Movie Review: Sister Wife Murder is Your Next True-Crime Fix with Fresh Talent
In a way that only Lifetime can, their latest love triangle drama ‘Sister Wife Murder’ is an adaptation of a real-life story about young love that transforms into manipulation.
Admittedly, this is a strategic move for the network to lean into the true-crime fandom that’s taken hold of so many channels. This film is a part of their “Ripped From the Headlines” summer lineup. We’ll comment on the story, performances, plus production highs and lows. Spoilers ahead.
Sister Wife Murder follows Chloe (Dia Nash), who, after attending church for the first time one Sunday, becomes enamored with her pastor, Caleb (Matthew Daddario). He welcomes her to the community during her time of need after her father recently passed, and she's been experimenting with drugs to cope. Their lovemgrows as he gently grooms her to be ushered into his secret polygamous life.
Naivete gets the best of Chloe as she experiences independence for the first time in her young life. She is excited to be a part of a family with structure and what she deems as real love without judgment. The facade is quickly unmasked when she moves into a cozy house with two other women but is instructed to slowly lose pieces of her identity -- from her clothes to her freedom to access with her family. Once Caleb is exposed to the church community during the climax, he disappears from one of the sister wives for trying to run away. It's up to Chloe to uncover the truth, defend herself, and finally end the abusive cycle.
As gardens tend to bloom with symmetry when given the same treatment, Nash is clearly a product of the same soil, the same water, and the same magnificent sunlight as her mother, Niecy Nash. With strong and natural dramatic inclinations, Nash shines in this thriller, portraying grief as a seasoned actor might know how. The lowest sore spots of Chloe are bright spots for Nash’s skill to resonate even with this being her first starring feature role. From the cheers in the theater, you can tell they are rooting for her to escape and conquer this unsuspecting villain.
Speaking of villains, I almost don’t blame her for falling in the first place. A lusty Daddario is a nice
motivation to get up early on Sunday and worship. His natural on-screen charm brought just the right
amount of chemistry to create audience buy-in, although the casting made their age gap apparent and
could be seen as unsettling. When introduced to his wives, H.B.I.C.. Ashley Williams (if you know, you know) and innocent surrogate Ashley Dulaney, the casting really makes sense. Williams and Dulaney are the contrast we need to make the story more fully complex. I certainly found an appreciation for their opposite
approaches.
The cast is rounded out with passionate moments from Kimberly Brooks as Chloe’s mother and quick
but punchy performances from the bestie trio group completed by Nandi Nfr Ka and Sean Michael
Conway.
Dia Nash as Chloe in ‘Sister Wife Murder’ Cinematographer, Eitan Almagor, used unsuspecting angles and framing to enhance the storytelling. One of the most intimate scenes was through the perspective of a literal hole-in-the-wall. Now, there can be several layers of nuance and allegory taken from this approach. What I feel it did was add texture where tenderness was needed. There were also some clever shots done using a frame within a frame during several church scenes. One stand-out shot used the motif of a cross to foreshadow trouble within the main character’s most important relationship –her mother.
Some editing aspects that worked well included the score and the coloring, which, when in tandem,
subconsciously guided the audiences’ emotions to indicate trouble, relax the story, and then put us
right back on the edge.
If one had to determine weak spots, it would be the formulaic predictability of a Lifetime made-for--
TV film, including symbolism through jewelry, the big bad coming from a problematic white male,
and unfortunately, a heroine white savior trope. I so badly wanted Nash to be her own hero, and I
wonder if audiences will be inclined to look over this qualm because she saves the abandoned child
in the end.
“Sister Wife Murder″ premieres tonight, Saturday, July 13, at 8/7c on Lifetime. To watch it live, tune in for free with Philo (free trial) or DirecTV Stream (free trial).
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