The Two Mr. Kissels

I realize I'm a little late coming to the review party for The Two Mr. Kissels but I finally gave in and purchased the DVD now that movie doesn't air as frequently as it once did on Lifetime. I'd have to say that this is a fascinating and interestingly presented film (movie with documentary elements and little side commentaries from the main players).This was a bizarre news story when it was unfolding in real time. Nancy Kissel was accused of murdering her husband by first drugging him with a tainted milkshake (they called it "the milkshake murder") (which, by the way, she had her young daughter serve to her father) and then bashing him in the head a few times before hiding his body in a rug and trying to pass it off to a storage warehouse. The family - Nancy, Robert and their three children were living in Hong Kong at the time because of Robert's high profile job at Merrill Lynch (or maybe it was Goldman Sachs). Nancy was unhappy having to live in Hong Kong and had been having an affair with an electrical contractor from the states. It was apparently after Robert had filed for divorce that Nancy made the decision to do away with him. There had to have been some mental illness there from the way she went about it - the rug, in particular and then keeping him around in the apartment for a couple of days before attempting to send him off to the warehouse. You can't make this stuff up. You also can't be sane to think that storing a dead body in a warehouse would work. In any case, she was tried in Hong Kong, convicted in 2005 (murder was a year or two prior), reconvicted on an appeal in 2010 and denied further appeals after her last conviction. She's currently rotting away in prison in Hong Kong on a life sentence (unbelievable waste of a life). The kids were first sent to live with Andrew Kissel and his family before he was accused of stealing millions from the various players in the various businesses he was involved in and then with the Kissel brothers' sister. A few years after Robert's murder, Andrew was murdered (stabbed to death) in the family home in Greenwich, CT, shortly after separating from his wife. He had a lot of enemies as is clearly illustrated in this film.With this made-for-TV movie, Lifetime definitely stepped up their game from the real-life murder films previously produced by them. By that I mean the quality and presentation of this film is top of the line with a stellar cast. The most notable performances come from John Stamos as Andrew Kissel and Robin Tunney as Nancy Kissel (she was also brilliant in Cherish). Of course, the actors are way more beautiful than the actual people are/were but I will never have a problem looking at John Stamos. Ever.This is one of those cautionary tales for people who think the ultra-wealthy have got it made. You'll see a completely different side of the types of things that go on in some (not all) affluent families and social circles. The pressures some people are under to keep up with the Joneses (or other family members) is significant. And ultimately sad - lots and lots of moving parts.If you haven't seen this, I urge you to. It's helpful to do a little research after you see it (so as not to ruin some of the mystery).One of Lifetime's best, if not THE best.The DVD is just the film, no extras, unfortunately, but still good and reasonably priced. You'll definitely watch it more than once.

Great movie got here on time.

This was a Lifetime TV movie produced in 2008, which is now available on DVD.Such movies, which bypass the theatre, generally have no rating. If it had a film rating it would probably be PG-13.This has everything: sex, drugs, wealth, deception, murder--and best of all, it is a true story. More accurately it's a dramatization of a true story-somewhat like "Reversal of Fortune", or other films which attempt to re-enact actual murder stories in film. There's nothing to make a story more interesting than knowing the basics are all real.This is certainly better than the usual made-for-TV movie and better than a lot of films that appear in the cinema. The acting is good, the filming good, the dialog good, the pace and editing are good. It kept me interested the entire time. There are sexually suggestive scenes but no significant nudity, no graphic violence and no foul language of any significance. There is no subtitling available and no "special features." It runs just under 1.5 hours long.It's the story of two brothers, raised in a rich family-both of whom end up murdered. In the case of one brother, the wife is convicted of murder. In the case of the other brother, the actual murderer was unknown at the time of the production: one person had been charged with conspiracy to murder but had not yet gone to trial. The film presents its own plausible theory as to this other brother's death (I don't want to give away the plot details). At the end of the film clarification and updates on the significant characters are given-right up to 2008. A fascinating but sad glimpse into the lives of two quite wealthy brothers and their families. If you haven't seen this on TV and you don't want to wait around until it happens to show again--get this DVD. You'll find this an interesting and well-produced story, with very good characterizations.

If you didn’t know this was based on a true story you would say it’s unbelievable

Me parece una pelicula buena y entretenida, tanto por la calidad del director como de los actores.

Enjoyed this dvd even though it was only a TV movie and lacked the "meat" of a good A quality movie. The story held your interest even though it was somewhat predictable and previous knowledge of the true story facts are readily available. The actors did a good job, esp Robin Tunney. It was good to see her in a role that showcased her talent. It is always astounding to see how wealth doesn't provide happiness and how people who seem to "have it all" can be so self-destructive. I would have liked to have seen more of the Anson Mount character - he had little to do and did not appear often. I suppose the greatest intrigue of this movie is the fact that this is a true story and depicts how wealth is not the answer to all.

The average rating for this movie--here on Amazon--is 4/5 stars. I think it deserves 4.5/5 stars. This film is one that can be enjoyed time and time again. Well-casted, the actors do an excellent job of portraying the people who lived through this nightmare. Based on a true story, most of which was depicted on the ID channel-(Investigation and Discovery)- the two Kissel brothers, pushed hard by their father to be pinnacles of Wall Street success, persue the goal and pay an enormous price for it. Clearly, Robin Tunney is at her best, and steals the show, as the dark, calculating and arrogant wife of Rob Kissel. No one who adds this movie to their collection will regret doing so. The wild party in Las Vegas is one of the best scenes!

If you've ever wondered about expat or "Tai Tai" life in Hong Kong, this provides a pretty good picture! I can see how she got carried away with her fantasies and although it's a B grade film (at best) if you have a thing for Hong Kong, you'll enjoy this.

NICE