She Cried No (1996 TV Movie) User Reviews

Quite powerful for a MFTV movie

[callanvass · 7/10 · 25 April 2014]

Melissa, A freshman (Cameron Bure) befriends a very popular fraternity member, Scott (Paul Gosselaar) . Pretty soon after, she is peer pressured into fitting in and goes to a fraternity party with him. She has too much to drink and goes upstairs. She is raped against her will, but nobody believes Melissa. Unwilling to put it behind her, she fights to make sure people are aware of what kind of guy Scott is. You never know what you're getting with MFTV movies. Sometimes you get mediocre movies, other times you get some gems. This one easily falls into the gem category. Like most of the people in this world, I was interested in this movie because I was a huge Saved by The Bell & Full House fan. I expected a decent movie at best and what I got was more than that. This is a genuinely solid movie that is very well made for a television movie. It is far from original, but it's done very effectively. It gets the message across loud and clear and that is the most vital thing of all. Rape is an awful thing that still happens to this day. It is very realistic look at how rape can destroy someone mentally. My only carp with this movie is that I didn't think they went as far as they could with it. The acting is very good. This was a bit of a crucial time for both of the teen idols at this juncture. Both were only a year or two removed from their respective TV shows and I thought Paul Gosselaar & Cameron Bure were superb. Zack Morris was one of my childhood heroes, so Paul Gosselaar is special to me. He is able to shed his "Zack Morris" image very efficiently here. Think of Zack, only without Zack's decency and heart. He still has that charismatic swagger, but in a very negative way. He plays a thoroughly repugnant character that I detested. I thought he nailed the part, you'll hate him. Cameron Bure plays our vulnerable heroine. She is extremely sympathetic and had me on her side the entire way. It was a heavy part for her and she did wonderful. You won't be thinking DJ at all in this one. The ending knocks you on your ass with how potent it is. Scott's punishment is just as bad as prison itself. In a way, Scott is imprisoned for the rest of his life and you don't need to be behind bars to be imprisoned. His prison is the shame he will feel until the day he dies. He'll never be looked at the same and will be shunned by society. I don't wanna spoil any more, as I've said enough already.

As long as you remember that this was made for television, I can't see how you won't be impressed by this movie. It's flawed, but the pros far outweigh the cons. It's a thought-provoking film that elicits many emotions. Every once in a while I need a movie to make me think after it's over. This movie did just that. It's on You Tube. I highly recommend you put aside an hour-half to watch it.

7.5/10

pretty decent made for TV movie

[disdressed12 · 7/10 · 13 July 2007]

"She Cried No" AKA "Freshman Fall,is a pretty good TV movie,but it is pretty generic for the genre.it doesn't stand out or anything,but it is well made.the acting performances are pretty good and the characters are pretty believable.the one thing that does set this movie apart would be the ending,which is unexpected and unconventional for this type of movie,at least in my experience.it's nice to see a movie that doesn't cop out in the end.it's also nice to see a strong female character.the movie is certainly watchable and well paced,though there isn't really a lot of tension.still,it's a decent way to spend 90 minutes.i give "She Cried No"a 7/10

Worth A Watch

[JoelChamp85 · 6/10 · 4 April 2021]

Pretty good TV movie about college kids partying hard and taking things a little too far. The performances are good and the film holds up still with it's timeless relevance of taking advantage of someone, drunk or not.

Liked It

[turtlewax182 · 23 April 2001]

I liked this movie for two main reasons: I like both Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Candace Cameron. Not that this script or plot is original, but I still enjoyed it. What can I say? TV movies are my guilty pleasure. I think although these two stars may have reasonably "fizzled out" and you never hear from them anymore, they're still young and talented regardless of what anyone says. I think they both display wonderful acting in this flick. Candace as a rape victim and Mark as an unbelievably great bad guy. Somehow I never expected "Preppie" to take on this role lol. Never the less, if it's on one night and you're in the mood for a something dealing with this subject, definitely check it out. It won't be the most impressive film you've ever seen (but are any TV movies anyways) but it'll help pass the time and more than likely keep you entertained.

Great movie

[danish_eyes · 7/10 · 21 June 2000]

This movie is great. Although I wouldn't call it original. Movies like this have been made for years. But this is still different. I can't exactly put my finger on what it is that makes it so different. It could be the amazingly talented cast members. I can't say. Candace Cameron Bure plays the part as the young student Melissa perfect. Mark-Paul Gosselaar plays his part as Scott Baker so good that you actually hate him. I hope that the guys who sees this movie will understand what rape can do to a girl and that if she says no she means it. And I hope that the girls will take better care of them self after watching this movie.

Still talking about consent thirty years later

[superfox_888 · 6/10 · 24 October 2023]

Recently discovered a ton of trashy made-for-TV movies on Prime, and I am in Heaven. This film stars a lot of "it" people from the 90s, which is a definite win.

It's completely unoriginal but you know what? We're still having conversations about consent today. We are still living a trope where no one believes the victim, where she (because the victim is usually a woman) is afraid to speak, and everyone sides with the perpetrator while the victim is the one on trial.

Still.

With regards to the film, the leads play their parts well, showing their acting range. Although we remember Candace Cameron Bure and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as fun, cute, sweet characters, they both come out of these roles to portray real people with very real issues which cannot be resolved neatly within half an hour. Credit where credit's due, they do an amazing job.

Too Graphic

[black1724 · 1/10 · 22 April 2006]

I couldn't stand watching the rape scene in this movie. After watching EVERY episode of Saved By The Bell, this movie left a bad after-taste of Marl-Paul Gosselaar! It took me a long time to support anything else he played in. However, "Scott" is like "Zack Morris" as he'd rather lie when the truth would do better, and almost gets away with the rape by doing so! (Apparently, Lifetime TV bought the rights to this movie. I've seen bits and pieces of this movie many times on Lifetime, and have to change the channel when I know that scene is coming up.) Candice Cameron was excellent in changing from her "D.J. Tanner" image. Through the whole movie, I knew that I had seen her in something before, but couldn't name her.

From Victim to Activist: The Story of Melissa Connell

[lavatch · 8/10 · 8 June 2020]

There is a critical moment in "Freshman Fall" (a.k.a., "She Cried No") when freshman Melissa Connell firmly declares, "I'm through running." It is in that scene that she assumes agency in her life after becoming a victim.

When Melissa first arrives at college, she is greeted by a group of frats from the Kappi Pi house. Melissa's dad is a proud member of that time-honored fraternity. But, as depicted in the film, the house is a disgrace, enabling the rapes of multiple women.

As a freshman, Melissa fatefully met Scott, the most voluble of the fraternity brothers and a serial rapist. At the fall kick-off party, Melissa is sexually assaulted by Scott. She then falls into a deep depression until finally she decides to take action.

Supported by her caring mother, Melissa pursues a court case against Scott, and the charges against him are dismissed. But evidence keeps piling up against Scott from Melissa's roommate Jordan, as well as from Courtney. Even members of Kappi Pi are won over to Courtney's side, due to her courageous actions.

The performances were uniformly outstanding, especially the actress playing Melissa. She conveyed her character's transformation and the importance of taking a stand against a criminal. It was a brave character and a brave performance. The film was also thoughtfully directed by a woman director, who made especially effective use of close-ups in the film to capture the emotional roller-coaster ride of Melissa Connell as she progressed from victim to activist.

A sensitive look

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 8 January 2021]

FRESHMAN FALL is a TV movie handling the sensitive topic of date rape, with a young woman undergoing a terrifying ordeal at the hands of her attacker and then finding that the path to justice is very much a difficult one. It's a dark little movie that handles the material relatively well given its TV budget, and the college setting is a well-realised one, although the performances from the unknown cast members are merely adequate. It's not going to set the world on fire, but it does its job.

Good treatment of college rape

[phd_travel · 8/10 · 6 November 2019]

An oldie but a good movie. Quite brave putting 2 major likeable TV stars in the roles. Mark Paul Gosselaar and Candace Cameron Bure a time well. Very well. The reactions are realistic and clearly portrayed. Some good points are the rapist not even thinking he did anything wrong, the brother not siding her initially, the self blame and doubt of the victim because she was drunk and going willingly to his roommate . All the obstacles about going after the perp and different perceptions of the parties are so real.

Quite meaningful considering what happened in Stanford recently.

all your favorite early 90s saturday morning television stars

[athena004 · 1 May 2004]

Though the ending was a little sudden, the movie overall is very entertaining. The focus is, of course, the very serious topic of rape -- why it happens, how to recognize it, and how to deal with it. But what really makes this movie stand out from its genre is the abundance of early-90s preteen television stars. You have Candace Cameron (or DJ Tanner) from "Full House," Mark-Paul Gosselaar (or Zack Morris) from "Saved by the Bell," Jenna Von Oy (or Six LeMeure) from "Blossom," and Nikki Cox (or Tiffany) from "Unhappily Ever After." The reunion of the now-grown-up stars is a reason alone to see this movie. Plus, they pretty much all play characters that are the complete opposite of the roles they're famous for -- which has to make any nostalgic 90s tv fan smile!

Fending off a date rapist

[wilsonandrewc · 10/10 · 18 February 2008]

What would you do if you were out on a date and the man you were with tried to rape you? In 2002, more than 70,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 were victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape. One in three women will be a victim of sexual assault in her lifetime. It's crucial that you know what precautions to take to prevent these kinds of assault and how to respond when a date doesn't take no for an answer. The statistics are staggering. In the United States, a woman is raped approximately every six minutes. If you're being attacked and there is any possibility of escape, go for it! Find the courage to take the risk. In this movie, She Cried No AKA Freshman Fall, D.J. Tanner-Fuller from Full House and it's spinoff, Fuller House (played by Candace Cameron Bure) headed off to college, she was thrilled to be starting out on a new adventure and when she met Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell, and it's prequel, Good Morning, Miss Bliss and it's spinoffs, Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Saved by the Bell: The New Class (played by Mark Paul Glosseaar) at the dorm, not only did they quickly become good friends. D.J. thought he might be the man of her dreams. For their first official date, Zack invited D.J. to a fraternity party. All through the party, he was a perfect gentleman. Then they started drinking beer and jello shooters. Then, Zack took D.J. upstairs to his room and played some music , but things went very differently when they started making out. The 2 started kissing, but a short time later, D.J. started to feel uncomfortable. D.J. tried to defuse the situation by treating it as a joke. But Zack wasn't joking and before D.J. could stop him, he was on top of her. D.J. was terrified but resisted. Before D.J. could react, Zack overpowered her. She tried to fight him off but failed, then he began to rape her. D.J. was in total shock. She couldn't scream. She just shut down. Zack realized D.J. was serious. There'd be no sex. He gave up trying and without a word of apology, he just stood there while she ran off. He seemed genuinely sorry. After being raped by a man she knew, D.J. was completely devasted. For hours, D.J. lay in bed, tired and confused and her mind racing. She couldn't believe what had happened and she didn't think anyone else on campus would believe it either. At first, D.J. didn't tell anyone what had happened. but after a whole month of loneliness and doubt, she told the doctor who advised her to tell her parents. Her parents said D.J. had the option of going to the police. But that was a step she couldn't take just yet. Then she ran into Zack in the hallway. D.J. went to the police who warned her that a rape case would be hard to prove. But D.J. wasn't going to give up now. She went to the dean of students and demanded an on campus trial. The trial found Zack not guilty but D.J. wasn't going to let it stop there. She made a tape of the frat party to prove that Zack. was guilty and his fraternity home was then closed. Date rape remains a wide spread problem across America especially on high school and college campuses. Most date rape victims are between 16 and 19 years old. Don't let it happen to you. There are ways to protect yourself. Remember 3 rules. 1) No means no! Only give your willing consent if you want to have sex. 2) Demand respect and follow through. 3) Be responsible with alcohol. Nothing contributes to date rape with more than drugs or alcohol. One study found alcohol involved in 55% of all sexually aggressive dates. Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell and it's prequel, Good Morning, Miss Bliss and it's spinoffs, Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Saved by the Bell: The New Class (played by Mark Paul Glosseaar) drank beer in the movie, She Cried No AKA Freshman Fall where he attacked D.J. Tanner-Fuller from Full House and it's spinoff, Fuller House (played by Candace Cameron Bure) and he tried to pressure her into drinking jello shooters. Don't go to a bar on a first date and don't go out drinking with any man you don't completely know or trust. Date rapists also use drugs. Rohypnol is the most common. Know what the pill looks like. Rohypnol tablets are white and have a single line across one side and the marking Roche one or Roche 2 on the other side. It has no taste or odor in a drink and can cause blackouts and memory loss. GHB is also used by rapists. In Silencing Mary, Clay Roberts (Josh Hopkins) poured it into Holly Sherman's (Lisa Dean Ryan) cocktail. She got drunk and was raped. She later dropped out of school but her roommate went through some stuff while cleaning their dorm and found the dress she wore that night. She found evidence of rape and brought the police enough evidence to charge Clay. GHB is also known as liquid ecstasy. It is a clear liquid and has a very salty taste. You'd never notice it in a margarita. In small doses, it heightens mood. Larger doses can cause blackouts very quickly, even death. Some bars offer women test strips to detect date rape drugs. Place a few drops of your drink on the strip and wait a minute. The strip will turn blue if it detects GHB or the sedative Ketamin. The strips are not 100% accurate and don't work on wine or fruit juice. Bottom line: Don't accept drinks from strangers and keep an eye on your drink at all times. There are warning signs that your date may become sexually aggressive. Be careful if he's a little too physical. Someone who pokes you with a finger or hugs you when you resist is not being playful. He's trying to dominate you. Aggressive words are indicators too. If he boasts of old sexual conquests or says "You're lucky to be with me.", he wants control, not love. Finally, if he demands to be alone with you too fast and pushes too hard, he could be looking for trouble. At the FBI, we put date rapists into 2 categories. power reassurance rapists are the most common of all sexual predators. We call them gentlemen rapists. During an attack, they think they're making love, pleasing a woman. They don't consider it a crime. Many women have success stopping these guys with firm clear communication, "Back off! I don't want to do this!", "Stop! This is not love, this is rape!" or "I will call the police! You will go to jail!" just like they would if they're attacked by an acquaintance, a child molestor or a spouse. If words don't work, you maybe dealing with the power assertive rapist. He wants power and control over you. He'll use threats or intimidation to get what he wants. You have to fight back much harder just like you would, if attacked by a stranger or 3 Multiples. So, when alone, women should stay away from groups of strangers, especially men that have been drinking. People in groups tend to act more violently, fight the second you sense something is wrong. Scream "get away" or "help" to draw attention to the situation, Tell the assailant you know self-defense and disable your attacker by going for his softest spot-his eyes. He instinctively will try to protect himself-enough time for you to run or drop to the ground, and start kicking using your strongest part of your body-your legs and constantly look for a chance to escape. Tell the police about a sexual assault. Approximately 30% of rapes go unreported; this encourages rapists to think they can get away with it. Report the incident. A power assertive rapist in She Said No named Martin Knapek (Judd Hirsch) tried to force himself on Elizabeth Early (Veronica Hamel). Words wouldn't stop him so after he assaulted her, she called 911 and waited in the phone booth. Police came and arrested him. Women who are date raped often say, "I couldn't believe it was happening. I was caught off guard." Don't let it happen to you. Be careful with alcohol, know the warning signs, know how to say no and don't be afraid to end the date.

Excellent drama that'll have you on the edge of your

[Catherine_Grace_Zeh · 10/10 · 8 December 2005]

SHE CRIED NO, in my opinion, is an excellent drama that'll have you on the edge of your seat. When Scott (Mark-Paul Gosselear) raped Melissa (Candace Cameron Bure), I got really scared. It's kind of hard to explain why. If you ask me, she should have been more careful about what she did with him. However, I did enjoy seeing her get help and talk to other people about the incident. Had I been the victim, I would tell my parents right away before getting examined by a doctor. After that, I'd press charges and hope that the guy who raped me got life in prison. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say, "If you ask me, SHE CRIED NO really shows you the effect date rape can have on a young woman, even when a long period of time has passed." Now, in conclusion, I recommend this movie to everyone who hasn't seen it. You're in for some thrills and a good time, so the next time it's on TV, kick back with a friend and watch it.

impressive performances

[bgdl26 · 23 September 2001]

If anyone ever doubted the acting abilities of Candace Cameron and Mark Paul Gosselear then you should see this film and watch them give intense, riveting, and honest performances about a college freshman( candace) who gets raped by the stud on campus (mark-paul) Cameron is so believable as Melissa that you feel the pain right there with her, and Gosselear is probably one of the best Jerks on screen. He is fantastic and makes you hate him. Jenna Von Oy of Blossom is also wonderful as Melissa's roommate. A seriuous tv movie about rape handled very well and tastefully that will certainly make some people think.

she cried no

[heatheroreilly · 10/10 · 29 January 2005]

I think anyone could enjoy this movie.. Whether you're a guy or a girl. This movie kind of teaches guys how to treat women in the long run.. that there bodies aren't toys. When that happened to me.. I didn't think there was a single soul like me.. but when I saw this movie, she was exactly like me.. The helpless girl that was raped because some guys are pigs.. and her brother was amazing when he found out Melissa wasn't lying, but I think you could be 10 and enjoy this movie or u can be 75 and enjoy this movie.. me and my mom loved it! even though it was a little interesting seeing Mark-Paul Gosselaar raping Candace Cameran Bure.. Zack Morris and DJ Tanner. such innocent shows.. but thats great for me because I love both of the actors!

They Got Away with it In the 1930's 40's 50's

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 9 February 2007]

This type of film is always needed to be produced because every new generation is like lambs to the slaughter. However, years ago men took advantage of women at early ages in life, grade school, high school and college and they got away with date rape and just plain man handling of woman because no one spoke about such things and the gals kept quiet. This film portrays things that happen in our colleges today and the practice will never STOP, but films like this will always help enlighten young people men and woman to treat each other with respect and attend to matters of learning than just drinking and have a party in the local campus bars. In this picture, Candance Cameron Bure (Melissa Connell), portrays a young gal starting her freshman year and meets up with Scott Baker,(Mark-Paul Gosselaar),"NYPDBLUE '05 who is an older student at the college and happens to be good friends with Candance brother who attends the same college. They are all invited to a party where all the snacks are mostly saturated with liquor of some kind and of course, the main goal of the men is to get the gals plastered to the gills. If you find yourself getting involved with such situations, GUYS OR GALS make certain you don't fall into this big trap that will destroy your life and career and maybe even MORE !

This movie is classic!

[Anasazi-3 · 8 September 1999]

Okay, so it's not exactly the greatest movie of all time, but it's definitely got a couple of good laughs. It deals with a serious subject, but it's hard to take the movie seriously... I mean, look at the cast list...Mark Paul Gosselaar, aka Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell. And Candace Cameron/DJ Tanner- throw a little Six from Blossom into the mix and you've got yourself a winner! I highly recommend this movie as a made-for-TV classic...especially pay attention to DJ's video montage at the end, it's great!

Zack Morris Bangs DJ Tanner

[mjohnson94222 · 10/10 · 15 July 2013]

So shocked that I was young enough to see these two characters in California,grow up only to find out Zack is a rapist. We saw DJ (Donna Jo Margaret)start out as the master-mind older sister, only to have her blossom into a responsible young adult, who got raped. Then consider Zack Morris of all people leaving Kelly Kapowski, only to have the thirst of his most carnal of all needs, rape, to resurface.Owner of "The Smash Club" Jesse Katsopolis (Cockrin), Uncle of Donna Jo Margaret Tanner, had this comment to say, "As a father of twin boys, I wish for a better generation of men." Fashionista Lisa Turtle was quoted as saying, "We knew it was bad when he almost didn't graduate high-school,or when Mr. Belding asked 'What is going on in here?', tough times." Overall, the movie was spot on, this is how I imagine it would occur. The only question left is,where was Danny Tanner?

regarding the movie

[PINKEY001 · 8/10 · 22 March 2006]

Hi I love Mark Paul and i didn't see this movie does anyone know if its going to be played again its just i heard about it and i heard its a its a movie the whole family can watch so if anyone knows if this movie is going to be played in California U.S and can tell me what Chanel or maybe even where to get this movie if its for sale that would be very helpful its just i hear of allot of things that happen at parties and girls that have been raped and its just good to know what around you I'm only 23 years old and go to parties clubs and i know that even people that you trust could do that to something like that its just scary so please respond thank you