Tell Me No Lies feels inspired by Denise Huskins, who was accused of faking her own kidnapping. That's the subject of American Nightmare, a Netflix series, but this is a Tubi Original.
Sofia Rose (Keturah Chambers) and her boyfriend Ben (Aaron Fontaine) are getting together for dinner. He tries to make it seem like they're still a couple and tries to fix where their relationship went wrong, even if she wants nothing to do with him. He breaks down her defenses and later that night, while they're in bed together, a kidnapper with a voice changer breaks in and kidnaps her. Ben's the main suspect, as best friend Emily (Nkechi Simms) has hated him for the way he treats her galpal. But this feels like a giallo -- everything does to me, I'm obsessed -- and the truth is always much odder than the stories we tell.
When she was young, Sofia's father was shot in a convenience store by a criminal accidentally released by Detective Wright (Wil Johnson). By coincidence -- hmm, maybe not? -- he's on the case. And when Sofia frees herself from being kidnapped, he suspects her. But she's smart enough to work with Jessica (Emily Eaton-Plowright), a young reporter who wants to prove herself.
I just read another review of this movie that was beyond distressed that this movie took a true case and twisted it. Have you ever watched an exploitation movie before? If that upset you, you can never watch so many movies.
Tell No Lies keeps things switching and changing and moving until the end, genuinely having some surprises beyond what you expect from a Tubi Original. Actually, I have to change my mind on that, as not only do I watch every single one of them but I also have to tell you that the quality has improved so much recently.
