Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story

This is an inspired by a true story movie - If you live here in Southern California, the tragic story of the murder of Mónica Beresford-Redman in 2010 is one that was on the top of headlines for months as her husband accused of her murder, Bruce Beresford-Redman, producer of Survivor and Pimp that Ride maintains to this day that he is innocent.

The big question is, "Did he do it?" During the investigation it was discovered they had marital problems and he was having an affair. But is that enough to convict him? The Mexican government sentenced him to 12 years, there was a lot of sentiment that he thought he could outwit the investigators because of his association with Survivor, did that prejudice the judge? So many if's but no hard core evidence.

This movie takes the audience on the ride presenting the "evidence" and showing the explanation in time going back to that moment and playing it back. At the end of the movie, as in real life, we still don't know for sure as Bruce Beresford-Redman, is still in jail and no one has provided evidence beyond the statistic that the husband did it.

The director was very careful not to convict but tell the story, and create engagement and treat the audience and the story with respect, not spoon feeding a story but telling it in such a way that Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, would be proud.

As this made for television movie was based on actual events of husband and TV series producer Bruce Beresford-Redman (played by Colin Egglesfield) in the murder of his wife Monica (played by Leonor Varela) while vacationing in Mexico with their two (2) children, it was interesting to find out what actually happened back in 2010.

Obviously a film crew can only provide a high level informative view within a 2 (two) hour movie related to Monica Beresford-Redman's murder to which Bruce still claims he is innocent of. Bruce however does not deny that his marriage was on shaky ground as a result of his known affair with a co-worker in which he continued to communicate with his mistress long after he committed to his wife that the affair was over and he was willing to go to a marriage counsellor to save his marriage.

The resemblance of the two main actors Colin Egglesfield and Leonor Varela was close to the likeness of the real Bruce and Monica Beresford-Redman. The film stuck to the main events leading up to the disappearance of Monica, and the initial investigation and subsequent interrogation of Bruce after his wife Monica's body was found in a sewer just outside from the hotel, Moon Palace Spa and Golf Resort just outside of Cancun, where the family was vacationing.

What I did appreciate about the film was the director/producer did not embellish their film with any false action scenes to try and glorify their film. Instead they appeared to stick to the known facts surrounding Monica and Bruce's strained marriage, and their love for their two young children who through no fault of their own are still suffering from the loss of both their parents. Their mother is dead, murdered by their father according to the Mexican court of law, and their father remains in a Mexican prison where he will stay for at least four (4) more years.

I give this made for television movie a decent 5 out of 10 rating.