Killers in the House (1998) Mario van Peebles, Holly Robinson Peete
Rare male Lifetime protagonist of color overcomes abandonment issues by whaling on some bank robbers
The Sawyers and their young son leave their ghetto neighborhood in their beat-up economy car to go see a big house in the country that has been left to Rodney by the (white) father who abandoned him as a boy. He just wants to sell it as soon as possible, but his wife wants to move into it and start a new life. He resents his father too much to live in the house he built with his own hands! But then some bank robbers whose getaway plans have gone awry decide to take shelter in the house (the robbers are bank employees, one of whom knew about the property and expected it to be empty). The Sawyers and their son each act resourcefully in turn to defeat the bank robbers, who would have killed them (junior snatches and hides the money early on as a bargaining chip, but then accidentally leaves it in the fireplace and it burns up—oops!), and the house+ does its part by having lots of hidden extra closet space and dumbwaiters and multiple doors in and out of rooms and whatnot. However, the Sawyers' eventual victory is assured because the bank robbers are in it for the money, while the Sawyers are "in this together." Well, plus the guy who was in it to live on the beach forever with his one true love goes a little wackadoo after said girlfriend finally dies of wounds received during the course of the robbery.
We close with Jennie some time later showing guests around the house, which the Sawers now run as a country inn, while Rodney does some carpentry work on the façade.++ "We've been through a lot in this house! We could never leave."
+Symbolizing his dad!
++Symbolizing his reconciliation with his dad, because see now he's building the house.
You're welcome!
Lifetime rating: **
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