Suburban Madness (2004)

Based on the real story of Clara Harris, the Houston, Texas dentist who made headlines in July 2002 when she killed her adulterous husband by repeatedly running over him with her car.

Director:

Robert Dornhelm

Writers:

Skip Hollandsworth (article), Kimberlee Reed (teleplay)

Stars:

Sela Ward, Elizabeth Peña, Rheagan Wallace

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sela Ward	...	Bobbi Bacha
Elizabeth Peña	...	Clara Harris
Rheagan Wallace	...	Amy Harris
Kate Greenhouse	...	Rebecca 'Lisa' Singer
Kirsten Bishop	...	Pam Wright (as Kirsten Bishopric)
Brett Cullen	...	David Harris
Janaya Stephens	...	Cassie Basha
Matt Cooke	...	Lucas Basha
Martha MacIsaac	...	Vivian Leigh Basha (as Martha Macisaac)
Paul Calderon	...	Derek Basha (as Paul Calderone)
April Mullen	...	Jesse James
Jayne Eastwood	...	Sheila
Shari-Lyn Safir	...	Shannon Lewis
David Gardner	...	Monte Harris
Anna Ferguson	...	Judy Harris

Storyline

Bobbi Bocha, a cynical private eye who says all men cheat, narrates a story that opens in Houston with a blond purposely running over a man multiple times with her car and then cradling his head as he dies. Flash back six months to the too-exuberantly happy Harris family - Clara and David are orthodontists with a thriving practice, a big house, twin boys who love Dr. Seuss, and David's teen daughter Amy, home from college. David hires Lisa, a klutzy, teary, recently-divorced woman, as a receptionist, and an affair quickly blossoms. Clara hires Bocha. Meanwhile, Bocha pushes her own daughter, who's about to get married, to see the downside. An elephant's faithful.

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Plot Keywords:

texas | private eye | dentist | lingerie slip | murder | 

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Taglines:

Clara Harris Ran Over Her Cheating Husband Three Times. Some Call Her a Murderer, Some Call Her a Hero. You Decide.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violent and sexual content

Did You Know?

Quotes

Bobbi Bacha: The casserole is in the oven
Jesse James: Let's brown it!

User Reviews

Sela Ward and Elizabeth Pena were good; story was bizarre

This story is described as 'stranger-than-fiction'. I'm sorry to hear that it was true. It begins with orthodontist Dr. Clara Harris running over her husband three times, and the commentary on talk shows about what she did. After that, the movie goes back six months.

But what I enjoyed about this movie was the performance of Sela Ward as private investigator Bobbi Bacha. I liked her so much as this character, not just investigating suspected infidelity but also dealing with her daughter's wedding, that I would watch a series based on the character. Bobbi is an expert on failed marriages, having been through several herself.

Lisa Singer (Kate Greenhouse) is divorced and so pathetic that even though she has no real qualifications, Clara's husband David hires her for his dental practice. After all, she is determined to do what she has to--and apparently she does! She has qualifications she didn't even mention.

No wonder David was tempted: Clara was once beautiful but she is now old and fat. Actually, that's David's perception; Clara is actually like most women her age. And at the start of the movie and later on, she isn't bad looking.

But when she first appeared I didn't recognize her. I saw an older, plain-looking Hispanic dentist portrayed by a talented actress who I expected to have only a small supporting role. Elizabeth Pena did a very good job overall.

I really liked the country music in the bar. Much more 'real' than what gets played on radio.

It surprised me a lot to see that so many of these people went to church, because no one seemed to have any morals. I found some of Bobbi's other cases entertaining and even comical. It was strange that someone as smart as Bobbi took so long to realize a connection between two of her cases.

Anyway, if the movie is based on fact, than my major complaints don't mean much. I can't argue with what really happened. I thought Carla's solution to her problem was too drastic, and if I hadn't known the eventual outcome, I would have seen hope for her.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 October 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Clara Harris - Verzweifelte Rache

Filming Locations:

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sony Pictures Television, Storyline Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1