His Secret Past (2016 TV Movie) User Reviews (9)

Whatever Floats Your Boat

[wes-connors · 5/10 · 4 January 2017]

While jogging, an attractive young blonde woman is attacked by a man concealed by a dark hoodie. In broad daylight. Fortunately, a handsome young man intervenes and scares off the attacker. The young woman is 18-year-old Gatlin Green (as Lily Becker). She has just discarded a cheating boyfriend and is looking forward to college. The young man is 20-year-old Austin James (as Mick Grant). He's new in town and lives on a boat in the marina. These two characters are mutually attracted, but Ms. Green's "true crime writer" mother Brigid Brannagh (as Jennifer) and others think our pretty protagonist should proceed very slowly with Mr. James. James is cute, heroic, polite and muscular with or without his shirt. He seems almost too perfect...

Not confirming anything, but "His Secret Past" means James' character. Of course, these TV movies are liable to pull a fast one on you...

Our first real clue may be the character not wanting to have his picture taken. Either James is miscast as an unattractive young man or he's secretly a picture picky actor. James does well in the role, with director Randy Carter growing him a smaller stature as compared to Green's tall, dark ex-boyfriend Alex Heartman (as Scott Ellison); note, he has no last scene. Also well cast is Green's concerned best friend Lindsay Bushman (as Kelly). Serving nicely as his own film editor, Mr. Carter makes the story and players smooth and natural. So, when the characters get rough, it means something. "His Secret Past" is routine but engaging. There is a lesson to be learned about calling 9-11 when you are in trouble. They put you on hold for a very long time.

***** His Secret Past (12/26/2016) Randy Carter ~ Gatlin Green, Austin James, Brigid Brannagh, Alex Heartman

I'm just looking out for you...

[vnssyndrome89 · 5/10 · 10 July 2023]

HIS SECRET PAST (TV Movie 2016)

BASIC PLOT: Lily Becker (Gatlin Kate James) just got very lucky. While out jogging, she was attacked by a mask wearing assailant. A mysterious stranger intervenes, and she gets away. Her hero doesn't go to the police, but by chance (?), Lily runs into him the next day. His name is Mick Grant (Austin James), and he lives on a boat. He's only in town for a short while, but that's long enough for Lily to fall for him. He's quiet and enigmatic, and nothing like Lily's last boyfriend, Scott Ellison (Alexander P. Heartman). Lily can be a bit naive, especially when it comes to men, so it's up to her mother, and best friend Kelly, to look out for her.

Lily's mother, Jennifer Becker (Brigid Brannagh) is a true crime author. She's suspicious by nature, and there's something about Mick she just doesn't trust. Kelly (Lindsay Bushman), Lily's best friend, also feels something is off about Mick. Even Scott, Lily's ex, hires a PI to find out about this secretive loner, who's ingratiated himself into Lily's life. Can the people who care for Lily convince her something is wrong with Mick, before it's too late?

WHAT WORKS: *Gatlin Kate James portrayal of Lily Becker, the sweet, naive, girl next door, is right on the money. She's almost sweet enough to rot your teeth.

*Alexander P. Heartman plays Scott Ellison, the spoiled, entitled jackass, and he does it with style. His haircut, his name dropping, even his preppy country club sweater all work here; he has the solipsistic smug smirk down to an art form.

*In this movie, the women take care of their problems themselves. In so many movies, even movies made for women, there has to be a male hero who saves the day. Not here, and I applaud the three male writers for that choice. It makes the ending so much more gratifying.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *How many times can you say, "I'm just looking out for you," in one movie? Answer: Too damn many

*Why is Kelly (Lindsay Bushman) so suspicious of Mick (Austin James) right off the bat? Lots of people don't want to get involved with the police, whether they have something to hide or not. It seems contrived, and doesn't work. Kelly needs to be given a reason to be suspicious.

*Why doesn't Lilly question Mick's presence at the country club? Shouldn't she wonder what he's doing there?

*Charles finds an iPhone at the scene of an attempted murder. He tells the police tech, "get this unlocked immediately," and she does. No one, not even the US government can crack an iPhone's encryption.

*There are too many unnecessary deaths in this movie. One person would have been enough, but this many makes it much less believable or enjoyable. It's one thing to have murder to prove Mick is evil. Killing the ancillary characters works fine (the bum, the PI). There is no need for a blood bath in this type of movie. The kill count is 4 murders, 2 attempted murders. That's a bit much for a made-for-tv melodrama.

*Why do male writers always have women get scared when men fight? I can forgive it here, because the character of Lily is naive and fragile, but I can't forgive it from her friend Kelly. Kelly recommends Lily dump Mick because he fights back, when punched. WTF?! Why do men write this trope so often? Hey, George Erschbamer, Barbara Fixx, and Jeffrey Barmash, lots of women are turned on (or at least not afraid) when men fight. Why not add those types of women in occasionally?

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *If you like melodramas, you might like this. It's pretty formulaic with lots of stereotypes, even for this type of movie. There are better movies out there, but there are much worse too. It's entertaining, if you can ignore the bloodbath.

CLOSING NOTES: *This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.

*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.

Average Lifetime thriller

[phd_travel · 5/10 · 21 March 2019]

A girl is saved from being attacked. She falls for her hero. Mom is a little suspicious as are her cheating ex and BFF. Not too many surprises here. The villain is obvious. His reason is there if you pay attention. Well he does have his reasons.

The object of affection is rather silly for 18. Jogging after being attacked alone. Also the cop is rather dumb at the end.

The acting is okay. Bridget Branagh and Patrick Muldoon are familiar but the rest aren't.

Worst movie every

[murraysl · 1/10 · 17 December 2017]

This movie was the dumbest movie I every watched. I can't believe I waited to see the ending. They should never show this movie again

Morbid

[lavatch · 3/10 · 18 April 2021]

Lily Becker, the daughter of crime novelist Jennifer Becker, refers to her mom's work as morbid, which is also an apt description for this film in which the body count builds to an overwhelming level by the end of the ordeal.

There was an effective narrative design in the triangulated relationship of young Lily with her ex-boyfriend Scott Ellison and a mysterious stranger named Mick Grant. Mick rescues Lily from an attacker while she is out jogging. After Lily and Mick begin a relationship, Lilly's ex Scott does some checking on Mick and discovers that the new beau's life is a blank slate.

One of the most interesting characters was Kelly, who was Lily's bestie. It was Kelly who discovers the identity of Mick Grant as "Michael Granger." After piecing together the puzzle, Kelly unfortunately is surprised by Mick and makes a quick exit from the screenplay, along with Scott and the private investigator Ray Peterson, plus the unsuspecting drunk Eric Grissom, who was hired by Mick to attack Lily during her jog. All of these poor souls are murdered by Mick/Michael, who might as well be called Jack the Ripper.

Early in the film, it is revealed that Jennifer Becker had written a bestseller that led to the reopening of a cold case in Seattle. Her investigative work led to the apprehension and conviction of the Crown Hill killer, who later died of lethal injection, suffering for ten minutes in the chair. Now, the son, Michael Granger, has come for payback.

The climactic scene of the film was choreographed in a way that lost credibility with the petite Jennifer grappling with a kitchen knife with her brawny adversary. The film's denouement offered no consolation to Scott and Kelly, who had both made the ultimate sacrifice for their friend.

There was also little comfort in learning that Jennifer Becker was retiring from the profession of the author of true crime stories and was possibly contemplating moving into writing romances. This was a bittersweet ending to an experience that may be summed up in one word: morbid.

Stupid dumb...

[Carriexoc · 2/10 · 25 April 2019]

Can't blame it on the actors. They did their best. It's a tie between the editing, directing and sound. Maybe put them together in a room together and watch the movie and make their edits BEFORE they release it. Could have been good.

Horrible

[Sherich87 · 2/10 · 9 February 2023]

Horrible! Horrible!! No common sense at all, give a little at least! Absolutely waste of time. There should have been more mystery, but it was a dead giveaway. The mom acted as if she was just a teen herself. The running back and forth from room to room then from the outside to back inside, ridiculous! Where in the world was back up? The detective didn't have any when he went to the boat and didn't have any when he went to their home! Make it make sense. Then when the mom and mick were fighting, clearly lily had plenty of opportunity to grab the gun as soon as it fell out of his hand. But did she? No!

***1/2

[edwagreen · 9/10 · 4 February 2017]

This very good movie has tension throughout the air and that tension continues, especially when the bodies begin to pile up.

All these type of pictures usually have the very good, but nosy friend who try to comfort, do detective work and ultimately wind up deceased. This film is no exception.

The ex-boyfriend, Harvard bound, and cocky just will not take no when he wants a reconciliation. He becomes the perfect prey by being framed for the murders that ensue.

A girl jogging in the park is attacked only to be rescued by a stranger. She falls for Mitch and even her mother is taken in by his plain, polite ways at the beginning.

The mother, a crime writer, helped police uncover the murderer of several people years before. The culprit was executed and guess who the young man really is?

Was it meant to be so obvious?

[CranberriAppl · 21 November 2021]

Maybe so, but then the fact that they insult our intelligence by making the villain all-seeing, all-knowing, and all-powerful makes this hard to watch. It turned into background noise for me as I got tired of it within an hour. But by that point, I figured I should finish it.

This guy killed like four people in a day in different locations. It's so absurd and took me out of the movie. Then one of his victims is just as strong as him earlier in teh movie, but somehow can't put up a fight later.

Terrible movie. There's another movie with Brigid Brannagh that is much better than this. The plot isn't the same, but in the movie her daughter is with a guy who is not who he says. It's much better. It's called The Twin and I see on imdb it came out after this one. Additionally, there's a movie with Lindsay Hartley called Sex, Lies, and Murder (or something) that has the same plot elements but is definitely much better. ((I can't believe I am recommending better Lifetime movies lol))