Une mère manipulatrice

A jealous mom with issues mixed with Chardonnay is never a happy ending! DDM characters were well written with some quality lines. I loved the Midwest setting and the cautionary tale of getting too involved in your children's lives to fulfill oneself. Taken Too Far is also a good title but Deadly Dance Mom reminds me that sadly, this isn't too far from a real news story. I'd recommend this as a movie to watch with your kids.

source: Deadly Dance Mom

Some other reviewer said: "I was glad to see a movie finally addressing the 'dance mom' crazed mothers" .Not sure this subject matter ( handled in this rather cheap way) was some sort of artistic present from Movie heaven. This film is a competent piece of B movie built around a 19th century ballet dancer who poisons the Court of Pope Pius the 8th in a plot to deliver a Protestaent coup. Actually I lied - the plot is in the title. What is true is that this mindless daytime soap turned-into-film could have done so much more about nutcase Soccer-Dance Moms, but instead it was just a rather sad shoot set up somewhere in no-hope USA. What was noticeable was that servants and bribe-able/duped persons were all Mexican.

Let me start off by saying that I think this movie is seriously underrated, for a number of reasons, especially for a TV movie. My favorite thing about it is probably what so many people find difficult to invest in, the fact that in the end, it's such an overblown mess over something almost ridiculously trivial. The plot is pretty basic, almost threadbare even: obsessive control-freak mom wants her daughter to win a dance competition to gain an opportunity, so she has the main competition kidnapped. Sound stupid? it is, kind of. What's ridiculously trivial to you, could mean the entire world to someone with a very misplaced obsessive personality trait that borders on psychosis, and that's exactly the point! In the end you have such a maelstrom created over one woman's obsession that really amounts to nothing valid, where the ends in no way justify the means. The Tonya Harding incident comes to mind, as the closest real life comparison I can think of, and this is a low stakes version of that. It's petty ridiculous stuff like this that pits neighbor against neighbor in the real world, and I see it all the time. Who needs a high stakes ransom movie over millions of dollars, when you have catty females risking everything so their daughters can win some stupid dance competition that may or may not result in anything remotely resembling a life changing opportunity? I like the nitty gritty. I like human frailty. I like human folly. This film is that, and the main protagonist Christina Cox captures all of that in an extremely impressive tour de force. "Are you off your freaking meds?!" ... "Yes I am, but that's not what this is about." Sums the film up perfectly. She is absolutely HATEABLE, and that's exactly what she's supposed to be: hardly a reason to slam the film itself. The best feature of this film from a thematic point of view is its pacing combined with the subject matter. This is very much an action movie. Virtually all the dialogue is very tight, static, and plot driven. The screenplay is well-honed, and not bogged down with various plot holes, inconsistencies, or forced development. The whole kidnapping plot comes across as fairly plausible and realistic. All you're really asked to accept is an acting accomplice who's a dumb servile terrified groundskeeper, and willing to do anything he's told. Again, not that hard for me to accept, because I see those people everywhere. As it so happens, this film comes from the hand of a surprisingly seasoned director, and it shows, having taken part in the Robocop franchise, and various thrillers in his almost 50 year old resume. It turns out I've actually seen a couple of his really obscure Canadian films over the years. The guy simply understands pacing, and he has the technical skill to back it up. This film might even be the director's swansong if not close to it. That's how much his output has slowed down over the years, but you know what? If that's the case, this isn't a bad one to go out on. You may not have deep character development, other than the main antagonist perhaps, but again, it was all for the sake of pacing, and it was the right choice, in my opinion. If they turned this subject into an overly drawn out courtroom drama, or an overwrought emotional character study about a young girl's dream to excel at dancing (eugh), then it would REALLY come across as a tawdry subject with misplaced emphasis, and completely miss the mark in capturing mundane folly driven to extremes. Again, some people may disagree, but that's what I loved about the film, which is not really something you see a lot of in movies, particularly movies with hostage taking, or home invasion themes.

Well written and screened. Would a mom go this far, you might ask. Well, what about those parents that start non-profits in the name of their teen to help them get into the Ivy Leagues? Or those who use money to buy power. Given that, the plot was realistic and at times kept you on the edge of your seat. I especially liked the background music and the filming was good. I hope we will see more by this screenwriter.

Taken Too Far was a compelling psychological thriller that while very entertaining, also has a great message about obsessive parents and the lengths they will go to in an attempt to fulfill their lost dreams through their children. Good performances, especially from Beverly Mitchell, and a well-written story with poignant social commentary, made this a movie I would recommend to any parent with children involved in any type of competitive activity as a cautionary tale about when support for one's child goes too far.

A jealous mom with issues mixed with Chardonnay is never a happy ending! DDM characters were well written with some quality lines. I loved the Midwest setting and the cautionary tale of getting too involved in your children's lives to fulfill oneself. Taken Too Far is also a good title but Deadly Dance Mom reminds me that sadly, this isn't too far from a real news story. I'd recommend this as a movie to watch with your kids.

Good psychological thriller that is a cautionary tale for parents who live their lives vicariously thru their kids. Obsessive love breeds some crazy kill desires to eliminate rivals. Unbelievable? Just look around at screaming fighting parents at some of these events. This story takes reality to a step just a step beyond but totally viscerally correct. This is a good ride with a strong message. Enjoy!

Deadly Dance Mom is one of those movies you have to be in the mood for. If you want women-in-jeopardy, Lifetime Channel-type fare, it might be just the ticket. Acting is adequately over the top when it needs to be, the production values are surprisingly good for a low budget TVM, and the story moves along at a healthy clip. Beverley Mitchell is sweet but not saccharine as the mother of the more talented dance girl, and Christina Cox as the malicious titular dance mom is so out of control she almost elicits sympathy. As she weaves her tangled web of malice and deceit, we are swept along for the ride, wondering what evil deed she has next up her sleeve. When she receives her comeuppance (and a probable prison term) at the end, the ultimate family tragedy of a broken home is made good by the dad's renewed commitment to her daughter, and the bond of friendship now reaffirmed between the two girls. Perfectly suited to a "personal day" at home with a hot tea or glass of chardonnay, some fluffy pillows, and a turned-off cell phone.

Love this film... We've all seen the some crazy adults do stupid things when it comes to their kids performing and competing. DEADLY DANCE MOM is a fun and nicely done TV movie that looks one Dance Mom that will go to extraordinary lengths to ensure her daughter success. The story and acting are well done. If you like the TV Dance Mom series, you'll love this.