Naman Shrestha
Lifetime’s ‘A Date With Deception’ is a thriller film that follows Diana, who gets incarcerated for a crime she did not commit when her husband Elias frames her for medical fraud. After four long years in prison, she gets released and embarks on a journey to prove her innocence. With the help of her fellow inmate Chandler, Diana tracks down her ex-husband to get back at him. However, as they further scratch the surface of his life, they discover the mysterious disappearance of his mistress, Cindy.
Now, Diana and Chandler must do everything they can to bring Elias’ deeds to light before he ends up hurting more people. Directed by Leena Pendharkar, the movie features impressive onscreen performances from a talented ensemble comprising Hannah Jane McMurray, Rib Hillis, Kia Dorsey, and Paul Diaz. Besides, due to the involvement of some true-to-life themes, such as false imprisonment and revenge, it is natural for you to ask the question — is the Lifetime movie based on actual events? Well, let’s explore the same and find out the answer together!
A Date With Deception is an Original Work
No, ‘A Date With Deception’ is not based on a true story. Instead, the enthralling screenplay of the Lifetime thriller is the brainchild of the director Leena Pendharkar and writer Nigel Thomas. Although, it is possible that the pair took inspiration from some real-life cases and incorporated them into the story in their own way. Take, for instance, the January 2023 missing case of Kayla Kelley. She was reported missing on January 11, right after she threatened to out her boyfriend, Ocastor Ferguson, to his wife about their affair. First, Ferguson was charged with kidnapping Kayla, but after some development in the case, he was accused of murder and arson.
Apart from the connection to real life, another reason you might find the movie’s plot familiar is that the themes and subjects explored in it, such as wrongful imprisonment, revenge, and disappearances, have been touched upon in other movies and TV shows. One of the closest examples has to be that of the David Fincher directorial ‘Gone Girl.’ While the storyline is not remarkably similar, it tends to check all the boxes regarding similarity as far as themes and instances are concerned.
Starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, the psychological thriller movie focuses on the complicated marriage between Nick Dunne and Amy. When the latter fakes her disappearance, her husband becomes the prime suspect in the case, with authorities and media invading his house and personal life. While the common themes include the sudden disappearance of a woman, revenge on her husband, and false accusations, both movies also explore the femme fatale angle, albeit at different intensities.
Hence, if we consider all the factors mentioned above, it would be safe to say that Leena Pendharkar and Nigel Thomas put their years of experience in the industry and creative writing to good use to come up with the thrilling screenplay for the Lifetime movie. In other words, although ‘A Date With Deception’ includes realistic topics and elements, it doesn’t change the fact that it is a fictional tale.
Read More: Where Was Lifetime’s A Date With Deception Filmed? Who is in the Cast?
