Dark Desire (2012)

You won't be disappointed!

best movie i've ever seen.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

I watched this movie because it was the only movie accessible where I was. The plot was very shallow, acting very wooden, and the script stilted. Predictable story. The characters were all as bad as each other, and the car chase scenes were rubbish. It seemed far too easy to take the patient home from the hospital---no papers signed, and a paid-off ambulance escort, I realize it's a "work" of fiction, but there was no believable basis, made worse by the poor acting and production. I do recommend that you waste your time, as I did.I don't know whether it had a release into a theatre, but it should have been a straight to TV movie.

We all know about Lifetime movies -or should I say Lifetime movie? These are variations on the same movie, which can admittedly take a (small) number of forms. Perhaps the most typical of these is the apparently ordinary but actually deranged individual who insinuates him- or herself into a family of innocents. Frequently the sicko will exploit an existing tension within the family for his/her own dastardly ends. Well, this is indeed what happens in this movie. But the similarity to a typical Lifetime movie pretty much ends there. This is no Anne Carlucci or Pierre David production. Nor is it directed by the ubiquitous, unimaginative, lifeless Douglas Jackson. Nor is the narrative punctuated with the characters' wholesome, sentimental, heartwarming chuckles. The film is directed with a sense of style, the actors are far above the level of mediocrity afflicting virtually all Lifetime actors, the camera work is relatively polished, the pacing and tempo never drag and the film is cut professionally. Armand Mastroianni is no star director, but he's way better than any of Lifetime's stable of inert "talents". What prevents Lifetime from turning out something like this more than every 3 or 4 years? A restricted budget? An obsession with low-budget Canadian dreck? Probably something along those lines. Lifetime would surely broaden its audience were it to look to put together more movies of this calibre. Make no mistake, Dark Desire is not a first-rate film. But it's got a polish and professionalism entirely lacking in just about every other of the network's products. It starkly underscores the low-rent, shallow and amateurish quality of most everything else Lifetime has tossed our way. It's time to put Carlucci and David out to pasture.

Kelly Lynch, who looks as good as she did in her "Drugstore Cowboy" days, plays a grieving mother who develops an unhealthy relationship with the best friend of her deceased son. But this being Lifetime, the twists keep coming. A palpable sense of dread and eroticism, strong performances by Lynch and the always solid Michael Nouri, and an expertly paced narrative, raise "Dark Desire" far above similar TV thrillers. This is hardly surprising, as the movie is directed by Armand Mastroianni. A much sought after TV director in recent years, Mastroianni directed some of the most stylish and intense independent horror movies of the early 80's.

I came across this movie today and didn't know what to expect other than I thought it would be predictable...it was not! The depth of the Shane character was great as was the confused mourning mother, Karen. I honestly thought she had gone off the deep end at the end by plotting with Shane. It was nice to see Kelly Lynch do such an interesting role. I mean how to you prep for something like that? I haven't ever seen Nic Robuck before, but he played the kid longing for acceptance so well. I look forward to seeing him again. Just maybe a nicer role next time. The role of the jerk, Howie, was spot on. Great acting. I think if I met him in real life I would want to hit him. Finally, the pace was great. The director kept things moving along quite well. He obviously knew how to get the reactions he wanted from the cast and the great (creepy) story by Julie Lynch. Great cast. Great story. Great directing. Keep it up!