An Amish Murder

2013

Drama / Mystery / Thriller

7
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh 62%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 62%
IMDb Rating 6.2/10 10 2402 2.4K

Plot summary

The Amish farming community of Painter’s Mill, Ohio, is shattered when a series of brutal murders leaves the town with a sense of frailty and loss of innocence. Among the most affected by the tragedy was Kate Burkholder, a young girl who survived the terror and, as a result, left the Amish life behind. Fifteen years later, Kate returns to Painter’s Mill as its Chief of Police. Certain she’s come to terms with her past, Kate’s renewed life in her hometown is shattered when a murder investigation triggers deep-seated emotions from her childhood and exposes a dark secret that could destroy her.


Uploaded by: FREEMAN
September 01, 2024 at 03:43 AM

Top cast

Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder
C. Thomas Howell as Nathan Detrick
Linda Kash as Mona
Stephanie Moore as Reporter
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB
783.22 MB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 25 min
Seeds 17
1.42 GB
1920*1080
English 2.0
NR
us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 25 min
Seeds 13

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by steiner-sam 7 / 10

Good Amish mystery

This is a 90-minute TV movie set in Painters Mill, Ohio, a fictional town in Amish country in the present age. It's based on the 2009 novel "Sworn to Silence" by Linda Castillo. "Sworn to Silence" was the first in long series of "Kate Burkholder" novels by Castillo.

Kate Burkholder (Neve Campbell) is the new chief of police of the small Painters Mill force. Kate grew up Old Order Amish but left at age 18 for reasons that are not immediately clear. She became a policewoman and then a detective in Cleveland and has now returned 17 years later. Although it sounds like a good fit on the surface because she knows Pennsylvania Dutch and the local Amish community, she has been banned and shunned for leaving the Amish community. Thus, no one in the Amish district is supposed to talk to her.

An Amish girl is found murdered in an Amish farm field. The victim has been mutilated in a manner reminiscent of a serial killer who had been in the community 16 earlier when five non-Amish girls were killed. We quickly learn that Kate wonders if the killer was Daniel Lapp, an Amish man who apparently died under mysterious circumstances and seemed to have something to do with Kate's leaving the community. But Kate wonders if he really died.

The film introduces us to a variety of characters--Mayor Auggie Brock (Duane Murray), who constantly interferes with Kate and fires her at one point; Lucas Holst (Jilon VanOver), Kate's former Amish boyfriend, who she left without a word; Jacob Burkholder (Christian Campbell), Kate's (and Neve's) brother who is reluctant to talk to her because of the shunning; John Tomasetti (Naom Jenkins), an agent from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation called in by the mayor, but on the verge of being fired because of his own difficult times that led to PTSD; and Nate Detrick (C. Thomas Howell), the County Sheriff who offers a helping hand on numerous occasions.

The investigation spins its wheels for a time. Kate confirms that Daniel Lapp is dead. We gradually learn more about the circumstances of Kate's sudden departure and who knew her real reasons for leaving. Kate and John Tomasetti develop a romantic relationship. It becomes clear the murderer had significant local connections even though he disappeared for 16 years. The mayor's daughter becomes a second victim. In the climax, Kate figures it all out and almost becomes a victim herself, but all ends well. Lucas Holst finally disarms the murderer at the end, a victory for Amish pacifism.

As a mystery, I thought "An Amish Murder" was pretty good. There is violence, but it's not over-the-top with blood everywhere. The actual crimes take place offscreen. It's a modest-budget film, and the storyline is not very realistic. In terms of the Amish characterization, my biggest problem is why Kate was shunned. It's never stated that she was a baptized member of the church. If she was not before she left, she should not be shunned. And if she was shunned, why would a town hire a police chief to whom a significant portion of the community would not speak?

Some of the Amish men, including Lucas, Kate's former boyfriend who is now married with children, have closely trimmed beards. The house interiors seemed pretty realistic, but there is much we don't see. Most of the action is in town or outbuildings.

Nonetheless, it was an entertaining hour-and-a-half. Critics were quite mixed in their reviews. Some simply don't like the style of Lifetime Television movies. Some thought the pace of the movie too slow and the plot too obvious. That wasn't the case for me.

Reviewed by pumping_iron-1 7 / 10

I liked it

I thought this was an above average LMN/Lifetime movie. I thought Neve Campbell was believable as Chief of police. I thought the acting all around was good. I actually stayed focused on this movie. I curled up on the couch with popcorn and watched and enjoyed it. Normally when I watch LMN/Lifetime movies I play games on my phone as I watch. I didn't find this at all predictable, and I am normally quick at picking out the perp. I thought the script and the writing was good and it did keep me in suspense. The ending was good with both communities coming together to get the killer. The only thing that wasn't made quite clear is why the killer killed the victims he killed. Yes. I recommend this movie.

Reviewed by phd_travel 7 / 10

The Amish community is fascinating as always - the crime itself less so

Like the Harrison Ford movie "Witness" this television murder mystery set in the Amish community is a good watch because the community is so fascinating.

Neve Campbell (why don't we see more of her than just Scream nowadays?) plays an ex-Amish detective investigating a murder in the Amish town where she grew up. There is a mystery about her departure from the community. Interesting to see her Amish dialog with the members who shun her for leaving.

Also couple of faults: The solving of the murders in question ends in a rather formula predictable way. Also her detective romantic interest is a bit too plain and the romance isn't convincing. She's got more chemistry with her Amish ex.

Read they were thinking of turning this into a series if the pilot was a success. I think it would be quite a unique show about a detective in an Amish community though I wonder how much crime there would be in that quaint rural place.

Read more IMDb reviews

2 Comments

Be the first to leave a comment