MAJOR CRIMES
FOE
Variety Review: ‘Murder In Mexico’
Cutting back and forth in time, the movie introduces Beresford-Redman (Colin Egglesfield) and his wife Monica (Leonor Varela) on vacation in Cancun with their two kids. Yet what appears to be an ideal couple – she a restaurateur, he a producer on Mark Burnett series like “Survivor” and “The Contender” – is actually in the midst of turmoil. His affair with a co-worker has endangered their marriage, with Monica discovering the betrayal and telling him, “I will take the house and the kids and every g—damn cent you make!”
The vacation is ostensibly an opportunity to help repair the relationship, but then Monica goes missing. And noticing the scratches on Bruce’s arm and hearing the story of their marital discord from Monica’s sister (Iris Almario), the authorities soon turn their attention to him after her body turns up stuffed into a pipe on the resort grounds.
Directed by Mark Gantt from a script by Ron McGee, the movie shrewdly depicts what might have happened twice, during Bruce’s account of how he got those wounds and, later, when the prosecution presents its theory of the crime. In the process, the filmmakers manage to conjure suspicions both about the quality of the evidence and Beresford-Redman’s guilt, given the holes in his version of events.
In that regard, credit Egglesfield (“Rizzoli & Isles”) with giving away little about his character’s internal state – a man who appears to be frantic but might very well be giving a performance worthy of more than just reality television. Varela is also quite good, and sticks around longer than one might have expected thanks to the flashbacks.
Beresford-Redman remains in a Mexican prison, and continues to profess his innocence. Unlike some Lifetime movies – especially those that include adultery and a dead spouse – “Murder in Mexico” doesn’t send its audience to bed with absolute clarity. That’s because this version of reality is content leaving some doubt about who might have outwitted whom, in a movie with a Hollywood connection, but not a Hollywood ending.
– Bryan Lowry
TV Review: ‘Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story’
(Movie; Lifetime, Sat. Sept. 26, 8 p.m.)
Production
Produced by Stanton William Kamens Prods. in association with Reel World Management and Indy Entertainment.
Crew
Executive producers, Stanton William Kamens, Roma Roth; producers, Nancy Leopardi, Ross Kohn; director, Mark Gantt; writer, Ron McGee; camera, Andrew Russo; production designer, Marissa Leguizamon; editor, Rowan Glenn; music, Christian Davis; casting, Donald Paul Pemrick, Dean E. Fronk. 120 MIN.
Cast
Colin Egglesfield, Leonor Varela, Brianne Davis, Samantha Sloyan, James Black, Hemky Madera, Mo Gallini, Iris Almario
Red Carpet Report Review: ‘Murder in Mexico’
Lifetime’s “Murder in Mexico” Raises the Bar in Storytelling of a ‘Based on a True Story’ Genre Movie under the Direction of Mark Gantt
We’re excited to have reviewed the upcoming movie “Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story” which will premiere on the Lifetime Channel on Saturday, September 26th at 8 PM.
Many of the movies on Lifetime are based on true stories and are filled with drama, and almost all of them have been streamed on my television and yes, watched by me. For years, Lifetime movies have been my escape, especially when I don’t have time to read a book on a beach, which is where I’d rather be…
However, “Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story” is not your ordinary Lifetime movie, it is smart, evokes thought and takes you on a ride of seeing both sides of the story that is being told…
If you haven’t watched Lifetime lately, you’re missing out. This year they added a new scripted drama, UnREAL, which was a huge hit with us as well. If this is the direction of where Lifetime is going, bringing higher caliber movies like “Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story” to their viewers, their new Lifetime Movie Club subscription service should be a hit.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to share any spoilers, but I will give this director 5 stars for the way they told this story, the incredible talent of the actors telling the story and the cinematography of the movie. You won’t be disappointed! Set your DVR now, because like me, you’ll want to watch it again and have a conversation with friends about it.
Did He Do It?
If you live here in Southern California, the tragic story of the murder of Mónica Beresford-Redman in 2010 is one that stood out in the news as the husband had a high profile job in the entertainment industry and the wife owned a very popular local restaurant (down the street from my house). It is also one that is not easily forgotten as we drive by the restaurant almost daily and think about the husband, Bruce Beresford-Redman and his denial of committing this crime.
If you live here in Southern California, the tragic story of the murder of Mónica Beresford-Redman in 2010 is one that stood out in the news as the husband had a high profile job in the entertainment industry and the wife owned a very popular local restaurant (down the street from my house). It is also one that is not easily forgotten as we drive by the restaurant almost daily and think about the husband, Bruce Beresford-Redman and his denial of committing this crime.
From this: Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story”which will premiere on the Lifetime Channel on Saturday, September 26th at 8 PM (Photo credit: Mike Moriatis)
When we saw this on the news, the first thought was, the husband did it. Statistically speaking, 54% of murders are committed by someone known to the victim and according to the non-profit Violence Policy Center, 94% of female victims were murdered by a male they knew. But statistics are not facts and the circumstantial evidence that surround this murder were enough to send Bruce Beresford-Redman back to Mexico to face a trial, where he was eventually convicted in March 2015.
To this: From this: Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story”which will premiere on the Lifetime Channel on Saturday, September 26th at 8 PM (Photo credit: Mike Moriatis)
Telling the Story We were able to speak with the director, Mark Gantt, who is a multi-talented artist with a passion for story telling. He has over 50 credits as an actor in film and TV in addition to credits as a writer, producer and even as a driver on movie and TV sets. We think this experience gives him a unique edge as he explores this story and tells it in a very engaging way.
Question: What was it about this script that made you want to tell this story?
Mark Gantt: “I’m a huge fan of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who masterfully tells non-linear stories like 21 Grams, Amores Peros and Babel. And like Kurosawa did with Rashomon, he was able to explore the complexities of a situation and different points of view of their truth. The writer, Ron McGee did a fantastic job of balancing the dramatic and truthful events of both present time (April 2010) in Mexico and the past (6 months before) exploring the relationship between Bruce, Monica and his mistress.”
Question: What do you think Mónica Beresford-Redman’s family will think about the way you tell this story?
Mark Gantt: “As a filmmaker, there is a certain creative freedom given to tell the story in a unique way. With this film based on something that really happened and so many unanswered questions, my goal was to investigate and dissect the events as they have been brought to light over the course of the investigation. I wanted to show the strength of Monica, her love and struggle to keep her family together and her constant forgiveness of Bruce. Conversely wanted to show both sides of Bruce, a loving father and husband and someone who was having an affair and the possibility of violence. We were all very aware that regardless of how we told the story, the inevitable truth still existed; there were two children that lost their mother and have also lost their father for another twelve years. It was something we were constantly hit with as we explored this story.”
Question: What was the most challenging aspect of shooting this film?
Mark Gantt: “It feels cliché to say ’time and money’ but I’d only say it was a challenge that we as a team tackled with creativity and a positive attitude. We were not in a position to shoot in Cancun, yet we were very fortunate with finding great locations and smart art direction, that I think helped to suspend reality and tell our story.”
Question: What was the best part of shooting this film?
Mark Gantt: “The best part of shooting this film was the incredible producers, cast and crew dedicated to make the best film we could. Each crew member was committed to bringing a truth and authenticity to each moment. Every single one of my actors really brought a vulnerability to their performances and strived to bring these complex characters to life. Colin Egglesfield brought a vulnerable performance capturing the duality of Bruce, while Leonor Varela and Brianne Davis brought an incredible strength to their roles. I couldn’t imagine anyone else my supporting cast as they all bared their souls for me and brought their A-game. My cinematographer, Andrew Russo and I wanted to make sure that the handheld camera work, would bring a life and urgency to the story, colorist Sebastian Perez-Burchard used color to differentiate between past and present and my composer Christian Davis helped to drive the story and evoke an emotional chord with the audience.”
“Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story” premieres on the LIFETIME NETWORK – September 26, 2015 at 8 PM ET/PT
Murder In Mexico
MURDER IN MEXICO
Based on a true story. Bruce Beresford-Redman a producer for the hit reality show Survivor takes his wife Monica and their children on vacation to Mexico in an effort to salvage his crumbling marriage after he is caught cheating. But when Monica is found strangled to death the police soon look to Bruce as their number one suspect. As his wife’s friends and family start to turn on him and even his own friends become suspicious Bruce faces extradition to Mexico to stand trial for her murder.
MURDER IN MEXICO: THE BRUCE BERESFORD REDMAN STORY
Premiering on LIFETIME – September 26, 2015 – 8pm ET/PT
(For industry screener please contact Gabrielle Kachman at Authentic)
Executive Producers Stanton William Kamens & Roma Roth
Produced by Nancy Leopardi & Ross Kohn
Written by Ron McGee
Directed by Mark Gantt
Starring: Colin Egglesfield, Leonor Varela, Brianne Davis, Samantha Sloyan, James Black, Hemky Madera, Mo Gallini, Jorge-Luis Pallo, Iris Almario, Marlene Forte and Brynn Thayer
Selected scenes from MURDER IN MEXICO premiering September 26th 8/7c on LIFETIME.
DREAD CENTRAL (Review) “The Program”
Director Dylan Mulick brings the very delicate art of possession intervention to the forefront with his latest short, The Program, and if I may be so bold with a (hopeful) prediction for the future, it’s that this mini-film manages to kickstart either a new TV program or movie series – it’s just THAT good.
Industry vet Robert Forster (Jackie Brown, Mulholland Drive) and Mark Gantt star as a couple of underground interventionists that deal with people who “possibly” could be possessed, and tonight a young man (Brett Fleisher) has been brought in by force to deal with the potential demon that is hiding within himself, whether he likes it or not. Their methods are cool and calm, yet with a subdued sense of unknowing about the danger that surrounds them, and it’s not before long that pure evil will rear its very ugly head.
The performances by all involved are rock-solid, and Mulick colors this short film by numbers in such a way that you, as the viewer, know that hell is coming for an imminent visit; yet, there is not much that can be done to prevent it. Holding down the majority of the short (only topping out at about 12 minutes) inside of a makeshift interrogation room is a stroke of genius and only adds to the heavy sense of foreboding: Is the world ready to deal with such an occurrence, or is dealing with these incidents on the down-low a better option so as to not cause a panic?
There are lots of questions to ask here, and I can only hope that someone in power can get their eyes on this short film and turn it into the rightful powerhouse it could be on either television or on the big screen. This quickie is highly recommended, even if the devil has his say.
11th Annual Hollyshorts Film Festival Features Two Standouts both Featuring Mark Gantt
August 13-22nd the 11th annual HollyShorts film festival will take place at the TCL Chinese theater in Hollywood. For those that Can’t Make it they are offering an online viewing option for $25
Two standouts of the fest are “Lifeline” and “The Program” both starring Mark Gantt. Lifeline is seventeen minutes of comedic horror. A descendant of Rasputin and a pair of cantankerous severed hands combine for a short that would fit in perfectly in a modern day “tales from the crypt”.
“The Program” is a gem involving a mysterious organization and demonic possession. The premise and the short are great, Hopefully this is just a launching point for something more longform. This universe needs to be explored.
New Trailer for “The 2nd Reign of Night” Released
Writen & Directed by Antoni Solé
Produced by Loris Curci
With Mark Gantt, Nikol Kollars, Thimothy Gibbs, Reg Wilson, Anna Andres, Collin Morgan, Mingo Ràfols, José Luis Barquero, Joe Lewis and Valentina Perella.
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