wes-connors Over the opening credits, cameras show a Southern California crime scene. The presence of a coroner confirms the arm we see is attached to a dead body...Five days earlier, grumpy high school student Nicole Gale Anderson (as Bianca) is mad because she can't go to a party and meet her boyfriend. Instead, she must have dinner at home with her mom Cynthia Gibb (as Jacqui) and a future step-father. While Anderson is at home and bored, boyfriend Reiley McClendon (as Chad) is charmed out of his pants by trampy Lindsay Taylor (as Dory). Anderson learns about the rum-fused incident and is understandably irked. Anderson, best friends Janet Montgomery (as Fallyn) and Stella Maeve (as Sarah) get into their skimpy bikinis, sit by the pool and decide to get even...She looks a little too old to be in high school, but Ms. Montgomery shows that, as usual, the villain gets the best part. Montgomery also looks like she could be Ms. Gibb's daughter. Anderson must look like her father. The characters are all stereotypes and there is no new ground to be found in "Accused at 17". The asthmatic best friend and African-American confidante are true to form. Men are attractive and secondary. The story is meant to fill space in an assigned TV Movie slot. Some of these formulaic dramas throw in subversion or go deliciously over-the-top. This one doesn't do anything unusual.**** Accused at 17 (12/5/09) Doug Campbell ~ Cynthia Gibb, Nicole Gale Anderson, Janet Montgomery, Stella Maeve

Geeky Randy Teenager Anderson is accused of murdering classmate Taylor after she and her friends (Maeve and Montgomery) play a prank on her for sleeping with boyfriend McClendon. The accused's mother (Gibb) must now try to find the truth in order to save her daughter from a longtime prison sentence, and soon suspects that it was best friend Montgomery who may have framed her. Yet another Lifetime Movie about a complex situation that is resolved by simplistic plot devices. However, one must give credit where credit is due; the teenagers' parents (particularly Gibb and Moses) are incredibly likable and believable, and have impressively sharp dialogue. Could've been a lot lot worse.** (out of four)

atomicdoug Accused at 17 is a story of three high school girls and how their lives intertwine when one of them decides to take revenge on a fourth girl (Dory, played by Lindsay Taylor). The underlying idea and theme are sound, unfortunately the movie is undermined by a weak plot, some marginal acting and lack of extensive character development. This could be a powerful film in Hollywood mode, and it certainly evokes a lot of emotions about family relationships, loyalties and friendships. But in many ways the plot gets too far-fetched with Bianca's mom doing the police work rather than the police themselves. When the film ends, Bianca and her mom seem happy, but where is the grief that two young girls have died, and one of the girls is Bianca's best friend Sarah.The plot is straightforward enough. Bianca (well played by Nicole Anderson)is a typical 17 year old, doing well at school, experimenting with partying and has a steady boyfriend. But when she discovers that her boyfriend cheated on her with another girl at a party, her "best friend" Fallyn decides they should get revenge on that girl by driving her out to a remote canyon, humiliating her and leaving her there to walk back alone. This act in itself could be considered felony kidnapping, with Fallyn as the mastermind and Sarah as the accomplice. Bianca, who arrives in her own car confronts Dory, but then leaves. She is unaware that a scuffle then ensues between Dory and Fallyn, and ends with an enraged Fallyn killing Dory by smashing a rock into her head. This is perhaps the most powerful part of the movie, as teenage girls often conflict but its not often they kill each other. While Sarah wants to do the right thing by calling 911 and we at least see her goodness, the evil Fallyn is only concerned with hiding the body and keeping herself out of trouble. Thus the players are cast with Fallyn becoming the villain. When the police start to investigate, Fallyn decides that the only way to keep herself out of legal trouble is to frame Bianca for the crime. Sarah, who is under Fallyn's control, goes along initially. But later she realizes who her real friend is and she defies Fallyn. The movie was spoiled somewhat by the sketchy police investigation and thin alibis cast by the two girls who were there when Dory died. Bianca's mom eventually sets a trap and Fallyn falls into it. The subplot of the movie is the relationship between Bianca, her mom and her mom's boyfriend, playing upon the vulnerability of a teenage girl who has to deal with the breakup of her parents marriage. The movie ends somewhat happily, whereas it should not have, it could have communicated much better the magnitude of what happened if they showed Sarah's funeral and Bianca breaking down at the loss of her friend. The truth is for a teenage girl, friends are everything and to lose your best friend would be completely devastating.

edwagreen Remember "The Sound of Music" You are 16 going on 17. Teenage love in Austria, that is, until the Nazis came along.This is a rather good film despite the fact that you know that the other teen brats will turn the tables on Bianca and blame her for Dorie's murder. That was very obvious.Nonetheless, the picture is quite well down and this is a power performance, not only by Janet Montgomery as a near femme fatale but by Barbara Niven, a misery of a mother who will cover for her daughter Fallyn and allow Bianca to take the rap for something she is innocent of.These teenagers-living a carefree wealthy life in sunny California. Their dates with college boys, their anger, their hostility and their frailties are all revealed here. This picture shows us the danger of teenagers running wild, on the loose with absolutely no moral values whatsoever. The parents aren't very much better and the police are cocky and quick to jump to conclusions without a thorough investigation.Surprising to see William R. Moses (remember him from Perry Mason?) in such a minor supporting role until the very end of the film.This Fallyn can easily vie with "The Bad Seed" girl Patty McCormack for what she cooks up and carries through.A good story with nice pacing and a fine cast helped by a believable script and characters.