Intimate Stranger (2006)

So much average

i must have seen a different film!!

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

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

The common denominator of a Lifetime film seems to be that someone is harassing someone else and it becomes a guessing game who is doing the harassing. You don't need Jessica Fletcher here because it becomes obvious who the culprit is. The question who shall keep asking is why?Woman meets the ideal guy through friends. Woman is divorced and has a bright child. The new love in her life buys the kid a bicycle which ticks the woman off. Man begins a systematic harassment of the woman. We know exactly what is going on.As usual in these films, the police seem to be in the dark but by the end they find all the incriminating evidence they need.This gal needs relationships to keep her going. At film's end, she is busy with her boss, 5 years her junior.

Karen has been on her own for six years. She has some sort of professional office job in Kansas City, and she has a son Justin who is in the fourth grade. She doesn't have the best track record with men. Justin's father Joe was too controlling and does not live up to his responsibilities to the boy. She is now getting flowers with a note saying they are from Randy. Her boss Alex seems to like her but he's kind of young.Now Karen has found Denis, who is kind and caring, knows how to cook, and enjoys spending time with Justin, who took a while but eventually accepted Denis. They hunt butterflies together.So what's wrong with Denis?Maybe nothing. But Karen is lucky to have him, because those mysterious flowers from Randy are just the first of many strange developments. Her air conditioning keeps cutting off during a hot summer. There are strange noises in the attic which may just be squirrels. And then there are problems at work, including a mysterious illness. Is Karen losing her mind or is someone really trying to drive her crazy?The biggest reason for a straight male to watch: Karen is quite good-looking and has long blonde hair. During the hot summer I mentioned, she wears revealing tops, except of course at work. Though she won't show off her legs, not even when jogging or sleeping. There is one scene where she is in a bathrobe and her legs do show, but if you blink you'll miss it.For someone with my musical taste, there are the first two romantic scenes. Another romantic scene in the woods has generic background music (which is still enjoyable), and dinner with Denis and Justin has opera. No, thanks. I liked the jazz. I do mean jazz, not the "smooth jazz" women seem to like.I don't know who any of the people in this movie are, but Kari Matchett seems to be a good enough actress. Karen is a strong character who has been through a lot and can stand up for herself when she has to. Peter Outerbridge does a good job too. There is an interesting mystery to solve. Nothing that special, but entertaining enough. And minimal violence. I don't think there was any blood. Of course, sex is a requirement in these movies, but it is only implied.If I have any criticisms, it is that Robert Benz as the detective seemed quite good in one scene and sounded like he was reading his lines at the end. I really wanted to say something good about him. It's a woman-in-jep movie. If you like them, and I do, it's enjoyable.

This is one of those above average TV movies that you'll be glad to have caught on, well, television. I saw it on LMN, and it is definitely worth the while. There's not really a dull moment - and what a creep! The warning signs of an obsessive/abuser is well done--women and girls will be well advised to take heed.If a guy moves too fast in the relationship, if he doesn't respect boundaries, if he can't take criticisms, if he starts making decisions for you, if you get a gut feeling...listen to your friends, but don't be beholden to them - unless they're warning you against an abuser. It's better to have love and lost then to hold on to an unhealthy relationship.