Lifetime Original Movies - General Discussion

[Madding crowd]

I agree, a couple of the cheerleader ones were ok but the rest were awful. I don’t like Christmas movies so I am out for the season although LMN will have some new “thriller” movies.

[Steph Sometimes]

On 10/19/2020 at 7:17 PM, KaveDweller said:

I am tired of Lifetime's cheerleader theme. The first couple were fine, but they are really stretching the drama these teenage girls can get into. Thankfully they are switching to Christmas movies next, although I am sure I will be sick of them by December.

I am the complete opposite. I love all the cheerleader movies. They're so bad, but also amazing. My friends and I like to say our favorite Lifetime sub-genre is "Slutty Teens in Trouble." So far I've seen Cheer Camp Killer and Cheerleader Abduction and am trying to space out the rest.

But I'm not into the Christmas romance movies at all. I usually just skip Lifetime for a month or two. And ion, because instead of Saturday SVU marathons they switch to Christmas movies as well.

[chitowngirl]

It looks like Lifetime is going Christmas 24/7 tonight

[Dr.OO7]

On 10/22/2020 at 5:47 PM, chitowngirl said:

It looks like Lifetime is going Christmas 24/7 tonight

Just one of their channels. At least the other will still be devoted to their usual "psycho bitch" crap.

[Madding crowd]

LMN will still have their psycho programming. I can’t stand the Christmas romance movies but I like the thrillers because I can have them on in the background while I clean the house and don’t have to pay close attention. Occasionally they even have a good one. I like to read thriller books too so I guess it’s my thing.

Edited October 25, 2020 by Madding crowd

[Steph Sometimes]

Last night, I watched Cheer Squad Secrets. The coach was giving the cheerleaders steroids. She also tended to kill people.

It was a really odd movie. First off, the main cheerleader's mother had most of the storyline and seemed much cooler and more interesting than her cheerleader daughter. Also, there were, for some reason, at least three scenes that involved people sneaking up on the mother and scaring her. Only one of them was the psycho coach; I have no idea why her getting startled by people was a recurring theme.

And finally, there was this hilarious scene. Early on, the boyfriend of one of the cheerleaders dies. They think it's a car accident at first, but it's later determined to be steroid-related heart attack. The next scene there's a memorial display set up in the school parking lot with pictures and candles. A sign announces something about a memorial service. Another sign clearly says Rest in Peace. Easily startled mom drives up with her cheerleader daughter, sees the display, and says, "Did something happen to Ethan?" Cheerleader's friend shows up crying. "Ethan... was in a car accident."  Cheerleader daughter, "Is he in the hospital?" 

[ctlady]

On 11/2/2020 at 12:57 PM, Steph Sometimes said:

Last night, I watched Cheer Squad Secrets. The coach was giving the cheerleaders steroids

What the heck - steroids?  We're the girls aware they were getting steroids or were they administered under the guise of something else?  Unless they needed to bulk up to be the bottom of the pyramids or hoist someone up to stand in their hands, there is no physical reason I can think of (and I was a cheerleader from 8th-12th grade) why a teenage female cheerleader would need steroids

[Steph Sometimes]

 

5 hours ago, ctlady said:

What the heck - steroids?

They were told they were "supplements" to help them with strength. Bland cheerleader (daughter of the more interesting, easily startled mother) wanted to be better at something. I think lifting the other girl. I don't even remember. 

But for a WTF movie, it was pretty good. I've been watching the movies on Sunday nights as my last nice thing before Mondays. I think I have two cheerleader movies left.

[VCRTracking]

A character will definitely say "Finger kickin' good" in a sexy way at some point.

 

[Dejana]

41 minutes ago, VCRTracking said:

A character will definitely say "Finger kickin' good" in a sexy way at some point.

 

The trailer is even better (worse?), though it depends on your perspective, I guess:

 

 

[Madding crowd]

Did anyone see Secrets in the Snow which was on Friday? I thought it was a pretty good one for Lifetime standards. I couldn't immediately tell what was going to happen and I liked the acting and the setting. 

[methodwriter85]

On 9/13/2020 at 9:53 AM, Dejana said:

Pool Boy Nightmare, NOT based on recent real-life events...

 

 

I'm shamed to admit I started following the lead Tanner Zagarino on Instagram because of Pool Boy Nightmare. LOL. *Shrugs* He reminds me of the hot party kid stoner type I knew in college. I think he'd look really hot in a lacrosse uniform and a backwards baseball cap. Sue me. LOL. 

He's about 22 which seems right because I thought he looked and acted slightly younger than his character's age of 25. Anyway, Tanner clearly had fun playing Adam and that's all I ask for with cheesy bad Lifetime movies- campy bad acting with an actor who doesn't take themselves seriously.

[seasons]

On 12/7/2020 at 8:19 PM, Madding crowd said:

Did anyone see Secrets in the Snow which was on Friday? I thought it was a pretty good one for Lifetime standards. I couldn't immediately tell what was going to happen and I liked the acting and the setting. 

I missed that one. Might watch it on demand.

Anyone watch "Lonestar Christmas"? 

[rcc]

Anyone watch Fatal Fiance tonight? Did he kill his ex girlfriend before the security guard came in?

[Madding crowd]

13 hours ago, rcc said:

Anyone watch Fatal Fiance tonight? Did he kill his ex girlfriend before the security guard came in?

I watched it and they never showed if he did or not! Still don’t understand why Faith had to kidnap Leah. How about texting her or contacting her on social media or leave her a letter.

[Scarlett45]

I really like Meghan Goode- I think she’s so pretty and doesnt get enough work so I will likely check this out. 
 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKhSPPprmUl/?igshid=1bq7srr4fykqh

[LexieLily]

Girl In The Basement - mostly based on the real-life case of Josef Fritzl. Did anyone watch? 

[FoundTime]

12 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Girl In The Basement - mostly based on the real-life case of Josef Fritzl. Did anyone watch? 

I admit I did! Found this interesting article:  This Is The Real Case That Inspired Girl In The Basement

You couldn't make this stuff up. No one would believe it.

At one point it reminded me of the book (and movie) Room...and then it just kept going 😲

[LexieLily]

2 hours ago, FoundTime said:

I admit I did! Found this interesting article:  This Is The Real Case That Inspired Girl In The Basement

You couldn't make this stuff up. No one would believe it.

At one point it reminded me of the book (and movie) Room...and then it just kept going 😲

The real-life case, from the little I've read about it, was so much worse than the movie 😭😭

It infuriates me that the mother never knew what was happening and barely questioned it when Sara's infant showed up on their doorstep. How that never pushed her to investigate further I'll never understand.

I know a lot was changed to accommodate the length of the movie re: the twenty-four years that Sara was imprisoned, but Sara rescuing herself happened with less than ten minutes left in the movie and there was no reconciliation scene with her upstairs family yet there was a reunification scene with the boyfriend Sara had at eighteen. That seemed like an odd choice. 

Edited February 28, 2021 by LexieLily

[Spartan Girl]

I watched it and JFC. It was hard to watch. The fact that he hid her right under everyone’s noses for so long...no words.

Agree that the end was rushed.

Edited February 28, 2021 by Spartan Girl

[KaveDweller]

4 hours ago, LexieLily said:

The real-life case, from the little I've read about it, was so much worse than the movie 😭😭

It infuriates me that the mother never knew what was happening and barely questioned it when Sara's infant showed up on their doorstep. How that never pushed her to investigate further I'll never understand.

I know a lot was changed to accommodate the length of the movie re: the twenty-four years that Sara was imprisoned, but Sara rescuing herself happened with less than ten minutes left in the movie and there was no reconciliation scene with her upstairs family yet there was a reunification scene with the boyfriend Sara had at eighteen. That seemed like an odd choice. 

Yes, I agree. I guess they ran out of time, but I would have liked to see more reaction from her mother and sister about what happened. And some reaction from the son who got to live upstairs. I guess they wanted to focus on the abuse itself and not the aftermath. The movie Room is basically the opposite....almost all about what happens after the woman and her son got rescued, with very little on being locked up.

Her father was really a monster. 

[LexieLily]

51 minutes ago, KaveDweller said:

Yes, I agree. I guess they ran out of time, but I would have liked to see more reaction from her mother and sister about what happened. And some reaction from the son who got to live upstairs. I guess they wanted to focus on the abuse itself and not the aftermath. The movie Room is basically the opposite....almost all about what happens after the woman and her son got rescued, with very little on being locked up.

Her father was really a monster. 

I did want to see some of the aftermath that you mentioned. And the reunion between Sara and the upstairs son, and the upstairs son and the imprisoned basement children. We had the montage of them playing soccer but I couldn't imagine there wouldn't be resentment for the upstairs son on behalf of the older two, that he had a childhood and was safe. 

The movie father/grandfather and his real-life counterpoint are unfathomably evil. 

Edited March 1, 2021 by LexieLily

[Chaos Theory]

Anyone watch Circle Of Deception?   

It took me awhile to place it because it seemed very familiar but then I realized I saw the story on Killer Couples.  Which I watch from time to time.   I really enjoyed the Lifetime interpretation of events which held pretty close to what I remember  happening in real life.  I just forgot the the ladies pretty much got away with murder.   And Jim was an idiot confessing to not only his drug addict wife but at least one of his band mates.      Of course Lifetime had to rush certain things and skip over things since this was filmed during Covid but it was still a pretty solid story.  

It is really nice to see Diane Neal again.  She plays a pretty decent lifetime villain.   Wouldn’t mind seeing her more often playing the bad guy.

Edited March 7, 2021 by Chaos Theory

[Scarlett45]

On 2/28/2021 at 1:16 AM, LexieLily said:

Girl In The Basement - mostly based on the real-life case of Josef Fritzl. Did anyone watch? 

I did want to watch that one (I was familiar with the real case) but life has been nuts and I didn’t need so much sadness right now. 
 

Truth is stranger than fiction for sure. I will probably watch it when I’m in a better place emotionally. 

[JAYJAY1979]

Girl in the basement...wow...what a monster that father was.

In real life, the aftermath was intense because the upstairs kids had to get counseling over being lied to about their mom abandoning them, etc...while the downstairs kids had to adjust to sunlight, having to adjust to having more than enclosed spaces to walk..etc.

I almost think it needed to be a mini series 

[PepSinger]

On 3/12/2021 at 9:10 AM, JAYJAY1979 said:

In real life, the aftermath was intense because the upstairs kids had to get counseling over being lied to about their mom abandoning them, etc...while the downstairs kids had to adjust to sunlight, having to adjust to having more than enclosed spaces to walk..etc.

Also, doesn't incest cause other health problems due to the overlap of chromosomes?

[Dr.OO7]

On 3/16/2021 at 10:04 PM, PepSinger said:

Also, doesn't incest cause other health problems due to the overlap of chromosomes?

Yes, but it's not clear how much the children have been affected. 

But I'm sure that Kristin's health problems were due to it, as well as the death of the infant.

I still remember how my jaw dropped when I heard about it. As it does with all these long-term kidnapping stories. It's so chilling to think that the whole time I was going on with my life, these people were enduring such sheer hell.

It's a relief to hear how reasonably well most of them have adjusted after such a nightmarish ordeal.

The Beauty Is Never Tarnished trope really annoyed me in this case. In real life, poor Elisabeth Fritzl looked like HELL after 24 years locked underground. This woman didn't look perfect, but she looked much better.

[Scarlett45]

On 3/16/2021 at 9:04 PM, PepSinger said:

Also, doesn't incest cause other health problems due to the overlap of chromosomes?

It can, but that tends to be a problem if the individuals are carriers of a specific issue/disease OR there are repeated generations incest in a small population (look at royal families 100yrs ago). 
 

As horrific as the rape and torture of that woman and her children was, I am not surprised if some the babies were  physically healthy even though they were conceived via incest. 

[paulvdb]

Eric Roberts is back as Dr. Beck in Just What The Doctor Ordered. I was not a fan of the fourth Stalked by my Doctor movie but I thought this one was much better.

[LexieLily]

13 hours ago, paulvdb said:

Eric Roberts is back as Dr. Beck in Just What The Doctor Ordered. I was not a fan of the fourth Stalked by my Doctor movie but I thought this one was much better.

I wondered why they changed the name of the series.

[Scarlett45]

I have Soccer Mom Madame in my calendar to watch next month. It looks fun.

[paulvdb]

I watched Tracking a Killer and am confused about the whole Gina/Dylan story. Why would she not want people to know that she's his mother? None of their scenes together seemed like mother/son to me. So that reveal came out of nowhere for me.

[Scarlett45]

I have Soccer Mom Madame on my calendar for Sunday. WHO is joining me? I have been doing a OTH rewatch and have been enjoying Jana Kramer.

[Madding crowd]

I just watched Gone, the Jennifer Dulos story. It was well done but hard to watch knowing what was to come. She seemed like a wonderful mother but also someone who was naive and sheltered and Fotis took advantage of that. I guess money can’t protect you if someone wants to kill you. He was such a user and coward. I hope their kids are doing well.

[stonehaven]

I watched it too as I heard about the case but never knew the details. I wonder if the husband was such an ass why wouldn't the girlfriend want out as soon as she saw his temper.

I'm betting she would have given him up after he was charged and the guy knew it..but taking it to his grave as to the location of Jennifer. That's one last act of control.

Random observation, I know the guy used about six(rolls) of paper towels to mop up the blood but that was a LOT of blood for just paper towels. Why not grab a bath towel or something? 

Also, how did he get on her property if it was gated?

[Scarlett45]

22 hours ago, stonehaven said:

I wonder if the husband was such an ass why wouldn't the girlfriend want out as soon as she saw his temper.

I haven’t seen the movie but he may have abused her too. Or she wanted to believe that she was “special” and her love could change him. 
 

I am watching Gone, the Jennifer Dulos Story now, I was intrigued by the posts about it. 
 

Edited to add: Poor Jennifer. The only thing she could’ve done would’ve been to hire security detail to watch her house etc (given she was so wealthy). I wonder how Fotus got into the garage? Likely he knew where she kept a spare key given they were married for 15yrs. 
 

I am glad her children are safe. I don’t think Michelle helped Fotus kill her, but she knew more than she told the police and she lied for him. Was he worth possibly going to jail for?!!

 

[LilaFowler]

On 6/4/2021 at 1:04 PM, Scarlett45 said:

I have Soccer Mom Madame on my calendar for Sunday. WHO is joining me? I have been doing a OTH rewatch and have been enjoying Jana Kramer.

This movie held my attention more than most of the recent Lifetime offerings but ended so abruptly. I guess they couldn't figure out how to end it but

Spoiler

she's on a pig farm? Really?

 

[Yeah No]

On 6/5/2021 at 10:39 PM, Madding crowd said:

I just watched Gone, the Jennifer Dulos story. It was well done but hard to watch knowing what was to come. She seemed like a wonderful mother but also someone who was naive and sheltered and Fotis took advantage of that. I guess money can’t protect you if someone wants to kill you. He was such a user and coward. I hope their kids are doing well.

I watched it because I live about 2 miles from his Farmington house and this case has been huge around here.  I drive right past it all the time.  I witnessed the daily encampment of reporters outside his gated community after she disappeared.  I never knew those "Fore Group" signs were him.  I get the chills thinking I might have seen them or driven behind them who knows how many times.  Now I know how many hidden cameras there are on that country road.  Too bad there were none of him that could lead them to her body.

The movie kind of glossed over a lot of the case's details and evidence.  It gave the impression that Fotis came from money but he did not.  I liked the documentary better that aired afterward with comments from people that knew both of them.  One of her friends gave the impression that Jennifer was attracted to his good looks and was willing to overlook a lot because of that.  Interesting.  Also, Fotis had a mild Greek accent while the actor that played him did not.  The mansion they used for the Farmington house looked nothing like the real one.  It looked like nothing I've ever seen in CT - more like something you'd find in NJ. 

It's very sad that she was so aware of the potential danger she was in.  I am so glad that "Jennifer's Law" is becoming a reality.

[Scarlett45]

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

It gave the impression that Fotis came from money but he did not.  I liked the documentary better that aired afterward with comments from people that knew both of them.  One of her friends gave the impression that Jennifer was attracted to his good looks and was willing to overlook a lot because of that.  Interesting. 

I didnt get the impression that Fotus came from money from the film- I interpreted that Fotus had some talents (like water skiing) and may have grown up money adjacent (which exposed him to those circles) but that he married Jennifer for access to the lifestyle she could provide him, and when she took that all way (or threatened to) he became violent and threatening with her. 

I think Jennifer met Fotus and was very attracted and enamored with him- and given that she was in her mid 30s and wanted a number of biological children, she married him. She probably did over look a lot of things because in the beginning he was very charming and she was hot for him (and vice versa) but after the kids came and he felt he "had her" he showed his true colors (like a lot of those types).

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

It's very sad that she was so aware of the potential danger she was in.  I am so glad that "Jennifer's Law" is becoming a reality.

Me too.

[Scarlett45]

My thoughts on Soccer Mom Madame, I thought the movie was a lot of fun. Jana Kramer did a good job in the role and you could see her go from "struggling single mom" to getting comfortable in her success and then fear at being found out/taken down. 

When I saw she was buying commercial real estate in 2008, I thought "OH NO!!!"

The sex industry can be an emotionally exhausting industry for a lot of reasons- what I do not understand, is why she just didnt open up an legit escort service and PAY ALL HER TAXES as appropriate. If someone is paying for something other than sex, that is perfectly legal in every jurisdiction and if two consenting adults choose to have sex afterwards no laws have been broken.

I wish we had gotten more detail on why Art flipped, and what happened afterwards. They didnt try to arrest her cousin as a co-conspirator(I dont mean in real life, just this dramatized version). 

 

I saw that Jennie Garth is going to be in the Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story next week. That looks good too.

[Madding crowd]

I hated the lead character of Soccer Mom Madam. To me she was more interested in being a mafia type don than taking care of her children. Kidnapping her employee at gun point  and then dumping her in he woods? And I don’t believe for a minute she would get away with terrorizing a billionaire. People with that kind of money don’t play around ( of course the guy deserved it). She also put her kids second after being a big shot.

[Spartan Girl]

The Jennifer Dulos movie was good. The fact that Forus’ lawyer actually had the nerve to use the Gone Girl defense still makes me furious—and I’m pretty sure he’s STILL using it even after his coward scumbag client killed himself!

Not even finding a body to bury makes it ten times worse for the victim’s families. A burial/cremation is a final dignity that (I feel) gives them a tiny sense of closure. It’s far better than the alternative of having the corpse or whatever is left rotting away somewhere. Sorry if I’m being morbid but it’s true.

[Yeah No]

15 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I didnt get the impression that Fotus came from money from the film- I interpreted that Fotus had some talents (like water skiing) and may have grown up money adjacent (which exposed him to those circles) but that he married Jennifer for access to the lifestyle she could provide him, and when she took that all way (or threatened to) he became violent and threatening with her. 

Going to Brown and Columbia, plus ski vacations don't come cheap.  Where I come from that means you have to have some money.  Compared to Jennifer of course, no one has money, LOL.  Plus working as a management consultant at Ernst & Young isn't exactly the life of a poor free spirit that has "some talents" like water skiing but not much else and tries to grift off rich people  He seems to have been a driven person in business on his own, he just got the financing to start his business from other people. I think the movie went out of its way to put the emphasis on how successful he was and not much was made of all the support he got from his mega-rich in-laws. That was unlike the documentary that aired afterward, which put more emphasis on that financial support.  I later found out that the money his in-laws gave him were actually loans and that he had paid some back with interest while others did not get paid, especially after his business kept losing money for which is mother in law slapped lawsuits on him for once the divorce was filed.

I just think the movie was so glossed over and simplified that it really did a disservice to the true story.  

[Scarlett45]

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I think the movie went out of its way to put the emphasis on how successful he was and not much was made of all the support he got from his mega-rich in-laws. That was unlike the documentary that aired afterward, which put more emphasis on that financial support.  I later found out that the money his in-laws gave him were actually loans and that he had paid some back with interest while others did not get paid, especially after his business kept losing money for which is mother in law slapped lawsuits on him for once the divorce was filed.

I think the scene after Jennifer's father's funeral, where Fotus was commenting that his father in law did NOT want to invest any more in the business but maybe his mother in law would, was a well written scene to show just how underwater (and dickish) Fotus was. Who says things like that RIGHT AFTER your father in law's funeral with your grieving wife right next to you? Even if he hated the man and was desperate for money, have some sensitivity for his daughter, you know, your WIFE and the mother of your children.

It was clear Fotus was AWFUL and a user. Poor poor Jennifer. I do hope her Mom stays alive and healthy long enough to get all of her children at least to 21yrs old. 

 

I wonder if Michelle will ever come clean about her part in hiding evidence (which I think she participated in), I wonder if she regrets ever getting involved with Fotus.

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I wonder if Michelle will ever come clean about her part in hiding evidence (which I think she participated in), I wonder if she regrets ever getting involved with Fotus.

The movie did hint around at Michelle showing some regrets after they got arrested and in real life she was seen moving her stuff out of Fotis' Farmington house later in 2019, so that may be true.  The documentary said that there was other evidence to be presented at Michelle's eventual trial.  I wonder if that evidence will include her coming clean.  I'm hoping it's a bombshell and she spills all.  If she knows what's good for her she will because I'm sure she will be given some leniency in exchange for her testimony.  If she knows where Jennifer's body is she can at least absolve herself of some of the guilt.  There is also the matter of Kent Mahwinney, one of Fotis' employees, who may also come clean.  We can only hope.  Unfortunately it doesn't look like the case will go back to court until 2022. 

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I think the scene after Jennifer's father's funeral, where Fotus was commenting that his father in law did NOT want to invest any more in the business but maybe his mother in law would, was a well written scene to show just how underwater (and dickish) Fotus was. Who says things like that RIGHT AFTER your father in law's funeral with your grieving wife right next to you? Even if he hated the man and was desperate for money, have some sensitivity for his daughter, you know, your WIFE and the mother of your children.

I think that scene was straight out of real life as it rang a bell with me from stuff I've read before.

[DanaK]

Last night I finally finished Lifetime's "Robin Roberts Presents; Mahalia" on the life of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, from April I think. I thought it was pretty good, especially the musical performances

[Scarlett45]

7 hours ago, DanaK said:

Last night I finally finished Lifetime's "Robin Roberts Presents; Mahalia" on the life of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, from April I think. I thought it was pretty good, especially the musical performances

I watched that back in April. I liked it. 
 

I watched Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story. I saw Jennie Garth played the Mom and it looked interesting. I went into it knowing Ashley was thriving now which helped. 
 

That piece of shit Sam. In what world, WHAT WORLD can you leave another human being in the woods for THIRTY HOURS to die, and anyone claim it’s the victim’s fault. Even if it was an “accident”, or she started a physical fight with him, WHO wouldn’t call “911”??? Instead he leaves her body in the woods????? 
 

I couldn’t believe people were actually asking her what she did. Horrific. 
 

What a brave, resilient woman Ashley is. I am so glad she is doing well and living her life. It’s scary that if Sam serves his full sentence  he will be out soon, 2027. 

[KaveDweller]

On 6/13/2021 at 5:02 PM, Scarlett45 said:

I watched that back in April. I liked it. 
 

I watched Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story. I saw Jennie Garth played the Mom and it looked interesting. I went into it knowing Ashley was thriving now which helped. 
 

That piece of shit Sam. In what world, WHAT WORLD can you leave another human being in the woods for THIRTY HOURS to die, and anyone claim it’s the victim’s fault. Even if it was an “accident”, or she started a physical fight with him, WHO wouldn’t call “911”??? Instead he leaves her body in the woods????? 
 

I couldn’t believe people were actually asking her what she did. Horrific. 
 

What a brave, resilient woman Ashley is. I am so glad she is doing well and living her life. It’s scary that if Sam serves his full sentence  he will be out soon, 2027. 

Everyone was pretty terrible to Ashley in that movie. Even her best friend was all, "Well, what did you do to make him try and kill you?" I mean, what could a person do where strangling them and leaving them in the woods to die is a justified response? Some friend. And this was only in 2006. Ashley seemed like a really strong young woman to have been able to survive everything that happened.

They also talked about how she had a sexual relationship with her teacher, but that seemed pretty off. She was 17 and thought he was a friend, and he gives her a tour of house ending in the bedroom and talks about how she's been giving him signals? It didn't really seem totally consensual.

[Scarlett45]

2 minutes ago, KaveDweller said:

They also talked about how she had a sexual relationship with her teacher, but that seemed pretty off. She was 17 and thought he was a friend, and he gives her a tour of house ending in the bedroom and talks about how she's been giving him signals? It didn't really seem totally consensual.

I think that guy groomed her.
 

Yes, I believe that she thought he was attractive and sexy, but he abused his position of authority over her (he was a grown ass man and her teacher); and although at 17 it wasn’t statutory rape it was still wrong and he was a scumbag.