wording that the father used in the prayer was surprisingly accurate. (It made me wonder if Amber who never talks about being religious in her regular life was affected by it at all - oh wait that was the actress who played her little sister who looked just like her.)

The posters, search, etc. Were surprisingly accurate. The story was surprisingly accurate. The left out the more traumatic aspects of Elizabeth's story, but understandable so.

One disconcerting odd thing was the actor playing Emmanuel/ Brian David Mitchell looked surprisingly just like the real Ed Smart when shown clean shaven and esp. When shown in the drawing. It seems like it would have made more sense for him to have played Ed Smart and esp. Since it was weird that he looked like Ed Smart.

Amber did amazing. Most actors have mannerisms that they keep when going role to role. I kept watching her to see if I saw in any of her mannerisms any of "Amy Fleming" or any of herself as I have seen her in many videos on line, and other than maybe maybe maybe something that I saw at one point her doing with her mouth I didn't see anything. I more or less forgot that it was Amber - and didn't at all confuse her with "Amy" - and just saw her as Elizabeth. She did play Elizabeth though as a bit more outspoken though and not as soft speaking as the regular Elizabeth.

All in all I thought that it was good job. The actress playing Lois was believable and appearance just enough like the real Lois. The actor playing Ed Smart seemed like an odd choice to me - esp. Bec. Of the above reasons. The kids were phenomenally cast - the older brother - very realistically, and the girl playing the younger sister was phenomenal. Brian David Mitchell as I said, looked too much like the real Ed Smart. The actress playing Wanda Barzee generated just the right amount of sympathy combined with creepiness.

I wish that they would have shot in Salt Lake instead of Halifax. The places looked similar enough, but it was still weird to not see the real Salt Lake.

For an obviously quickly put together effort to get on air while the story was still hot I was actually very surprised at how good that it was. If you want an al be it somewhat simplistic telling of the story, check it out. It appears that it maybe wasn't sanctioned by the family. They did a good enough job on it that it surprises me a bit.

Scary as Hell

[myspecialparadise · 9/10 · 25 February 2012]

Having been raised by a mother that was exactly the same as Elizabeth Smart's kidnapper ... I can tell you that this movie gave me a new set of nightmares to deal with. Which speaks volumes in regards to the acting and directing. I would imagine that Elizabeth Smart's life must also be full of nightmares ... and this will continue throughout the remainder of her life.

As seems to be the norm in these abduction cases, the police continue to make life even worse for the victims of these crimes against families. In this case, even though the abduction is witnessed by Elizabeth's younger sister ... the police still go after the parents. On the other side of the coin, it often is a parent that is the guilty party ... Jon-Bonet Ramsey ... but, with a witness, in this case ... a lot of time was wasted on trying to pin the crime on the parents. The person they tried to finally pin it on looked nothing like the real monster, as said by the only witness. Unfortunately, the police pretty much ignored that witness.

Believe this ... there are plenty of people, out there, that are exactly like the abductor of Elizabeth Smart. BELIEVE IT!

I was truely amazed

[Katie_B88 · 20 November 2003]

This was one really good movie to put it simply. It is about the whole Elizabeth Smart story from when she was kidnapped to when she was rescued. The portrayal of the characters was really good. I liked how they showed Elizabeth with Brian David Mitchell and his wife Wanda with good detail yet still keeping it as a reasonable level. This was a really good movie and I am so glad I taped it. I have had people borrow it from me and I have received nothing but good thoughts about it. A really well made movie.

A must see!! (for those who followed the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping)

[Two1980 · 10/10 · 9 November 2003]

What a great film for us to get a better idea of what Elizabeth Smart (and her family) went through in the 9 months she was kidnapped.

For a made for TV movie this is great. It's much better then a lot of other movies that are made for TV..

Nice job CBS!!!

The movie that told it all!

[Darlawood80 · 10 November 2003]

This movie I have thought has been a great movie. It heartwarming yet touching. The characters who portrayed in the movie did a way beyond excellent job. I could feel the pain and suffering of the family, and the intenseness Elizabeth must of felt from her captors.The girl who played Elizabeth did a superb job and so did the girl who portrayed Elizabeth's sister. The couple who portrayed her parents did an awesome job. I like the man who portrayed Ed Smart. You could really feel his pain in the movie. Though I firmly believe the filmed was filmed too close after Elizabeth's return, I worry about how Elizabeth may feel now that this movie was shown. She has gone through as some of us may know, beyond torture then what was shown in the movie. Or maybe her seeing this movie is a healing process. We will never know what Elizabeth personally went through, but at least we know she is safe and warm with her family, with still a long struggle ahead.

The Elizabeth Smart Story

[a_baron · 9/10 · 22 August 2014]

In June 2002, 14 year old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped at knifepoint from her home in Salt Lake City by the deranged Brian David Mitchell and taken as his wife/concubine/sex slave. Mitchell – who called himself Emmanuel – was a religious nut whose wife Wanda Barzee was totally under his control.

When all the leads to Elizabeth's probable abductor dried up, she was written off as dead by the police, or as good as. She was found 9 months later a mere 16 miles away. This TV film was released less than a year after she was found; Mitchell would not stand trial for more than 7 years due to issues relating to his competency; it was only then that the full shocking truth came out. Leaving that aside, "The Elizabeth Smart Story" was made not only as an historical document but for a wider audience, so the multiple rapes Elizabeth suffered would probably have been omitted anyway. Rather, the film focuses on her family and partly on the deranged Mitchell. The film-makers have probably taken a few liberties with the story, but what is not shown because of the chronology is what a truly remarkable young woman Elizabeth has become, indeed there seems to be a pattern with such cases that the more shocking the suffering of the victims the more they rise above it, while those who suffer trivial or even questionable sexual assaults continue to make the most noise like the empty vessels most of them are.

An Unbelievable Story to Remember!

[crt_gurl · 10/10 · 16 January 2006]

When young Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped in 2002, I felt so bad for her family. I prayed every night for the day she would come home to them. When I found out she returned home safely, I cried instantly. I was eleven when she was kidnapped and was twelve when she came home. I'm now fourteen, going on fifteen in five days, and I still remember this movie. The actors are incredible. Everyone in this movie was absolutely amazing! Amber Marshall, who played Elizabeth in this incredible film, was absolutely amazing! She made people understand what Elizabeth went through when she was kidnapped! I can't wait to see this movie again! I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!

A really touching story

[softballchick87 · 10 November 2003]

*1 Spoiler at the end*

I think that this was a really touching movie! I can't believe all the comments that people thought it was so fake. I really enjoyed watching it, and I can't understand why everyone thought it was fake. Some of it may have been twisted, because the Smart family may not have wanted every bit of the story on television for all the world to see, which is perfectly understandable. But I think it is reasonable to believe that she was forced to be a religious slave for 9 months out of fear.

Another Great Made-For-TV-Movie!

[bridegur_bridegur · 9/10 · 12 December 2006]

This program was outstanding. The plot line was original and the setting felt realistic. Five stars! *****

I thought the way they portrayed the main character (Liz) was really unique, and I love the twist with her double life (Augustine!). I'd put this one (story wise!) between Ransom and The 10 Commandments. Stylistically, I'd say it's high-caliber CBS, almost in the same league as Martha, Inc. My only complaint is that I wish the characters could have traveled to some more exotic locations, i.e. Nova Scotia. The movie's antagonist (played by Tom Everett) is your classic villain- Think Lex Luthor or Cruella De Vil- He's lovably evil. Here's to a sequel!

A pain to watch

[yuhui · 3 June 2004]

After the first half hour, I started checking my clock constantly to see if it was anywhere near the end of the show.

Why? Because right from the start, the show tugs at your heartstrings and never lets go. You then either become very strained or snap.

I could give a few examples, but they're very spoiler-ish. Just watch how the cops handle the investigation and how Ed Smart goes about searching for his daughter with that constant pained look.

I watched this show only because I never followed the Elizabeth Smart case. In that aspect, the show was educational in showing how she was eventually reunited with her family. It also made me think about survival tips during kidnappings for both the victim and support groups.

Smart A Riveting Drama- Elizabeth Smart Story ****

[edwagreen · 10/10 · 25 August 2012]

Terrific film dealing with the kidnapping of a 14 year old daughter. The guy that plays her father, Dylan Baker, is a dead ringer for John Faso, the Republican who lost to Eliot Spitzer in 2006. He even sounds like him. Ironically, Faso's wife and one of the daughters of the victim shared the same name.

The story is phenomenal because it tells you that the parents themselves, completely innocent of wrong-doing, are immediate suspects. It was certainly demeaning, degrading and humiliating to be put through such torture at such a time.

If that isn't the worst, the wrong man is eventually accused and suffers a brain aneurysm before he can give more details to the police.

It just goes to show you how you have to watch out for some religious fanatics.

Good enough for Lifetime

[vchimpanzee · 27 June 2013]

I stumbled onto this movie accidentally in a motel while searching for something else. Because some things were familiar, I might have seen it years ago but forgot (though I obviously didn't review it here). On the other hand, some of it wasn't familiar at all.

I don't want to criticize the performances of the actors playing Elizabeth's parents. Their depiction of what the parents were going through could have been accurate. But something just seemed off about the father.

What stood out the most for me is the way the family celebrated holidays. They no longer seemed to be grieving, but remembered the happy times and hoped for Elizabeth to return. Surely their faith played a role, and these were wonderful scenes.

I found it curious the police sketch artist was not called in sooner. But Detective Mitt Romney (seriously, if someone wants to just cast this actor in the role based on appearance, he's perfect) didn't seem all that interested in trying to solve the case. The cops tried too hard, according to this movie, to blame the parents or a man who seemed innocent. Weren't the poor parents going through enough? Tom Everett as the kidnapper was a very convincing wacko. As much as the Smarts showed what faith in God should be, Emmanuel showed what it shouldn't. And Emmanuel's female companion just stood there and took the abuse from him. Elizabeth was too scared of what might happen to her family, but she did try to get away.

I saw this on Lifetime, and while this is not a monumental achievement, that's where it belongs.

Excellent Movie!

[BreanneB · 10/10 · 12 May 2005]

I thought this was an excellent movie. I like all the people in it, actors and actresses for that matter. I have the two books about Elizabeth Smart, "Bringing Elizabeth Home: A Journey Of Faith and Hope", and "Held Captive: The Kidnapping and Rescue Of Elizabeth Smart". I have kept up with this case and looked at every single piece of information I could possibly find. Brian David Mitchelle and Wanda Barzee should face trial as soon as possible and should both receive the death penalty. All this bullshit about them being incompetent and unfit for trial is simply ridiculous. They are both perfectly competent and they knew right from wrong when they took her. They are in my opinion just more fabricating criminals. However, Iam just happy Elizabeth got home in one piece and well on her way to recovery and back to normal. Kudos to everyone! Two Thumbs Way Up!

Compelling made-for-TV film

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 7 January 2013]

14-year-old Elizabeth Smart (a solid and appealing performance by Amber Marshall) gets abducted at knife point by crazed religious fanatic Emmanuel (a genuinely creepy and unnerving portrayal by Tom Everett). Elizabeth spends nine months with Emmanuel and his loyal, but equally unbalanced wife Wanda (well played by Hollis McLaren) before she's eventually reunited with her family. Director Bobby Roth, working from a gripping script by Nancey Silvers, relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, grounds the story in a believable everyday reality, wisely avoids lurid sensationalism, and astutely nails both the Smart family's anguish and the resultant media frenzy over the case. Moreover, the Smart family's struggle to maintain hope throughout the whole punishing ordeal gives the movie extra depth and poignancy. The fine acting from the capable cast rates as another significant asset, with especially stand-out work from Dylan Baker and Lindsay Frost as Elizabeth's concerned parents. Worth a watch.