Naman Shrestha
Lifetime’s ‘Secrets of a University’ is a thriller drama film that centers upon an ambitious young woman named Eliza De La Cruz who has set her goals for life. It includes getting a high-status job in academia, getting rid of nepotism in higher education, and making her relationship with her married Senator boyfriend James Holbrooke public. Newly appointed as Head of Admissions for the illustrious Wilder University, she goes against her belief system when she admits her boyfriend’s failing son, Nathan, to the most prestigious program in Wilder. Upon discovering that Nathan had plagiarized his entire application to get admission, she is pressured by James to keep it on the low and warned by Nathan’s girlfriend, Charlotte, to never cross the Holbrooke family.
Apart from the Holbrooke’s, Eliza soon gets in trouble with Wilder’s old guard, the police, and a strange culprit who knows all her secrets. Helmed by Kara Harun, the movie features impressive performances from a talented ensemble cast, comprising L.A. Sweeney, James Gallanders, Eden Cupid, and Liam Lynch. With the realistic themes of a secretive family, nepotism, and more, sprinkled across the narrative, it is natural for the audience to pose the question — Is ‘Secrets of a University’ rooted in reality or not? If you wish to find out the same, we have got you covered!
Is Secrets of a University a True Story?
No, ‘Secrets of a University’ is not based on a true story. Instead, Rachel Manson resorted to her creative mind, excellent penmanship, and experience in the industry, in order to conjure a gripping yet realistic screenplay for the Lifetime thriller movie. Previously, she has been involved in coming up with the story of a few short films, including ‘Halloween Party,’ ‘Self-Righteous Latte,’ and ‘Boomer Complaint Hotline.’
In real life, nepotism is not something unheard of as it exists in almost every other field, be it on the academic front or the professional front. Thus, you are bound to connect this with what happens in the movie and get the impression that it might have been inspired by true events. Another reason you might find the themes and elements of the thriller familiar is that they have been explored in various other movies and TV shows over the years. One of the most suitable examples has to be that of another Lifetime movie ‘Are My Friends Killers?.’
The mystery thriller film follows Zoey who loses her best friend, Lauren, to a heart attack and gets offered to attend the same college as hers by Lauren’s mother, Mrs. Price. After accepting the offer and arriving at the campus, Zoey gets invited to join the elite campus club known as “The Select.” However, when Mrs. Price suspects The Select might be directly responsible for Lauren’s death, Zoey agrees to investigate the club from within, not realizing the perils of doing so.
Apart from the academic setting of the two movies in question, the characters of Eliza from ‘Secrets of a University’ and Zoey from ‘Are My Friends Killers’ have several similarities as they both put their trust in deceptive groups of people. So, taking into consideration the above-mentioned points, we can come to the conclusion that ‘Secrets of a University’ is not rooted in reality and is a work of fiction.
Read More: Is Lifetime’s Secrets on Greek Row Based on a True Story?
