HELD HOSTAGE IN MY HOUSE Trailer (2024) Amy Smart, Billy Zane

HELD HOSTAGE IN MY HOUSE Trailer (2024) Amy Smart, Billy Zane

HELD HOSTAGE IN MY HOUSE Trailer (2024) Amy Smart, Billy Zane,Thriller Movie
© 2024 - Voltage Pictures

Lifetime has acquired the psychological thriller Held Hostage in My House (formerly known as Blunt), and TV Insider has the exclusive first look photos. The new Lifetime movie will premiere on September 7.

The film follows the story of a single mother (Amy Smart), who was entrapped at her vacation rental and must piece together clues to find out who was her assailant. In addition to Smart, Held Hostage in My House also stars Matt Davis, Billy Zane, Ne-Yo, and Greer Grammer.

Zane was recently seen in the Lifetime movie Devil On Campus: The Larry Ray Story, which premiered in June 2024. The film marked the Titanic alum’s first Lifetime movie.

Held Hostage in My House was written and directed by Anna Elizabeth James. James also produces under her Kiss and Tale Productions banner alongside Richard Switzer, Julie Gause, Paul Luba and Chad Verdi Jr. Executive producers include Larry Galluzzo and Tim Bien.

Scroll down to see the first photos of the star-studded cast of Held Hostage in My House.

Held Hostage in My House, Movie Premiere, September 7, 8/7c, Lifetime
The Lifetime network’s original movies are generally the polar opposite of what you get from Hallmark. Instead of light romantic comedies, Lifetime’s films are overly dramatic, usually involving infidelity, stalking or murder, often billed as ‘Ripped from the Headlines’. They occasionally get a name star but they don’t have the stable of regulars you see on Hallmark. Their latest dramatic thriller, Held Hostage In My House, surprises with a cast that includes Amy Smart, Matthew Davis, Billy Zane and Ne-Yo. One would assume the network broke the budget to bring in these big names but … the film was actually an acquisition. And the film’s original title was Blunt, and was presumably produced for a Netflix or Hulu release that never came. You won’t have to wonder why after watching the movie.

The plot, such as it is, focuses on Dawn Van Brocklin (Smart), a single mother who has taken to renting out her home to strangers. She Airbnb’s the crap out of the place which she calls the ‘Chalet in the Country’ to help make ends meet to support herself and her son Charlie while she also pursues her career as an artist, just waiting for her big break. Her ex Matt (Davis) isn’t thrilled about her rental situation, telling Dawn that he’s going to seek full custody of Charlie because of some ‘dangerous’ situation that happened at the house with one of her renters (oh, if he only knew). We get all of this information in flashbacks because as the movie opens, Dawn is tied to her bed, trying to figure out who could have bashed her in the head with a rock and put her in this situation. Was it the Russian-sounding woman who was apparently using the house for a prostitution ring — which Dawn busted by calling the cops? Was it the man who rented the house as a getaway for him and his male lover only to almost be found out by his wife, blaming Dawn for not keeping him safe? Was it the swinger whose wife and their girlfriend rented the house for some role play … and invited Dawn to join in? Was it her agent looking to kill her off and reap the rewards of selling her art after her death? Was it her ex, who unbeknownst to her got a phone call telling him she was going to fight for custody and told the person on the other end it was time for Plan B? Who the hell knows, because the actual culprit makes absolutely zero sense.

Writer and director Anna Elizabeth James apparently had a breakout hit on Netflix with 2021’s Deadly Illusions, but a close inspection of the reviews on IMDb tells a different story, calling the film just as inept as this one. Now I applaud James for being a woman in the filmmaking industry and actually getting movies produced but you can only go so far if they’re going to earn a plethora of terrible reviews that are more entertaining thaN her films. James’ bio states she holds an MFA degree from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts but I have to question just what an MFA is, because there are no actual writing skills on display in this movie. I hate to be harsh and negative, but Held Hostage In My House is two hours of my life I’ll never get back. Plus I know people who have made really good and well-reviewed indie movies who can’t get funding, so it’s just crazy that someone with a string of poorly reviewed and made films can somehow spin them into hits. Life just isn’t fair. I won’t go so far as to say the direction is bad, because it’s at least serviceable. Everything is lit well and there are some good angles but aside from some disorienting editing there isn’t anything special. The writing however makes it seem like James has never seen a mystery-thriller, even though her other films seem to be in the same genre. Of course most mysteries have a red herring to throw you off of who the real culprit is, but this movie has enough herrings to feed a family of twelve while the reveal comes so far out of left field you’ll be yelling at the TV … and wondering what the hell Matt’s Plan B was. And usually if you’re going to go through the trouble of kidnapping someone and holding them hostage … you might want to, oh I don’t know, be there with them to, say, contact a loved one or a friend with some kind of demands, not just leave them there to starve to death (and the fact that Dawn doesn’t soil the sheets after several days alone in that bed is … a welcome oversight from reality). And … why are fire ants introduced into the story and why are there two pieces of peach pie on the table in Dawn’s bedroom? Yeah, she makes a pie before her hostage sitch but there’s no reason for her to have brought them into the bedroom … for the fire ants to come in and eat (and how did they get in?) and potentially make their way over to Dawn. (One or two eventually do but they aren’t the threat James wants us to think they are.) Everything in this script is horribly inept, but at least the real artist OF Dawn’s Paintings got a credit at the end.

Speaking of credits, the main cast really should wipe this from their IMDb pages. Amy Smart, perhaps tired of playing nice girls and somewhat clueless moms (Stargirl), probably wanted to sink her teeth into something juicy and dramatic and she does a great job of making you sympathize with Dawn, and it is satisfying when she gets to turn the tables in the final scene even if it makes not a lick of sense. Matt Davis does come off as someone we can believe is responsible, and Greer Grammer also plays her role so that you’re not sure if she’s in on Plans A or B, and has a moment later in the film in which she totally seems like she is in on it (although whoever did her clownish makeup for that scene should be reprimanded harshly). Harrison Fox is actually a good child actor and makes you feel his distress at being stuck on a camping trip with his dad while worried that his mom isn’t returning his calls. Billy Zane and his fright wig bring a little comic relief to the proceedings, but none of it is even close enough to make Held Hostage In My House remotely watchable.

One can only hope that Lifetime didn’t spend too much money to acquire this film.

Held Hostage In My House has a run time of about 1 hour 27. minutes, and is rated TV-14.
LOS ANGELES, CA (August 6, 2024) – Lifetime acquires the psychological thriller Held Hostage in My House, formerly known as Blunt, set to premiere September 7 at 8p/7c on the network. Starring Amy Smart (Starship Troopers), Matt Davis (Legally Blonde), Billy Zane (Devil On Campus: The Larry Ray Story), Ne-Yo (The Wiz! Live) and Greer Grammer (Awkward), the film is the story of a single mother who was entrapped at her vacation rental and must piece together clues to find out who was her assailant.

Single mother (Smart) wakes up to find herself hogtied and held captive at her country vacation rental by an unknown assailant. In a race against time, she must piece together clues from the previous guests to find out who assaulted her, and hopefully survive the ordeal.

Held Hostage in My House also stars Matt Davis, Billy Zane, Ne-Yo and Greer Grammer. The movie is written and directed by Anna Elizabeth James. James also produces under her Kiss and Tale Productions banner alongside Richard Switzer, Julie Gause, Paul Luba and Chad Verdi Jr. Executive Producers include Larry Galluzzo and Tim Bien. Voltage Pictures, LLC holds global rights.
Need to watch 'Held Hostage in My House' on your TV or mobile device at home? Finding a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or watch the Anna Elizabeth James-directed movie via subscription can be a huge pain, so we here at Moviefone want to help you out.

Below, you'll find a number of top-tier streaming and cable services - including rental, purchase, and subscription choices - along with the availability of 'Held Hostage in My House' on each platform when they are available. Now, before we get into the fundamentals of how you can watch 'Held Hostage in My House' right now, here are some particulars about the Voltage Pictures mystery flick.

Released September 7th, 2024, 'Held Hostage in My House' stars Amy Smart, Billy Zane, Gilles Marini, Greer Grammer The movie has a runtime of about , and received a user score of (out of 100) on TMDb, which assembled reviews from respected users.

Curious to know what the movie's about? Here's the plot: "A single mother becomes trapped inside her own vacation rental and must piece together clues from the various guests who have stayed there in order to figure out who assaulted her and hopefully survive."

'Held Hostage in My House' is currently available to rent, purchase, or stream via subscription on Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Microsoft Store, Google Play Movies, Lifetime, and Hoopla .

'Held Hostage in My House' Release Dates
Watch Full Movie on Digital or Stream on Demand starting September 7th, 2024
“Held Hostage In My House” premieres tonight, Saturday, September 7, at 8 p.m. Eastern on Lifetime. It stars Amy Smart and Billy Zane.

You can watch the movie live on Lifetime for free on multiple streaming services including Philo, Frndly and DirecTV Stream. Each offers a free trial to new subscribers. Also, Sling has promotional offers for new customers.

Smart stars as Dawn, a single mother who wakes up to find herself tied up and trapped in her vacation rental home. In a race against time, she must uncover clues left by former guests and piece together the truth of her assailant before she becomes the next victim.

What streaming services carry Lifetime?
You can watch Lifetime on Philo, DirecTV Stream, Sling and Frndly.

If you don’t cancel before your free trials end, Philo offers over 70 channels for $28/month. DirecTV Stream is $79.99/month and offers more than 75 channels of news, entertainment and sports. You can also watch Lifetime via Sling (promotional offer of 50% off first month). Frndly offers more than 40 channels with both live and on-demand service for $6.99 per month. All services with trial subscriptions can be cancelled before they end to avoid a charge.

Cable Guide: What channel is Lifetime on?
You can find which channel Lifetime is on by using the channel finders here: Cox, Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV and Dish.
Amy Smart, Matt Davis, Ne-Yo, Billy Zane and Greer Grammer are set to star in writer/director Anna Elizabeth James’ Blunt.

Voltage Pictures is handling global sales on the mystery thriller and will introduce to buyers immediately.

In Blunt, a single mother (Smart) wakes up to find herself hogtied and held captive at her country vacation rental by an unknown assailant. In a race against time, she must piece together clues from the previous guests to find out who assaulted her, and hopefully survive the ordeal.

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James produces under her Kiss and Tale Productions banner alongside Richard Switzer, Julie Gause, Paul Luba and Chad Verdi Jr. EPs are Larry Galluzzo and Tim Bien.

Watch on Deadline
James previous film, the suspenseful thriller, Deadly Illusions, was No. 1 worldwide for eight days upon release on Netflix last year. Voltage also repped rights.

Voltage Pictures
Voltage
“Deadly Illusions deservedly earned cult status, becoming one of the biggest streaming hits of 2021, so we’re thrilled to be back in business with the very talented Anna,” said Voltage President and COO Jonathan Deckter. “She’s written another tense and taut thriller with twists and turns that are sure to satisfy her growing fan base.”

“I love when a female lead is the detective of her own story,” said James. “It’s a captivating playground to be in and one I think is rarely tapped into, especially from the female gaze. Amy and the rest of our cast delivered a performance beyond my wildest imagination, and I am thrilled with what we will be sharing with our audience — a classic “who-dun-it with mind bending elements and, what I’d like to think, is a progressive and pulpy take on the whole post-pandemic, app living world.”

Smart catapulted her career in 1999 with her role as Jules Harbor in Varsity Blues before leading Roger Kumble’s iconic romantic comedy Just Friends opposite Ryan Reynolds and Anna Faris. She went on to star in The Butterfly Effect alongside Ashton Kutcher and can most recently be seen in the CW show Stargirl. Smart is repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment.

Davis is known for his role as Reese Witherspoon’s preppy love interest Warner in Legally Blonde, as well as his recurring role as Alaric Saltzman in the hit CW series The Vampire Diaries and its predecessors The Originals and most recently, Legacies. He starred also opposite Kate Bosworth in the hit sport romance Blue Crush. Davis is repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment.

Three-time, Grammy award-winning R&B hitmaker Ne-Yo’s film and television credits include NBC’s World of Dance, Empire, Stomp the Yard, Save the Last Dance, Battle: Los Angeles, George Lucas’ Red Tails, The Wiz Live! and Starz’ Step Up. He is repped by APA

Zane is best known for his role as Kate Winslet’s devious fiancé Cal Hockley in Titanic. His breakthrough was in the horror-thriller Dead Calm alongside Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill. The actor is represented by APA.

Grammer previously collaborated with James on Deadly Illusions opposite Kristin Davis and Dermot Mulroney. She is known for her TV roles as Lissa in the hit MTV TV show Awkward and as April in The Middle. Other film credits include Netflix’s The Last Summer. She is repped by Innovative Artists, Luber Roklin and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis.

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