Moment of Truth: Stalking Back (1993)

Gripping story with well-crafted characters

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

There was a period of time when I taped a lot of movies from Lifetime, and Stalking Back was one of them. Hard to believe it is based on fact because, as other reviewers noted, a mentally unbalanced 20-something young man was getting away with stalking an entire family because of an obsession he developed on their 14-year-old daughter. It did not matter what he did, all he got was another chance from the courts. Never mind the girl, Laurisa, was coming apart at the seams from the terror she was feeling, and the increasingly vicious behaviors Curtis Harper was exhibiting. Letters, phone calls, sick gifts, and spying on her were not against the law at the time. This is where a mother has to become Super Woman and fight legislature to pass laws to put a stop to hunting humans for one's personal pleasure. It took a final scene witnessed by police to bring the man's house down at last and show him for what he was, one sick, twisted psychopath.

This movie is suspenseful and based off the true story of Laurisa Anello and her family. Laurisa is a beautiful and happy 14 year old girl on a softball team. The umpire, Curtis, has taken an inappropriate liking to her and as she grows Curtis' psychological problems and infatuation with her grow. No matter what Laurisa does, from going home from school to extra-curricular activities as she's in the marching band to out on a date, Curtis is there watching. In addition to sending her gifts, making harassing phone calls to her and her parents, and writing disturbing letters to her and her parents (such as for her father stating, "I almost got your daughter last night."). It even gets to the point where he's trying to run her off the road with his car and physically attacks her date. According to the law Curtis has done nothing wrong, then after the physical altercation the law gives Curtis another chance and he's released. Curtis even eventually works as a security guard, which means he now has a gun.The audience sees how Curtis' stalking of her is breaking her and her family down slowly so he's not just out the window or off in the distance lurking anymore, he's in their mind at all times. Just when you think there is no where to turn and this girl is being terrorized Laurisa's mother takes on the law head on. She some how figures out who to call, contacts to make, and travels to St. Petersburg, FL to meet with Florida's house representative to ask for and support a stalking bill on the floor in Washington DC.This is a great yet suspenseful movie to watch and is empowering for women, my husband even liked this movie and he hates Lifetime.

It's overwhelming to know that a young girl of 14 was stalked by a 20 something man! And the worst part is the police did nothing. I sugest that young and middle aged women should see this movie because you never know if some one is watching you. After you have seen this movie you will know whow to deal with people like Curtis, look out for warning signs of a potential stalker an know how to protect your self!

This movie accurately portrays the terror that a stalker can do to a family. Not, oh so weepy or the least bit sleazy it focuses on a neighborhood nice guy who targets a local teenager. The family is further frustrated when after he terrorizes the daughter many times, the cops and the courts cannot help then due to insufficient stalking laws. Far above the normal television movie fare.