Reluctant Witness

Ok, full synopsis, Erin and her daughter move into witness protection, no mention of a daughter in the original synopsis. With her new identity and after 10 years a stranger emerges into the town.

At this point there should be a brief description of how this film develops, but unfortunately the series of encounters between her new husband, the sister-in-law and Jimmy ( the supposedly dead ex husband) is beyond belief, even for a fictional film.

All I can say, if protective services around the world were trying convince potential abuse victims that protective witness programs work, then do not show them this film, it would be like showing a plane crashing film on a plane.

To add to this the acting is terrible, having seen Madeleine Arthur in Devil in Ohio, even she does not come across very well.

Very poor film.

I just cannot stand films that rely on an irritating and constant music score to create suspense when the actual films suspense is non- existent because the plot is so predictable. I have never, and I mean never, seen a film which gives away their own ending and spoils any mystery within the very first five minutes as the Reluctant Witness achieved.

The lead actress Mia Kirshner plays Erin Villeneuve but that is only her fake identity name that the FBI gives her since they placed her in their witness protection program. You see Erin is actually Melissa Kirk who provides sufficient evidence to put her real husband Chicago gangster Jimmy Kirk away for good.

Within the first five minutes of the film Erin and her brand new husband nice guy and a totally in the dark dummy named Levon Villeneuve (played by Bruce Ramsay) at their wedding are introduced to Levon's sister's Katrin new boyfriend named Warren Cooper who just happens to be a born and bred Chicago boy who immediately asks Erin if she has ever been to Chicago. Duhhhhh?

The movie was all downhill from here and as I am a sucker for seeing a film through to the bitter end the film could not have disappointed me any more than by giving away the entire plot within the first five minutes. To add insult to injury Erin has a daughter named Becky who is swayed by the evil-doer dumb dumb of a dad Warren who convinces Becky that they are going to be a family again, even though Erin just got re-married. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree eh?

So the music score valiantly tries to add suspense while we the audience are left to imagine who Erin (alias for Melissa) will choose to be with. There is absolutely no value to this film and as such I rate it the minimum 1 out of 10.

Plain awful 1/10

I only watched this because Paul McGillion is in it. I enjoyed his role in Stargate Atlantis and a few others movies I've seen him. This is the first one in which he's a bad guy. He did well in the role.

The movie was predictable in that I could figure each scene before it happened.

Erin played the ex wife. She was condescending, emotionless, self-centered, and too prissy. Everything had to be about her. She was secretive and, in her mind, was the only one would correct the wrong. How she didn't recognize her bad guy ex-husband was ludicrous.

The police officer (woman) was shallow and obnoxious.

Overall, I have this a low rating for lack of suspense, shallow roles, and predictive outcome.

How can Erin NOT see that it's her 'supposed to be dead' husband??

Is she blind? It's so irritating! The rest of it is so cheesy too.