Bump in the Night (1991)

AKA: –
Directed by: Karen Arthur
Starring: Christopher Reeve (Lawrence Muller), Corey Carrier (Jonathan Tierney), Meredith Baxter (Martha Tierney), Wings Hauser (Patrick Tierney), Shirley Knight (Katie Leonard), Richard Bradford (Sgt), Geraldine Fitzgerald (Mrs. Beauchamps)
Country: USA; Effed Up American Films
Language: English (Optional Eng Subs)
Runtime: 01:35:21
Genres: Old-Young, Kidnapping, Family

Plot – Spoilers:
Early into the film, a woman calls up a forlorn-looking Christopher Reeve saying, I think I have what you’re looking for, while holding up the photo of a young boy. He holds his heaving chest and says, It’s been such a long time. You know what’s going on, but you hope he is perhaps a movie director? Santa Claus as a pedophile, ok. But Superman?

Christopher Reeve plays a pedophile remarkably well, especially during his early interactions with the young boy. Everything about him is creepy – he’s suitably shy around the boy initially, feeling like a relatively old man. But then becomes manipulative and sneers contentedly when successful in getting the boy to accompany him to an apartment, despite giving him the choice to leave. And finally, he turns demanding and aggressive once he has the boy in his power and locked in.

As a TV movie based on a book, some portions expectedly drag, particularly the 2nd half with some needless detours including an alcoholic getting over their addiction in the most trying circumstances, an estranged couple you don’t care about trying to mend their relationship over the crisis of a missing child and the paper-thin logic behind why a photograph acquired such importance in everyone’s eyes, leading to the entire case being pursed the way it was.

Other than that, an important topic tackled surprisingly in the kind of movie that would’ve slipped by most people’s viewing eyes.