Stuti Gokhale
Lifetime’s ‘Home, Not Alone’ is a gripping thriller that chronicles a mother-daughter duo’s spine-chilling experiences in their new home. The Amy Barrett directorial follows Sara Wilson, who moves into a beautiful house in a new neighborhood with her 18-year-old daughter, Jordyn. While they look forward to a fresh start, strange occurrences haunt their home.
Soon, Sara realizes that the property’s previous owner, Colin, is adamant about not leaving and would do anything to retain his house. Now, she must race against time to protect herself and her daughter from the danger lurking around. Featuring nuanced performances from a talented cast comprising Andrea Bogart, Adam Huss, Maya Jenson, and Luke Meissner, the Lifetime movie presents a realistic take on having unpleasant experiences in a new house and fighting to protect one’s family. This and the relatable characters make one curious if ‘Home, Not Alone’ resembles reality. If you’re wondering the same, let’s find out!
Home, Not Alone: A Fiction Crafted by Experienced Writers
No, ‘Home, Not Alone’ is not based on a true story. The movie’s engaging narrative can instead be credited to the genius of Adam Rockoff, who has penned a brilliant screenplay from an original story by writers Jeffrey Schenck and Peter Sullivan. All three of them have substantial experience in the thriller genre and have previously written for several Lifetime productions. Hence, they seemingly used their expertise to develop the story of the Andrea Bogart starrer. Even though the movie is fictional, the writers likely referred to real-life situations during their research.
Moving out of a home one has spent years in is never easy, given the memories and sentiments attached to the place. Still, it is no excuse to harass or intrude in the lives of those who take over the house. Unfortunately, such instances are not unheard of in reality, as new house owners have often complained about the previous owners barging in and behaving interferingly. Besides, there have been cases where the old owner or seller has refused to vacate the property even after the next occupants have arrived to move in. Despite legal provisions to deal with such a situation, it does not make the experience any less unpleasant.
Furthermore, such a situation has been previously explored in several movies and TV shows. For instance, the 2019 psychological thriller movie ‘The Intruder’ follows a married couple who are fatally threatened by the previous owner of their abode. Like Sara and Jordyn in ‘Home, Not Alone,’ Scott and Annie move into a gorgeous house to build a family together. However, soon it turns into their worst nightmare when the previous homeowner, Charlie, begins dangerously creeping into their lives and destroying their relationship.
Both Charlie and Colin have complicated pasts in their homes, so they have a hard time letting go. Consequently, they attack the new owners and assert their presence in their lives and house. Yet another movie with similar themes is ‘The Occupant,’ a crime thriller movie that revolves around an advertising executive who loses his job and starts stalking the new tenants who have moved into his former home. Gradually, his intentions toward the family turn deadly, and he decides to remove them forever from his house, as well as the world.
As one can see, ‘Home, Not Alone’ delves into instances that mirror reality, and the characters of Sara and Jordyn remind the viewers of their love and protectiveness for their loved ones. Thus, even though the Lifetime thriller is a work of fiction, it feels pretty lifelike at some points. Not just that, but the actors bring the well-written story further to life with their powerful performances.
Read More: Is Lifetime’s Every Breath She Takes Based on a True Story?
