The Perfect Student (2011)

Excellent adaptation.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

This is a typical Lifetime TV movie. Meaning, plot holes galore, mediocre acting, bad writing. If you like these kinds of movies, it is no better or worse than any other. Just know what to expect.There is an "R" rated DVD of the movie available, though. If you must see this movie, try to find that version. At least there is a scene in it that won't be shown on TV, one that earns the "R" rating. I suspect a body double is used in that scene. There is a body double listed in the credits at the end of the movie on the DVD, but not on IMDB. I would guess that is because the TV version doesn't include the scene where the body double is most likely used.

I groaned as the film opened with "Inspired by True Events." Too late. I had already paid for it. Natasha Henstridge sadly plays a college law professor who can't spring her innocent brother from jail. In the opening scene, a college girl gets killed. Her nerdy roommate, Brea Gant with some facial zits, whose only alibi was an empty library, gets blamed.The story had many plot holes. I had to laugh at the bad writing. The victim was last seen with a boy, no DNA rape test. The boy is never questioned. The roommate is charged with circumstantial evidence. Her attorney was idiotic. The police action was bad, especially for LA that has the resources. Henstridge dons her CSI gear to solve the crime...she looks at Facebook profiles and uses her cell phone camera. At one point she gets a message "Leave it Alone." Oh the tension just builds and oozes...NOT!And you don't want to break into a California TV home because they keep a golf club by the bedroom door for protection!There are no girls in plaid skirts as seen on the cover (I could have added a star for that). This was made for TV quality...about 1970.No f-bombs. There is an opening, dimly lit sex scene (brief nudity?).

LMN has made a great mystery movie again. If you like mysteries, you will love this exciting movie.Nicole Johnson is a criminology professor who believes one of her students is innocent of committing murder and there starts her journey to find out who the real killer is.There are many twists and turns in this movie that you keep your attention the entire time. It is suspenseful and entertaining. The acting of all the actors is excellent. Natasha Henstridge is always a skilled actress. The sound was clear and the script was well written.I would definitely recommend this mystery thriller to everyone to watch and I am going to watch it again on LMN when it comes on. Keep doing a good job, LMN. I gave this movie a 10 because it was excellent. I would have liked a longer ending with more detail and explanation, but maybe LMN can work on that for their next mystery movie.

The writing is OK, the acting is below sub-par, but the sound editing is horrific. There is a scene on a beach and the lines are edited together so poorly you can hear waves crashing in the back ground then total silence then waves in mid-crash again, then silence. It is as if they made no effort to go into a sound studio and re-record the dialogue with pre-recorded beach sounds in the back ground. They just used what they got from the actual scene filmed on the beach.Whomever edited the sound on this one was promoted far beyond their abilities.If you want a good laugh just fast forward to the beach scene, about minute 24 or so.