The Stranger Game (2006 TV Movie) User Reviews

Predictable Collection of Clichés

[claudio_carvalho · 4/10 · 19 July 2009]

Joanna Otis (Mimi Rogers) reconciles with her husband Paul (Barclay Hope), who had a love affair, and moves with her nine year-old son Sam (Casey Dubois) and their dog Louis from New York to a beautiful house in the countryside. They hire the male nanny Charlie King (David Orth) to stay with Sam while they work, and the guy seems to be a perfect housekeeper. After a period, Joanna finally discovers that Charlie is a sociopath that has planted evidences to convince that Paul is unfaithful to her and Sam is jeopardized by the deranged man.

"The Stranger Game" is one of those unoriginal movies that give the sensation of déjà-vu to the viewer since it is nothing but a predictable collection of clichés. The story has a poor initial development of characters and only later the viewer understands the problem in the relationship of Joanna and Paul. It is ridiculous to see the thirteen years old boy Casey Dubois performing the role of a nine year-old boy. And Joanna is too naive to believe on a stranger despite her problems in the past with Paul. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "Maldade" ("Wickedness")

Please watch "Manny Dearest" instead...

[vnssyndrome89 · 3/10 · 19 July 2023]

THE STRANGER GAME (TV Movie 2006)

BASIC PLOT: Paul Otis (Barclay Hope) is a jealous, cheating tool. Full stop. That's basically the whole movie. He thinks it's ok to work for a super model (Sonya Salomaa), think about having affair with her, but it's not ok to have a super hot guy as a manny. Meanwhile, Joanna Otis (Mimi Rogers), wife and mother, is a door mat, who accepts her husband's tantrums, his cheating, his indifference to their son, Sam (Casey Dubois), his inability to grow up and take responsibility in his life.

Charlie King (David Orth) comes along as manny, makes their life perfect, eases Joanna's burdens, but Paul stomps his feet, rails at Charlie, and finally, Charlie retaliates.

WHAT WORKS: *NOTHING!

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *Why does the father, Paul Otis (Barclay Hope), hate Charlie King (David Orth) the Manny? This movie never gives a reason for his hatred. The manny is perfect! He makes their lives easier, so why does he hates him? This lack of explanation is why the movie is so low rated. It's not for the acting, this movie has quality actors, it's the script. I've said it once, and I'll say it again, CHARACTERS NEED MOTIVATIONS! Without them, the viewer's suspension of disbelief is interrupted, and they get bored, even in melodramas.

*Mimi Rogers is miscast in this role. She's doesn't play door mat well, just about anybody else would have been better.

*Joanna Otis (Mimi Rogers) might put up with one infidelity, she might put up with her husband working for a super model he's enamored with, but she would demand some reciprocation. She's a business woman, and needs someone competent to help with the family chores. I doubt she'd put up with her husband's petty jealousies, certainly not after his past behavior. Women expect men to act like spoiled boys, but because we put up with it, we expect some consideration. This is a disappointing outing from Cynthia Weil and Judy Skelton. Women usually write women characters better than this.

*"He's not who I thought he was, "says Joanna to Barbara Leaf, her co-worker (Catherine Lough Haggquist). WHY?! Because a twelve year old misinterpreted a story? Because you saw him smoking?! OMFG! SMOKING=EVIL?! REALLY?! WHERE ARE THESE CHARACTERS MOTIVATIONS?! You can't have characters change mid movie FOR NO REASON!

*"The Stranger Game," really? That's the name of this movie?

*Paul Otis (Barclay Hope) is such an unlikable character, you can't root for him. On the other hand, Charlie King (David Orth), the manny, is very sympathetic. We, as viewer's, are supposed to be pulling for the family, but the only likable characters are Sam (Casey Dubois), the son, and Louis, the dog (Doolittle).

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *Please DON'T watch this movie! If you're looking for a fun melodrama about Mannies, try "A Stranger with My Kids (2017)". It's great fun, and succeeds where this fails.

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.

good film

[mbiat-91418 · 9/10 · 9 July 2022]

Im currently watching this at the moment, came across the film by chance,, amongst a horrid comment regarding her mouth

sic found her mouth disgusting, how can a beautiful woman have a disgusting mouth. The male nanny left a bitter taste. Mind tingling film, the film with a perfect actress shame the scary nanny and horrid comment.

Mimi

[donamedina · 7/10 · 2 November 2021]

I like Mimi in anything so I like this movie. Unlike the other reviewer of this movie who said she was grotesque I think she is beautiful. Tom Cruise must have found her so, too. And I LOVE her voice!!

I guess someone is a big on David Orth!

[haroot_azarian · 12 August 2023]

OK so this is an old tv thriller, and I saw this a few years ago, and I am only now posting my view. The reason for this is pretty much simple. One viewer's take on the film was so jaw-dropping that I felt I had to contribute.

Yes I agree Mimi Rogers is gorgeous and has aged elegantly. Now one particular reviewer did not like the.dad/husband Paul played by Barclay Hope for one of the silliest reasons. Apparently they did not like him because right from the beginning he was rude to psycho manny Charlie played by David Orth.

The viewer claimed Charlie was nothing but kind and attentive right from the beginning, but they failed to say anything about how sick and twisted he was, trying to put a wedge between Joanna (Mimi Rogers) and Paul, through setting Paul up to look like he was being unfaithful again, and Joanna totally falling for it to the point of kicking Paul out.

Now as for Paul not liking psycho Charlie, one cannot blame him. He watched helplessly as psycho draw his wife and son away from him almost like replacing him as the head of the family. Granted Paul was not around much to be more involved with his family and keep the promises he made to his son. But the fact is he was inundated with his work and his demanding boss, who eventually made a pass at him which he rejected.

One of the stupidest scenes was at the reception when creepo put his hand on Joanna's shoulder clearly intimately and instead of immediately shrugging off the hand like any decent woman would do, Joanna puts her own hand on his, and only takes it off when one of the guests walks past them!

Her mistrusting Paul was also pathetic. And what was with creepo psycho sitting next to Joanna on the couch (practically in a glued together position) during family time all cozy watching TV, while Paul just looked on with resent but did not utter a single word. For these few stupid scenes I decided not to award any points for this movie.

SPOILERS: the ending was a typical tv thriller ending where the protagonist/psycho turns out to be invincible like Jason (Friday the 13th franchise) or Michael (Halloween franchise). The guy falls God knows how many feet at the bottom of a ferocious waterfall, and at the end Mimi says to her friend they never found Charlie apparently the current is too strong. But lo and behold at the end of the movie when the phone rings and goes on the answering machine, the song that their kid made with psycho is played over the phone, which only means that psycho survived the fall.

Ugly is as ugly does......

[elizabethfrix · 7 December 2021]

The reviewer who calls Mimi out as ugly and found her mouth disgusting must be themselves a shallow and very unattractive human! A fine example of the dumbed down hollow version of humanity in the 21st century. Sincerity kindness respect and intelligent discourse is so last century.