Time Served (1999)

Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Undescribable Perfection

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

This t.v. movie comes of better than was intended I feel, and I'm talking the quality of the film. Like Chained Heat, if done unintentionally with style and finesse. What we have here quite a good solid drama, about an abused woman (hot Oxenberg) an actress who's name almost slips under the radar, if not for existing much more in the 80's. Batting for her little boy who shot the arsehole of a hubby, she takes the rap, and with a failed hearing, due to corrupt parties, ends up serving her time, which is no picnic, thanks to some of the sick and bent guard folk, and others, in cahoots with that bent judge, who run an operation, involving strip dancing at a club called Mr D'S, owned by and aged and hobbling Bo Hopkins, who's never been funnier. Appointed to Oxenberg's case, is not the brightest of lawyers (Jeff Fahey) an underrated actor, and he does us solid here, where he befriends the son, and starts to investigate the stink. One unintentionally funny scene has him in stupefaction, gawping at Oxenberg, getting her gear off at Mr D's. On the inside though, we're not forgotten about the brutality at the hands of one corrupt, sick, and repugnant, warden who beats the girls if not abiding by his sexual favors, and he plays violent. All in all, Time Served, rises about the average mire of these sorts of prison type films, with a fresh spin off, angle of story, that manages to be bloody entertaining. Solid t.v. movie drama with some hot bods to boot. You might just enjoy this one, and again, Mr 'Dynasty' Hopkins is hilarious, of course not the only star here, who was in that famous 80's soap.

I liked the movie for light watching. Although I thought C. Oxenberg was very stiff and not very believable. I thought the other stars did a good job. I especially like Lourdes Colon who I believe is doing her first film. She seemed to me to be playing herself in this movie, and her acting seemed very natural. I found I watched her when she was on screen mor than the other actors/actresses. I wonder how the movie would have looked if Lourdes Colon and C. Oxenberg switched roles.... I will watch for other movies she appears in and will rent or purchase them.

Admittedly, my boyfriend and I did not rent this movie because we thought it would be oscar material. However, this movie is flawed because the director or screenwriter tried to combine a legitimate drama (inspired by a true story) with a T&A movie. This formula does not work because there is too much nudity for it to be taken seriously, but too many disturbing events (Like Sarah's rape, and her crying while dancing on the pole) for it to be an enjoyable T&A film. I would consider this movie a "Showgirls- Lite" --and that's not a good thing.

The best thing I can say about this film is that the production values (cinematography, lighting, and sound) are respectable. A not too original variation on the old women-in-prison formula: Woman shoots man, goes to jail, forced to strip, is freed by forgettable hero; this film manages to fail as either sleazy exploitation or tolerable story. The acting is flat, Catherine Oxenburg (the heroine) never really believable in her reluctance, humiliation, or any other emotion for that fact. It's hard to blame her, though, as this movie is clearly nothing more then window dressing for the extended strip preformances by the several dancers, only one of whom is memorable. In fact, this feels more like an audition tape for these dancers, with a plot slapped on at the last minute. All in all, if you're looking for a story or a guilty pleasure, this film is neither.