I give it a five because the acting wasn't as bad from what I read. I can say Erica Mena and the young man Justin Sweat needs a little more acting classes, but I think didn't seem very passionate or like they were really into what they were trying to portray. Marques Houston acting isn't that bad. He needs a little more work. I give it a 5 because it's nice to see brown actors get different roles than usual. They should have took more time perfecting the scene. I feel like it was rushed. Overall fine movie. Not great!
60 Reviews
The Stepmother
quisha-0119518 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I'm giving it a 4 out of 10 it's a b list movie with a reality star starring in it and another reality star having a role in it. We all know Marques Houston is not a great actor, but he gets a b- for effort, Erica Mena actually did better than I expected. Cynthia Bailey was just awful when I was watching her in her scenes it was like watching paint dry. It had a lot of missing storylines like did Cynthia character die ? What happened to Zoey how did she get away ? (Aka Erica) what caused the mom to pass away ? So many unanswered questions. I'm proud I finished the whole movie because at one point I wanted to give up. I know it's a straight to TV movie but it definitely could have been better, the whole entire cast need to take acting lessons except for the guy who played Marques Houston big brother ( I forgot his name ) but he is a decent actor I've seen him in other things before. Again I'm giving 4 out of 10 it wasn't the best movie but it was good enough to get atleast 4 stars.
Worst acting i've ever seen!!!
pgmp0617 June 2022
What more can i say except that acting on this movie is doo doo sauce...avoid it!!!! The acting is sooo cringing i can barely watch it..its like they didn't give a damn and just shot it anyways lol terrible....just terrible!!!!!
I like bad movies
jacklelantern18 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILER ALERT: The part where the mom is dancing and just dies is so hilarious. Obviously meant to be like the stepfather but horribly written and acting is bad. Really bad. But enjoyable if you watch bad movies for entertainment.
Budget does not reflect the writing
syringaisaflower25 June 2022
I've heard the acting was bad, but i don't think that's true. The writing was worse then common scam scripts, the writing makes the acting seem much worse than it is. It's disappointing to because you can see the budget this movie had, watching it, the cinematography isn't half bad, its the writing that does it. When i saw the name and description i was counting on one of the classic, mass-produced, lifetime style thriller movies, and while I'm 100% sure that's what they wanted to do it felt more like something in between a parody and a student film drawing inspiration from these types of movies. The sub plot of the romance between the son and the neighbor is also wildly unnecessary. The characters presented aren't fleshed out enough to have you rooting for them, in fact i found my self most attached to the antagonist of the movie, the one with the most thought out story and background. Overall, the movie is choppy making time jumps every 30 minutes, and poorly written, i think had they given it another 6 months to really figure out the flaws in this movie they could have had something that was exactly what they wanted it to be and could have fitted right in with LifeTime.
Run, don't walk, away from this mess!
bluejra27 June 2022
This movie is god-awful. The acting, if you can call it that, is reprehensible. The son, his girlfriend, and the stepmother--were especially cringy to watch. I honestly don't know what's worse--the acting or the script. May none of them ever "act" EVER AGAIN!
Also, this movie was supposed to span months & no one ever changed hairstyles!?
Lord, please keep MH & Chris Stokes away from movies.
Also, this movie was supposed to span months & no one ever changed hairstyles!?
Lord, please keep MH & Chris Stokes away from movies.
Waste of time
qdycgb27 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Literally the first 5mins you could obviously see the acting is terrible. It doesn't even look like they tried. I literally can do better acting in my sleep or when I'm lying to my wife about her horrible cooking. The plot was terrible and really predictable and just doesn't make any sense especially the ending.
Spoiler alert: for one the ending, if the girlfriend "kills" her then how is she able to send the letter. Like bare with me, even if she was alive and after knocking her out the average person would call the cops and the paramedics would come because the son has a knife or whatever in his back so they would obviously check her vitals to see if she's alive. And if she is alive then obviously she's going to jail for trying to kill 3 more ppl and set the house on fire. And if they did take her to jail (idk if they did or didn't bc none of it was mentioned or made aware) then how did she get out to drop off the letter.. did she escape or did she get off on the charges (which I highly doubt since she was the suspect of murders in 3 different states while also being caught red handed trying to kill the characters) and if she did manage to escape or get off (which again I highly doubt) then the police would've notified the victims. & if somehow she managed to escape before the cops came then obviously the victims would've been made aware of this by that point atleast. So again realistically the plot doesn't make sense. And the way her 'mental disorder' worked didn't make sense either realistically. Yes, everyone's mental illnesses causes them to have different symptoms and reactions from the next person but realistically no one I know or ever heard of who suffer from mental illness has ever portrayed their mental illness in this manner. You could easily mix fantasy and reality but to go back and forth and know the difference between them and how she portrayed them just doesn't make sense to me. Like she knew right from wrong the whole time which is why she kept saying 'the boys always live' so why is she acting like she doesn't know what she's doing if she clearly does while making that statement. It's very contradicting if you ask me. Just a terrible movie and a waste of time. Kinda pissed I even watched it because know I'm gonna think about it randomly years from now and how it doesn't make sense and get pissed all over again. Smh.
Spoiler alert: for one the ending, if the girlfriend "kills" her then how is she able to send the letter. Like bare with me, even if she was alive and after knocking her out the average person would call the cops and the paramedics would come because the son has a knife or whatever in his back so they would obviously check her vitals to see if she's alive. And if she is alive then obviously she's going to jail for trying to kill 3 more ppl and set the house on fire. And if they did take her to jail (idk if they did or didn't bc none of it was mentioned or made aware) then how did she get out to drop off the letter.. did she escape or did she get off on the charges (which I highly doubt since she was the suspect of murders in 3 different states while also being caught red handed trying to kill the characters) and if she did manage to escape or get off (which again I highly doubt) then the police would've notified the victims. & if somehow she managed to escape before the cops came then obviously the victims would've been made aware of this by that point atleast. So again realistically the plot doesn't make sense. And the way her 'mental disorder' worked didn't make sense either realistically. Yes, everyone's mental illnesses causes them to have different symptoms and reactions from the next person but realistically no one I know or ever heard of who suffer from mental illness has ever portrayed their mental illness in this manner. You could easily mix fantasy and reality but to go back and forth and know the difference between them and how she portrayed them just doesn't make sense to me. Like she knew right from wrong the whole time which is why she kept saying 'the boys always live' so why is she acting like she doesn't know what she's doing if she clearly does while making that statement. It's very contradicting if you ask me. Just a terrible movie and a waste of time. Kinda pissed I even watched it because know I'm gonna think about it randomly years from now and how it doesn't make sense and get pissed all over again. Smh.
Better than expected
alclarke-0206817 June 2022
When I saw Marques Houston and Erica Mena I assumed this movie would be garbage. But I gave it a chance and the premise is very similar to The Stepfather (which I've seen all 4). Some of the acting is OFF from multiple characters and sort of comical, but overall the writers did try to add depth with backstories. There were some loose ends but still better than expected.
The acting definitely could have be better
Nae_Hall24 June 2022
Its a Tubi movie!!
alexmarshall-0411830 June 2022
Not a bad movie
kelast3 July 2022
I see reviews that this movie was horrible but it was not bad at all to me. This was not blockbuster level and would make it to the big screen, and that's why it was on Tubi, so it was good. Don't over analyze it. It was more of a movie I would enjoy watching on Lifetime. It reminded me of The Stepfather movies.
The acting was not the best for some of the characters, but still a good movie to watch. I actually enjoyed it. If you are chilling at home and looking for a movie to watch on the weekend, give it a try.
The acting was not the best for some of the characters, but still a good movie to watch. I actually enjoyed it. If you are chilling at home and looking for a movie to watch on the weekend, give it a try.
Is this FORREAL??
hdhayworth23 June 2022
What did I just watch?? I'm a huge Erica Mena fan but the acting in the was god awful! Erica needs to get back to Love and Hip Hop Atlanta ASAP, Marquees needs to get back into the Booth and Kidda the Great stick to dancing Please! Wow I'm at a loss for words!
Horrifying
BandSAboutMovies2 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Imagine if someone made The Stepfather but reversed genders and races and hey -- we have a Tubi original!
Directed by Chris Stokes (House Party 4, You Got Served) and co-written with Marques Houston, who plays Eddie, The Stepmother finds Zooey (Erica Menda, Love & Hip Hop New York) as the titular black widow stepmother who moves from husband to husband, family to family. She now has not only a new husband, but a new stepson in Scott (Justin Sweat, son of Keith; this movie is filled with R&B people as Stokes once managed B2K).
There's a scene in the beginning where Scott is sitting with his parents after a graduation party and his mom April (Tanee McCall) yells that it's time for a dance battle, which she wins, only to have a seizure and die. This should be one of the most dramatic scenes in the movie, but either through bad directing, worse acting or the fact that I am someone who laughs at inappropriate things -- perhaps a cocktail of the three? -- I laughed like an absolute maniac.
If you love reality TV, Cynthia Bailey from Real Housewives of Atlanta is in this as Vanessa. She was on that show with Sweat's mother, Lisa Wu.
I wanted to love this movie. Unlike so many of the Tubi originals, it never decides to just go for it and be total trash and that makes it just mediocre and boring.
Directed by Chris Stokes (House Party 4, You Got Served) and co-written with Marques Houston, who plays Eddie, The Stepmother finds Zooey (Erica Menda, Love & Hip Hop New York) as the titular black widow stepmother who moves from husband to husband, family to family. She now has not only a new husband, but a new stepson in Scott (Justin Sweat, son of Keith; this movie is filled with R&B people as Stokes once managed B2K).
There's a scene in the beginning where Scott is sitting with his parents after a graduation party and his mom April (Tanee McCall) yells that it's time for a dance battle, which she wins, only to have a seizure and die. This should be one of the most dramatic scenes in the movie, but either through bad directing, worse acting or the fact that I am someone who laughs at inappropriate things -- perhaps a cocktail of the three? -- I laughed like an absolute maniac.
If you love reality TV, Cynthia Bailey from Real Housewives of Atlanta is in this as Vanessa. She was on that show with Sweat's mother, Lisa Wu.
I wanted to love this movie. Unlike so many of the Tubi originals, it never decides to just go for it and be total trash and that makes it just mediocre and boring.
A nightmare
kymwaithe18 July 2022
The plot of the movie was a repeat. Erica Mena don't quit your Day job. Your acting SUCKS. I thought you would have been a jewel to the movie. Scotts girlfriend was more convincing than you. Just had to be honest. This movie is not worth watching but I did and it was a mistake.
ERICA MENA SUCKS IN ACTING, SORRY, but she does.
nelsonlaurie14 January 2023
When I watched the 1st Stepmother, I knew I knew this lady but it took me a little while to realize it was Erica. The movie could've been good but ERICA MENA XXXTRIPLE SUCKS ACTING. I sat and watched that whole movie with my mouth dropped because I couldn't believe how bad she was and it kept me wanting to watch to see if I could find one moment of it thinking she may have potential but no she does not. She can't act to save her life. Then you guys put her in part , WHY would you do that a second time? Erica shouldhv stayed on the reality shows the big screen is not for her or should I say shes not good for the big screen. However you say it, SHE SUCKS. Please don't make a part 3 cuz I'll watch just to see her embarrass herself or may she thinks she's golden globe material. NO HONEY NOOOOOOOOO.
Rushed and Awful Acting!
neverndingst0ry18 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
What drew me to watch this movie were of course the familiar faces, Erica Mena, Cynthia Bailey, and Marques Houston. I knew it was Erica's first actual movie, so I'll go easier on her.
Marques' performance was okay. Erica's was okay on some parts but on other's she across as though she had been emulating what she'd seen in other movies. It came across very fake and almost like a caricature of what she was actually going for.
The guy who played Otis Williams in be the 90s Temptations movie is in here. (Sorry, I forgot his name.) He did a great job, as well. He's a great actor.
Cynthia acted like she didn't even try to NOT act like how she does on RHOA. I mean, Cynthia didn't come across as "fake" per SE but she was just acting like Cynthia Bailey. The only thing she was doing in this movie is reading her lines as CYNTHIA, not her movie character.
The WORST actor in here by far, is the guy who played Marques Houston's son. He didn't sell ONE scene. He was cringey throughout the entire movie-- The hair, the outfits, the bad acting, ALL OF IT!
Now, on to the actual scenes. First off, the friend of the father's was too suspicious way too fast. I feel like they had to do that to rush things along and give them Stepmother her first kill. It was still a bit off putting.
HOW did the mother die in the beginning? One can only guess! Usually, there's a backstory, at least..You know, the part where the doctor comes in and says, "she suffered from a so & so"? Yeah, that didn't happen.
The other thing is, the part where the son was calling about her meds -- usually meds have the person's name on them. So, why did he need to call to try to "figure things out?"
I know this is a movie and characters have to play dumb but since this movie is set in the late 2010s or the 2020s, all they had to do was run a Reverse Image Search on her photos & they would've figured out long ago what was "off" about the Stepmother.
Also, the movie seemed a bit forced and rushed.
I was going to give this a 3/10 but I felt the Stepmother should have killed the girlfriend or the son and it actually would have gotten another point.
This movie was very dumb, rushed and the son's acting was very cringey and irritating throughout.
2/10.
Marques' performance was okay. Erica's was okay on some parts but on other's she across as though she had been emulating what she'd seen in other movies. It came across very fake and almost like a caricature of what she was actually going for.
The guy who played Otis Williams in be the 90s Temptations movie is in here. (Sorry, I forgot his name.) He did a great job, as well. He's a great actor.
Cynthia acted like she didn't even try to NOT act like how she does on RHOA. I mean, Cynthia didn't come across as "fake" per SE but she was just acting like Cynthia Bailey. The only thing she was doing in this movie is reading her lines as CYNTHIA, not her movie character.
The WORST actor in here by far, is the guy who played Marques Houston's son. He didn't sell ONE scene. He was cringey throughout the entire movie-- The hair, the outfits, the bad acting, ALL OF IT!
Now, on to the actual scenes. First off, the friend of the father's was too suspicious way too fast. I feel like they had to do that to rush things along and give them Stepmother her first kill. It was still a bit off putting.
HOW did the mother die in the beginning? One can only guess! Usually, there's a backstory, at least..You know, the part where the doctor comes in and says, "she suffered from a so & so"? Yeah, that didn't happen.
The other thing is, the part where the son was calling about her meds -- usually meds have the person's name on them. So, why did he need to call to try to "figure things out?"
I know this is a movie and characters have to play dumb but since this movie is set in the late 2010s or the 2020s, all they had to do was run a Reverse Image Search on her photos & they would've figured out long ago what was "off" about the Stepmother.
Also, the movie seemed a bit forced and rushed.
I was going to give this a 3/10 but I felt the Stepmother should have killed the girlfriend or the son and it actually would have gotten another point.
This movie was very dumb, rushed and the son's acting was very cringey and irritating throughout.
2/10.
Not as bad as some are saying!
wilunleashed31 July 2022
The film isn't as bad as some are making it out to be. Yes the production was definitely low budget with some odd camera shots and movement. The acting was 'meh' with the actor playing the owner of the garage being the worst as he sounded like he was just reading his lines. The actor playing the father wasn't the greatest either. The best probably came from the actors playing the uncle/brother, son and the girl neighbor. The writing and story could have been far better developed as there were some questionable scenes especially the part when the son is finally convinced his stepmother is up to no good. That said; it kept my interest. Not once did I feel like I wanted to shut the film off. While in a way, it was quite predictable, you still wanted to see how it was all going to unravel. The real eye roller was the very end with the note. With out giving anything away, your left hanging for one second about the demise of one of the characters and then it's ridiculously revealed through a note! I thought that was the dumbest moment of the film. Over all, it's watchable if you have nothing better to do or watch! I've seen far worse.
Decimated my brain cells
Wooptyweee21 June 2022
Wasted an hour and change which I could have used to pick out some razor bumps .Acting was horrible, better off watching water going down the drain. Some people were born actors , others were born to stick to their lane.
Good movie
danielbusbyii5 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Reminded me a lot like the stepfather all except an african american cast and the stepmother was doing the killing. The killings were pretty decent all except they were mostly off screen. Vanessa's push down the stairs was a good scene and the stepmother's personalities made the movie. I liked that this didn't have a whole lot of cussing in it. The opening scene with Frank being burnt up in the house was good as well. I must say it's a lot like an lmn and lifetime movie. If you like lmn and lifetime, you'll like the stepmother.
It's bad.
fsxjc-4894222 June 2022
The acting on this movie isn't the best that's for sure. I couldn't do what they do, but at the same time these aren't A list actors. It's freaking Erica Mena and Marcus Houston. They aren't actors. Erica is crazy, so she got that part down and you know damn well the whole time she was murdering dude she was imagining Safaree instead lmao.
Don't wait to see if it will get better. it doesn't.
farleym-194427 July 2022
The Stepmother was able to receive one star because I feel guilty about gazing at the deep cleavage-big boobie shots. Yes,I am ashamed but. I tried so hard to find something worth seeing in this film. The acting was terrible with the exception of the roles of the young boy and girl which were just bad. A plot I could not make myself care about and a script that must have been written in haste while the writer waited for Starbucks to have his order ready. I think the highlight of the film was the home décor. A nicely decorated living space. The bowling alley scenes were the other high point. Not bad enough to be good but.just bad enough to be very bad. A live appearance by the late. Tupak could not have saved this.
What kind of high school play acting is this?
Entertainmentsparadise10 January 2023
You know why I am here. Erica Mena.
From watching her go crazy all over Love and Hip-Hop, I definitely could see her playing a loca role. With an idea of a crazy stepmother ruining everyone's lives. Unfortunately, everyone has to start somewhere. There's a reason this is a Tubi film.
It's a television movie; I didn't expect anything more or less. The plot is interesting enough, yet the execution could be more convincing. I will only go a little in-depth. From the acting to the set up of emotion from the Dad/ Eddie (Marques Houston)and son Scott (Justin Sweat) losing their wife/ mother to the love interest between them. Eddie and Zoey ( Erica Mena).
The movie moves way too fast and doesn't allow any development to convey the characters' emotions-no time for grief, no time for love, and no comical appeal (unless we are talking about the acting), Just straight crazy and all over the place. Honestly, the movie is dull, and not much of anything makes sense; they got married on the sidewalk, but that's all you can afford on bowling alley money; speaking of the bowling alley, this movie is a gutter ball.
From watching her go crazy all over Love and Hip-Hop, I definitely could see her playing a loca role. With an idea of a crazy stepmother ruining everyone's lives. Unfortunately, everyone has to start somewhere. There's a reason this is a Tubi film.
It's a television movie; I didn't expect anything more or less. The plot is interesting enough, yet the execution could be more convincing. I will only go a little in-depth. From the acting to the set up of emotion from the Dad/ Eddie (Marques Houston)and son Scott (Justin Sweat) losing their wife/ mother to the love interest between them. Eddie and Zoey ( Erica Mena).
The movie moves way too fast and doesn't allow any development to convey the characters' emotions-no time for grief, no time for love, and no comical appeal (unless we are talking about the acting), Just straight crazy and all over the place. Honestly, the movie is dull, and not much of anything makes sense; they got married on the sidewalk, but that's all you can afford on bowling alley money; speaking of the bowling alley, this movie is a gutter ball.
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