Taken Back: Finding Haley (2012)

Sick Product of a Sick System

Let's be realistic.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Moira Kelly,the star of the 90's movies such as "The Cutting Edge","Chaplin" and "With Honors",stars in this child abduction TV movie entitled "Taken Back: Finding Haley".Amanda Tapping,David Cubitt and Kacey Rohl co-star in a movie that was directed by Mark Jean.Karen Turner was spending happy moment with her three-year-old daughter Haley in a carousel.Things were going well until the moment when Haley got abducted.This led Karen into a lot of emotional pain and sorrow that led her to be divorced by her husband Tim.More than a decade later,Karen remains in search for her daughter.Being a good photographer,she does take school memoirs photos to locate her daughter.One day,she thinks that one student happens to her missing daughter using maternal instinct while taking photos of Emma Roberts.Feeling that Emma is indeed her missing daughter,she tries to do some actions - both legal and illegal - to recover her.It was fantastic to see Moira Kelly give a great performance as Karen.Viewers will definitely cheer for her character to find her daughter again and feel for the pain and suffering that she has been experiencing since Haley got lost.Added to that,the twist of the screenplay provides the viewers the pain that a mothers has to go through once their child is lost either through death or abduction.Overall,this TV movie became above average because it was able to showcase that in addition to Moira's great performance.

I haven't seen a movie that stars Moira Kelly for so many years now.After having seen The Cutting Edge,Chaplin,Daybreak,Entertaining Angels and many other films she appeared in back in the 90's,it has been awhile since she appeared in film.Despite being very pretty and talented,she obviously does not play the game the stars play in Hollywood which resulted to not being a Hollywood superstar.In spite of it,I was just happy to read that she has found fulfillment with her family particularly her two kids which she would never regret attaining rather than Hollywood stardom.That resulted to appearing in less movies and not to mention that actresses in their 40's get less roles.But one day,I tried to look at IMDb and saw a Lifetime TV movie that she starred in recently entitled Taken Back:Finding Haley.The film is about a mother who lost her child through abduction.The role of Karen Turner as a mother obsessed woman definitely suits her.Aside from Kelly,it also stars Amanda Tapping,David Cubitt and Kacey Rohl.It was written by Brian D. Young and directed by Mark Jean.It starts off with a carousel scene and the abduction of 3 year old Haley.Karen Turner suffers emotionally that she starts to turn people she knows away from her including her husband.Also,her health suffers as we see her take various prescription medicines.But after more than a decade of looking for Haley,her obsession and determination in finding her never wavered until she finally found a lead to where her daughter probably could be while working as a school photographer.While my expectations for a Lifetime TV movie isn't that much and probably even minimal for it is typically low-budgeted and does not involved top talent,I felt that Moira Kelly's performance was something special.Although one would find her somewhat very emotional in the first 1/3 of the it that many viewers could be bothered with,she definitely raised the level of the film to being more than just a typical TV movie shown on Lifetime TV.On many scenes towards the end,she definitely would bring many viewers to tears especially after she finally found Haley back.She also managed to cover some plot holes that the screenplay has as she managed to have the viewers focused on her and cheered for her character in search of Haley.In summary,she definitely raised the level of this film.Aside from Kelly,it also worthy to mention that Kacey Rohl as the mysterious Emma.Finally,it also provided the viewers awareness about the issue of child abduction in the United States.This is definitely worthy to watch for people who love more than just ordinary TV movies and for Moira Kelly fans to once again appreciate the talent that she has and that she truly is an underrated actress and someone who never got into the level stardom that she should have at least managed to achieved as a performer.

I stayed up extra late just to catch the second viewing of this movie . It didn't disappoint on most levels . I just have a few factual questions .For example the couple who lost their daughter in a drowning accident in the tub . If it were truly an accident and no harm was meant . Why didn't they at least try to get their little angel help . Even if it were to late they could have tried .The police would have figured out that it was an accident .But No the husband/father sticks his head in the sand and allows his wife to steal a little girl who does not belong to them . Instead of doing the right thing right away he continued to turn a blind eye .Second question is for the biological mother to Haley ...Why would she "kidnap" her own daughter , if she honestly thought this was Haley she could have found this out by the finger prints or a DNA test. Of course she would have spooked the kidnappers out and they would have wanted to run but she could have done things a better way .Other than that it could have had a better ending the Haley walking out with her "Mother" and then as the Police have her in the car , just walking by her . I would have wanted to say so much to her if I were Haley !!!!

This is a stellar movie, and I do not understand the low rating at all. My mother and I loved it! The movie is about a girl named Hayle was kidnapped at three years old from a merry-go-round. Karen spends twelve years searching for her daughter, the father gives up after two years because he has a life to live.Karen eventually finds Hayley-Emma at a high school where she is taking photos for the high school yearbook.I don't want to give the whole thing away because this is such a powerful movie. I rooted for Karen the whole way and I cried with her. How could those people who took Hayley put a mother through that kind of grief after what they suffered?