Lifetime
Lifetime’s newest ‘Ripped from the Headlines’ story is a harrowing, gripping tale of kidnapping, murder and more (and that more part was apparently left out of the story because it’s too seedy even for Lifetime) that brings Steve Guttenberg to the network in his debut performance, one that is nothing like you’ve ever seen from him before.
Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story stars Guttenberg as John Robinson, a seemingly kind, middle-aged man who has helped his brother and sister-in-law adopt a baby after, according to his story, committed suicide. The baby’s mother had called her own mother and accused her of trying to steal the baby, but her mother had no idea what she was talking about and told her daughter to not sign any papers giving up her baby. That was the last she heard from her until a strange letter arrived, typed out with a hand-written signature, but the words in the letter were obviously not written by the young mother. This wasn’t this first letter of this type to be received by a parent whose daughter had disappeared, but fifteen years later it began to become clear that Robinson, who also used the name Osbourne, was up to no good with the FBI finally gathering enough evidence to obtain search warrants for his two properties, where they found bodies of young women stuffed into industrial barrels. Upon Robinson’s arrest, it became clear to his brother that their daughter Heather was the baby of one of the women he had murdered, but they had no idea about the truth surrounding their adoption. The revelation put new pressures on Heather, who suddenly found her life in a state of limbo as her biological father now had parental rights, which he refused to sign over but he also did not want to tear her away from the only family she’d ever known. This made her unable to attend school, get a driver’s license or passport, and she could not even open a bank account as she was still a minor. On her 18th birthday, Heather became an adult and was finally able to determine who her family was, even after Robinson sent her a letter from prison trying to convince her that her birth mother didn’t want her. But he was on death row, so he didn’t have anything to lose at that point. While Heather did meet her grandmother, it’s unclear if she met her father, and her mother’s body has never been found but she has devoted her life to making sure she gets justice.
Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story is a tragic story with a script by Pamela Gray and Shawn Linden that seems to stick pretty closely to the facts of the case (even though the film does contain the usual disclaimer of the piece being a dramatization with some fictionalized incidents and characters, but the principles of it seem to be factual). Directed by Lee Gabiana, the film chronicles a 20-something years period with very helpful on-screen graphics telling us what year it is. Thank you! This does not often happen and the viewers are left to figure out when certain events are taking place. Also helping determine the era are the pretty spot-on hairstyles, clothes and even home decor and types of telephones used. A tip of the hat to the crew who made everything feel so period specific. (Jana Kramer’s hairstyles in particular clearly show us what decade we’re witnessing.) This movie should really get some Creative Arts Emmys consideration for the costumes, hair and makeup, and production design. Aside from the period pieces, everything also feels very lived in making it feel all the more authentic and almost documentary-like rather than a dramatization. Really, really good work by all the craftspeople involved in this production.
Lifetime
Also making this story so gripping are the performances. Steve Guttenberg is best known for his more light-hearted roles in films like Police Academy, Cocoon, Can’t Stop the Music, Short Circuit and Three Men and a Baby. He has tackled some dramatic roles, but nothing on the magnitude of the John Robinson character. Guttenberg is excellent showing the two sides of Robinson, the man who cares for his family and dotes on the girl he helped his brother adopt. But at the same time, he still allows some of Robinson’s creepiness and danger just bubble under the surface, particularly in one scene where he’s dancing with Heather at a wedding. It almost seems like he is setting her up in his mind to be his next victim, especially when he invites her to spend some time with him at his home (the real Heather has stated that she believes she would also have been stuffed in a barrel if she had accepted the invite). Guttenberg transforms himself over the course of the movie, becoming more hunched over and in need of a cane to walk as he grows older (and while the hair and make-up team did a good job with the different hairstyles, it seems the only attempt at making Guttenberg look older was by swapping out his dark moustache — which looks real when he’s the younger John — with a salt-and-pepper version that looks more glued on because of the straight line on the upper part that makes it look not organic). It is a masterful and disturbing performance full of nuance as he balances the image he wants to project and the reality of who he is and what he’s done. As with D.B. Woodside in Taken at a Basketball Game, the Emmys really should look at these Lifetime movies and also consider other actors including Guttenberg for awards consideration. This is such a departure for him, and he does a great job.
Also doing some stand-out work are Jana Kramer as the agent who got the ball rolling on the Robinson case, doing all she can to assist the FBI and assure, and console, the families of the missing women. She also gets a nice moment when she finally gets to meet Heather and when the FBI agents come to thank her for all she did. Kramer actually never leaves her character’s office, most of her performance either on the phone or with the FBI agents but she makes an impression nonetheless. Ross Crain and Sarah Hudson are also very good as Mike and Jill Robinson. Crain’s Mike has to play the peacemaker between Jill and Heather as Heather goes through her rebellious teen phase, and then his personality goes through a 180 degree change when it becomes clear what his brother has done. It’s a subtle shift in the performance, but it’s effective. Hudson’s Jill is the more harried parent, on the receiving end of Heather’s attitude because she’s the one tasked with most of the parental duties as Mike is at work all day. And she has to deal with Mike siding with Heather, making her feel like the bad guy. But her performance also turns to distress and concern and fear that she’ll lose Heather with the revelation about the invalid adoption and the possibility that her real father will take her away from them. She really makes you feel Jill’s fear and despair, but also her determination to hold on to Heather as their relationship improves drastically. Rachel Stubington is also excellent as Heather, really portraying a typical 15-year-old who has to grow up real fast. She actually is unlikeable at the beginning in how she treats her mother, but she allows the viewer to become more sympathetic as their relationship changes and empathetic to her as the world she’s known begins to crumble and the truth of her life become exposed. The only problem is that despite her terrific performance as a teenager, I never once bought that she was fifteen (or eighteen by the end). Stubington just has the natural maturity of a 24-year-old that is hard to disguise. No matter, she still gives a really wonderful performance.
Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story is a tragic story with a somewhat uplifitng, though still bittersweet, ending with a gripping script, skillful direction, and a cast of excellent actor headed by Guttenberg in an unforgettable performance. This is definitely one of the better ‘Ripped from the Headlines’ movies from Lifetime.
Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story has a run time of 1 hour 28 minutes, and is rated TV-14.
Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story | Official Trailer
Lifetime