By Melissa Antoinette Garza
If you’ve ever wondered what The Stepfather (1987) would be if crossed with The Crush (1993) this is definitely a movie to check out.
The film begins with Debbie (Rose McGowan) surviving a fire that took the lives of her parents. She moves in with her mean and overbearing grandmother Mrs. Long (Peg Shirley) and her small cute terrier.
Debbie immediately despises all of the rules set forth by her grandmother and hates the dog as well. She is forced to wear hand-me-down clothing that had been her mother’s. She is also awoke at the break of dawn to clean the attic.
She arrives at her new school, and though berated by many makes a friend with Janie (J.C. Brandy). Janie, like her, is a bit of a lost rebel who doesn’t fit in with the main population. Debbie goes “shopping” with her stealing clothing and liquor. Janie is surprised by the behaviors but is more impressed than anything else.
At school, Debbie struggles to open her locker while the jocks behind her poke fun. Creative writing teacher, Mr. Peter Rinaldi (Alex McArthur) helps and welcomes her. She instantly feels an attraction, signs up for his class and volunteers to help him at a garage sale. Meegan (Krissy Carlson) who is the blonde blue-eyed girl that every outcast hates, also has a thing for Peter and volunteers. Debbie refuses to share the teacher and ensures Meegan doesn’t show up.
It becomes clear that anyone who attempts to step in her way ends up seriously injured or worse. At first, Peter thinks that Debbie is just a misguided kid with a crush but when she begins to interfere with his relationship with girlfriend Marilyn (Sherrie Rose) he knows things have gone too far.
Debbie who admittedly had a rough childhood, latches on to any attractive man who shows her kindness. Her mother was abusive, her father was murdered when she was young, and Mrs. Long takes every opportunity to insult her and hit her with a cane. Whether nature or nurture, Debbie’s insanity reaches fever-pitch as she goes on a killing spree without remorse. Always, however her eyes are on the prize – that prize being a fairy-tale life with Peter.
McGowan portrays the lead in a generally believable way. There are certainly a few scenes that go way over the top, but in this type of film it’s expected.
McArthur does a fantastic job as the object of her obsession. He does a sensational job depicting the struggle that Peter faces with both the attraction he feels for Debbie and the boundaries he tries to enforce with her.
Overall, this is definitely a watchable film. I would say it fits more into a chick-flick with a Lifetime-esque plot to it rather than those sexy suspense thrillers enjoyed by men and women alike. This is no Poison Ivy (1992) or Wild Things (1998). It’s a much tamer movie than those.
For those that have Amazon Prime and are looking for something to watch, this should certainly be a go-to movie, but the film isn’t worth searching out otherwise.
Scared Stiff Rating: 6/10
THE NEWEST HORROR COLLECTION IS UNLEASHED – ORDER NOW!
