A Face to Die For (1996 TV Movie) User Reviews (10)

fun Lifetime movie

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 15 August 2005]

I admit an affection for this type of film, where the ugly duckling returns to seek revenge on those who wronged her. I caught "A Face To Die For" on Lifetime. I'm not sure of its pedigree, but it's typical for that network, although better than most of their productions.

Yasmine Bleeth was such a gorgeous young woman before some of her personal problems hit, and she's in top form here. In this movie, she's an ugly, scarred girl with a drunk mother and a gorgeous sister. Thinking a man is in love with her, she is conned into helping with a robbery, for which she is imprisoned. As anyone who has ever seen one of these films before knows, if you want the best plastic surgery, go to jail.

The story goes from there. It's very entertaining, and it's always a pleasure to see the beautiful Bleeth.

Interesting Movie With A Good Plot But It's Not Original

[Saturn77 · 5/10 · 17 June 2014]

It's quite an interesting movie to watch with a plot that's a bit hard to believe in places but the main fact that caught my attention was that it copied the plot to a large degree of an Australian mini series called "Return To Eden" from 1983.

A couple of points about the plot of this movie. Firstly the way the leading lady seemed to be released from prison immediately after a fight with another inmate was a little puzzling. Then later I thought it was strange that she showed no gratitude to the surgeon in the long term for doing a great repair job on her face. So what if he wanted her to look very similar to his deceased wife. From memory, in "Return To Eden" the leading lady did end up marrying the surgeon to show her gratitude.

Excellently Made

[nicholas.rhodes · 8 December 2001]

An excellent Tv film with a lot of surprises. Taped it on French TV a few months ago under the title "La Vengeance d'un Visage" and keep watching it. The main actress is beautiful, even at the beginning and the plot remarkably well made. Of course we know that the end will be happy but this in no way detracts from the spectator's pleasure !

Revenge for Yasmine.

[Brian-272 · 4/10 · 14 June 2001]

About a week ago on Lifetime I watched this movie which features Yasmine Bleeth as a woman done wrong and sent to prison. After her release she returns as beautiful as ever only to seek revenge on the people who tried to destroy her and gladly so. Good movie to watch find it on Lifetime or Lifetime Movie Network.

A Positive Transformation

[jennie0409 · 8/10 · 30 November 2002]

Yasmine Bleeth is not very believable as a meek, quiet girl, but as her character evolves, the overacting seems to come to a close. As her character blossoms and changes, Bleeth doesn't seem to have to work as hard. I guess you just can't cast a "Baywatch babe" as an ugly, quiet character. It is simply too much of a contradiction. Once her character is transformed (not only in looks, but as a character as well), however, the movie takes a turn for the better. The plot line is wonderful. This is wonderfully written. A bit unrealistic, this movie still gets by because it's just that-a movie. This is a definite must-see for Lifetime TV viewers.

Please release this again

[pbvjzdb · 10/10 · 7 June 2021]

I loved this movie. Lifetime needs to bring all of original stuff back.

Fun histrionics

[scaramou · 15 June 1999]

Pretty entertaining, as far as these TV soapers go. Nothing happens that you can't see coming a few commercial breaks away, but the cast is fun and the story is reminiscent of those great old Joan Crawford melodramas with plots that only make sense at 3 a.m.

I can watch it over & over

[Klynn727 · 8/10 · 21 December 2011]

I like this movie a lot. I watch it every time I catch it on. Good storyline...never gets old. Good cast. I love Yasmeen Bleeth & Robin Givens. There appears to have been a chemistry between them that made the friendship believable. There were some characters you loved to hate as well. I never get tired of these types of movies. This movie has everything you need in a good girlie movie. Makes you laugh, cry, swear, flinch and cheer all in 90 minutes. I would recommend this movie to all the women I know, and I probably have already. If I find it on DVD, it is a must purchase. Ladies, add this one to your libraries. There is another lifetime movie that is similar to this one in story line and title and I watched it the first time thinking it was this one. Turned out to be a good one also. That one was A Face To Kill For. I still think this was a good movie.

Nicely watchable made for TV movie. Bleeth is always good.

[TxMike · 11 March 2006]

I'd watch Yasmine Bleeth do a toothpaste commercial, that's how "watchable" she is. Yet, she is a darned fine actress too. This is not a great movie by any measure, but is entertaining enough. Here Bleeth plays the main character Emily Gilmore, not very attractive, who is wrongly set up and sent to prison. During her prison time, and after her release, she has the benefit of cosmetic surgery which changes her looks completely, and seems to give her confidence a lift too. Naturally she is bent on revenge.

This is almost exactly the way a 1998 movie with a similar name, "A Face To Kill For", with Crystal Bernard begins, although the credits for each movie list different writers. So I will assume it is just coincidental. The 1998 movie also differs significantly in that it is centered heavily on the horse racing industry, while this one involves the film and fashion industry. Plus other key differences.

The bad guy in this movie is James Wilder who plays Alec Dalton, a crook at heart, and who is responsible for Emily's going to jail. In the meantime, he marries Emily's sister Sheila (Chandra West). Emly changes her name to Corday and, when Alec and she end up at the same event, Alec flirts with her, playing into her scheme. Robin Givens also has a key role as Claudia, Corday's assistant.

My remaining comments contain SPOILERS. In the 1998 movie, counterfeit cash is used, plus secret audio taping, to get the bad guy (Doug Savant in a fine role) arrested and convicted of murders of family members who sought to expose him. In this movie, the two sisters end up in a hotel room with Alec, there is money in a brief case, but a struggle ensues and a gun with silencer kills him. The two sisters plead the three monkeys (hear, see, speak no evil) and get their revenge and a chance to get on with their lives.