Customer Reviews

Plain Truth

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I happened to come across this movie completely by accident one night while channel-surfing. I have to say that I tend to avoid the Lifetime channel as a rule, but this particular night I came across the beginning of this movie and it looked interesting. So I gave it a chance. Wow, what a surprise! This turned out to be quite an enjoyable movie with tons more depth and intrigue than a typical Lifetime made-for-television movie will offer. In fact I would even rate it among the top movies I've seen recently.

Alison Pill plays a young Amish girl who is arrested on suspicion of killing her newborn child. Normally, the "girl gets arrested for killing her baby" wouldn't make for a very worthwhile movie plot since this topic is nothing new, but having an Amish girl be in the center of it all adds an unusual twist to the movie, one of the things it has going for it. And Alison Pill nails this role; I'm shocked that she has not been in more well-known movies. Her acting talent is obvious from the beginning, not to mention being quite attractive. Equally as good is Mariska Hargitay as the lawyer who represents her in court. And she isn't too hard on the eyes either. I don't mean to harp on about the attractiveness of the 2 women in the lead roles, but hey, it certainly doesn't hurt to have that as a bonus.

But getting back to the merits of the movie, don't let the word "Lifetime" discourage you. Believe me, I've done my fair share of cringing from the painfully-bad movies that Lifetime tends to show. But I can assure you that "Plain Truth" is a welcome change, with some great plot twists (you won't see the final one coming a mile away). Highly recommended!

Excellent movie. Solid performances by the entire cast. Allison Pill and Mariska Hargitay prove that they can shine in demanding roles. Unexpected plot twists tied to the interplay between the Amish and modernday cultures heighten the drama and character development. You'll miss out on a good movie if you fall victim to the bias that made-for-TV productions aren't worth seeing on DVD. This one is better than many bigger budget Hollywood movies. Buy it. It's worth adding to your collection.

This movie was awesome, I am not usually a fan of mystery type films, but this was a huge exception. When a newborn baby is found dead in a quiet Amish community and a young amish girl is arrested for the crime, a lawyer with issues of her own has to figure out what happened with little help from the community and even from the accused teen.
The plot is awesome and so is the cast. fFll of twists and suprises, it will keep you guessing until the very end.

While reading Jodi Picoult's novel, I could picture the scenes forming into a movie in my head. I then ran across it on here, and had to buy it.

All I can say is that I was very, very disappointed. The characters are not developed, the storyline is weak, and it was crammed into such a short time that it hurts the telling of what is a truly amazing story.

Im only fourteen so I usually dont watch lifetime because I thought it was for older people but boy was I wrong. Plain Truth is one of the best movies I have ever seen. The plot and twists in this movie are awesome! Mariska Hargitay is an amazing actress! She was perfect for this movie. She should be on more movies I love watching her on Law and Order SVU Ive never missed an episonde and now because of her role on SVU I want to be a detective.
This movie is the best!!!!!

This movie is great from start to finish.Mariska Hargitay is such a great actress and when your watching her you can feel all the emotions she's feeling.This lady deserves to be in more movies!I was shocked by the ending!If you like surprise endings this movie is for you.This movie is never dull or boring.Totally worth the money and time.

I purchased this movie because I am so impressed with the acting ability of Mariska Hargitay. She does an excellent job in this film and truly lives the part. The film is intriguing and emotional without raw sex or offensive language. It is thought provoking and a definitely a movie for our time. The surprise ending of the film and the non-verbal emotions expressed by Mariska are captivating.

Plain Truth
1 Disc Widescreen, released July 13, 2010

"Plain Truth" was a Lifetime movie from 2004 directed by Paul Shapiro based on the novel by Jodi Picoult. Mariska Hargitay plays Ellie Harrison, a criminal lawyer who takes on the case of a dead baby in an Amish community and the 18-year-old mother, Katie played by Alison Pill who denies she was ever pregnant though medical tests would prove otherwise.

Picture the Harrison Ford movie "Witness" and switch the male detective to a female defense attorney and a different mystery. That's the feel here. There are lots of comments on the Amish culture's plainness, anti-violent stance, and firm embrace of tradition.

Ellie needed a vacation from her profession after feeling guilty about winning her last case when her client probably deserved jail time. As a favor to a friend she takes on this case and in requesting bail, the judge makes the unusual demand that Ellie have to stay in the Amish community till the trial ends to make sure the girl doesn't flee. Mariska Hargitay (from "Law and Order: SVU) is very convincing in the courtroom and plays the Lifetime level of all-around wonderful leading woman to the fullest.

The story takes us down all sorts of paths with what could have happened since Katie keeps lying about the circumstances and giving different versions. The result is frustratingly simple, but at least they didn't go the really obvious route. Alison Pill (whom you might remember from the fantastic "Dan in Real Life" movie with Steve Carrell in 2007) was well-cast here since she looks so natural in the plain Amish setting and does well in an understated emotional performance. It was easy to believe her simple logic and thought process, yet she was able to remain a mystery for most of the movie.

Since it is a Lifetime movie, our main two leads are women who have to control their own fate with weighty decisions and they threw in a slight romance with a doctor interviewing Katie in a temporary insanity defense tactic. Completely unnecessary, but she called on a man in her time of need even though she's an independent woman who can stand on her own, la la la.

This was the best of the three Lifetime movies I reviewed this week because in spite of the cliche, the Amish people are a fascinating people and courtroom dramas appeal to me greatly.

Bonus Features: None

A story about a young amish girl who has a baby and she sais she did not have a baby, and the die's because she has a illness she did not know she had. This is a must have movie

By far one of the best Lifetime movies I have seen. Excellent story, acting, directing, scenery, sets, and camera work. If you enjoy a good drama you should at least rent this one. An Amish girl, expertly played by Alison Pill, is accused of murdering her baby when they find a dead infant near her parents farm house. She shows signs of giving birth, but she claims she never had the baby. A friend of the family tries to assist them by asking her friend to defend the girl. Mariska Hargatay of "Law and Order" plays her attorney deftly. The judge makes her the girls custodian. Hargatay does an excellent job of showing a wide range of emotions as this case unfolds many surprises. If you enjoyed this catch "Witness" and "The Client".

CA Luster