I have watched my fair share of made-for-tv movies, so I generally know what to expect. I usually don't think they're terrible, but also not great. This movie was more believable and was paced better than many of the made-for-tv mystery/thriller type movies I have seen. The storyline was a bit predictable and the movie left me wanting a little more, but it did keep my interest all the way until the end. There was a twist I thought might happen, but I only had it partially right. Overall a decent movie for a one-time watch if you set your expectations appropriately. 6/10.
12 Reviews
middling TV
SnoopyStyle25 June 2017
Amelia Davis (Mena Suvari) writes a newspaper column called Ask Amelia advising her female readers to stand up against their abusers. She starts a blog and is befriended by Jenny Reardon who wrote to her and escaped from an abusive relationship. A year later, she gains some success and is being courted to sell. She is approached by the dashing Carlo Rossi. Detective Hank Wilson tells her that her abusive ex-husband Darryl Devine just got paroled. She is attacked by a mystery masked man.
This is a TV movie that runs like a Lifetime movie. The flow is a little clunky but the story is generally fine although not that original. There is a good mystery with good twists. The production is straight forward TV. Suvari is the only truly compelling actor in the cast. It's a middling affair that I can't quite recommend.
This is a TV movie that runs like a Lifetime movie. The flow is a little clunky but the story is generally fine although not that original. There is a good mystery with good twists. The production is straight forward TV. Suvari is the only truly compelling actor in the cast. It's a middling affair that I can't quite recommend.
Lifetime Movie
SecretDoll17 May 2021
I can always tell when a movie is made by lifetime. Simply by their consistency with story plots (not necessarily a good thing), actors, twists, and ratings.
Rating for Lifetime movies are very frequently rated between 4 and 6, which is actually decent if you are a true movie fan, but with the consistency comes alot of repetition, and common foreshadowing thaat makes the movies just plain predictable but watchable.
Rating for Lifetime movies are very frequently rated between 4 and 6, which is actually decent if you are a true movie fan, but with the consistency comes alot of repetition, and common foreshadowing thaat makes the movies just plain predictable but watchable.
Bad but not terrible
sarabibliomania25 May 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This is a generous two because I appreciate that they were trying to bring awareness and a sense of survival to domestic abuse and because the sex scene is hot. Otherwise I found the acting bad, the plot a little hard to believe, dialog cheesy and characterization eye roll worthy. The best friend is the bad guy. There was no hint of that whatsoever and for a twist her motives were not a hundred percent clear. Her husband threw a lamp at her so technically she did kill him in self defense. It was nice that they portrayed the fact that women do abuse men but it should have been done better. But is was a TV movie so it is my fault for expecting more.
Yikes
lisa-9911014 April 2018
This is why men shouldn't write female stories. That glowing review above sounds like it was written by a friend of the actor. No one watching this would think it's worthy of viewing unless it's in an ironic "so bad it's good\funny" way. It came on my TV and I was like what happened to Mena that she ended up doing terrible made for TV movies like this? She's not a terrible actor but this makes her seem like she is.
Preposterous esp. at the end
nadshi30 May 2021
The actors are nice to look at, Mena played the titular American Beauty in American Beauty. But there's a lot in the film that makes little to no sense. Plays at cultural misogyny, not for thinkers but if you like watching pretty people get it on, you'll love it.
One Of The Better TV-Movie Mysteries
P3n-E-W1s331 May 2017
Though this is a TV movie, so no big budget to play with, the writers Michael Ades and Scott Abramovitch along with the Director Tristan Dubois give the audience a multi-layered tale of stalking and twisted vengeance.
The premise of the story is pretty basic; Amelia Davis (Mena Suvari) starts a blog after being the victim of spousal abuse and builds a fanbase and following of other similar sufferers of abuse, and tries to help them find a way to leave their violent relationships. However, she is attacked one night and the possible perpetrators are numerous. Could it be her ex, who she helped imprison, though is now out on parole; could it be her new boyfriend who may not be as clean cut as he makes out; or could it be a stalker fan. Once the story gets going the twists start coming thick and fast and each is as believable as the other. It had me guessing right up to the end when it suddenly became painfully obvious who it was... and that the ending even has a twist in its tale.
Dubois does an exceptional job with the pace of the movie, slowing it down for the more dramatic scenes and screeching it up to maximum to build excitement. This is a well-crafted piece.
The acting is above average, though the best character is Carlo Rossi who is brilliantly portrayed by Joseph Mesiano. He gets the gets the swarthy, suave, sexy, smooth, smug, and smarmy personality just right as you are never too sure about him and his motives.
It's all of this which kept me entertained and away from the stop and delete buttons when it came on the telly. To be truthful, I really enjoyed this film and couldn't find much wrong with it at all. So if you like mystery movies this is one to watch. Though, it's not one you would watch over and over again because once it's been solved there's not much else to bring you back to the film. I would watch it again, should I ever forget the outcome...
The premise of the story is pretty basic; Amelia Davis (Mena Suvari) starts a blog after being the victim of spousal abuse and builds a fanbase and following of other similar sufferers of abuse, and tries to help them find a way to leave their violent relationships. However, she is attacked one night and the possible perpetrators are numerous. Could it be her ex, who she helped imprison, though is now out on parole; could it be her new boyfriend who may not be as clean cut as he makes out; or could it be a stalker fan. Once the story gets going the twists start coming thick and fast and each is as believable as the other. It had me guessing right up to the end when it suddenly became painfully obvious who it was... and that the ending even has a twist in its tale.
Dubois does an exceptional job with the pace of the movie, slowing it down for the more dramatic scenes and screeching it up to maximum to build excitement. This is a well-crafted piece.
The acting is above average, though the best character is Carlo Rossi who is brilliantly portrayed by Joseph Mesiano. He gets the gets the swarthy, suave, sexy, smooth, smug, and smarmy personality just right as you are never too sure about him and his motives.
It's all of this which kept me entertained and away from the stop and delete buttons when it came on the telly. To be truthful, I really enjoyed this film and couldn't find much wrong with it at all. So if you like mystery movies this is one to watch. Though, it's not one you would watch over and over again because once it's been solved there's not much else to bring you back to the film. I would watch it again, should I ever forget the outcome...
Well done Mena
stevecagneyfan29 August 2022
I recently watched this movie for the first time.
Yet another good movie starring Mena Suvari.
If only police officer in this day and age, were able to be like the Detective in this film, No Surrender.
FULL credit and praise to Mena Suvari. Not only for great acting, but for taking on role in the first place, due to some of the things that happened in her personal life.
I think this storyline should be told and retold as unfortunately there are a LOT of victims (male and female) who are living in fear of predators etc.
Hopefully, seeing this movie will encourage other victims to seek out help.
Yet another good movie starring Mena Suvari.
If only police officer in this day and age, were able to be like the Detective in this film, No Surrender.
FULL credit and praise to Mena Suvari. Not only for great acting, but for taking on role in the first place, due to some of the things that happened in her personal life.
I think this storyline should be told and retold as unfortunately there are a LOT of victims (male and female) who are living in fear of predators etc.
Hopefully, seeing this movie will encourage other victims to seek out help.
Twisty,turny,no one is who they seem thriller
markstefano-8810127 November 2021
Certainly worth a look,Mena Suvari has a stalker but who is it? A few people in the frame and your left to work out who is the blighter and why are they doing it. Not a bad mystery movie at all with some engaging performances,especially from the gorgeous,talented Mena.
Very well done Tv-movie that had you hooked to the very end
daniellederrell3 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Not your typical stalker mystery this was actually full of surprises. I thought going into it, it was obvious who the stalker was but I am glad for the twist.It's true that violence and abuse can go both ways regardless of gender and I am glad the movie portrayed that.
Never Back Down!!!
lavatch9 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
"No Surrender" was an excellent thriller with first-rate performances. The name of the blog of writer Amelia Davis is "Never Back Down." After enduring an abusive relationship with her husband, Amelia has made a name for herself in giving advice to women in similar situations. She has become an inspiration! But when her former husband, Darryl Devine, is unexpectedly released from prison, the nightmare begins anew.
As Amelia is stressed from the revelation about Darryl, she is attacked in her home. The man wore a mask, and Amelia's uncertainty is compounded after she starts a relationship with an architect named Carlo Rossi. While Carlo seems like a stand-up guy, Amelia learns that he may have a criminal past. When she sees him meeting with Darryl, Amelia suspects they may be in league to squeeze her for money after she has signed a multi-million-dollar deal with Modern Media World.
Under constant stress, Amelia feels completely alone. Her sole comfort is her friend Jenny Reardon, who had received advice from Amelia at a time when she was apparently in an abusive relationship. But there is something a little too pat and shifty about Jenny's conduct, as well as uncertainty about what actually happened to lead her to murder her partner. Was it really self-defense, as determined by the police?
Mena Suvari was terrific in the role of the beleaguered Amelia. The film was also crisply directed with good locations and set-ups. The meteoric rise of Amelia was convincing as she effectively conveyed a heartfelt message about maintaining a solid identity and self-worth in the face of a sea of troubles. This was a strong protagonist who modeled in her own life the advice she was giving to others.
As Amelia is stressed from the revelation about Darryl, she is attacked in her home. The man wore a mask, and Amelia's uncertainty is compounded after she starts a relationship with an architect named Carlo Rossi. While Carlo seems like a stand-up guy, Amelia learns that he may have a criminal past. When she sees him meeting with Darryl, Amelia suspects they may be in league to squeeze her for money after she has signed a multi-million-dollar deal with Modern Media World.
Under constant stress, Amelia feels completely alone. Her sole comfort is her friend Jenny Reardon, who had received advice from Amelia at a time when she was apparently in an abusive relationship. But there is something a little too pat and shifty about Jenny's conduct, as well as uncertainty about what actually happened to lead her to murder her partner. Was it really self-defense, as determined by the police?
Mena Suvari was terrific in the role of the beleaguered Amelia. The film was also crisply directed with good locations and set-ups. The meteoric rise of Amelia was convincing as she effectively conveyed a heartfelt message about maintaining a solid identity and self-worth in the face of a sea of troubles. This was a strong protagonist who modeled in her own life the advice she was giving to others.
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