A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne (2009) Garry McDonald, David Lyons, Cariba Heine, Tiriel Mora Movie Review

A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne (2009)   3/53/53/53/53/5


A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne (2009)

A Model True Murder Story

Tony Bryne (Garry McDonald) receives a devastating call in the middle of the night informing him that his daughter, Caroline's (Cariba Heine), car has been found at a notorious suicide spot in Sydney. With his son and his daughter's boyfriend, Gordon (David Lyons), they go to the police with Gordon claiming that Caroline had been unstable and took her own life. Whilst Tony is devastated at the loss of his daughter suspicion arises as Caroline's body landed in an unnatural way and the police begin to suspect that the controlling Gordon might be responsible, especially when it seems he is claiming the insurance money.

I have watched more than my fair share of true story/ true crime movies and that of course affects my opinion when I watch another, especially as more often than not I will have no idea about the true story on which the movie is based. As such "A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne" is an effective drama which brings to the screen the case involving the murder of model Caroline Byrne in 1995. But whilst it has the specifics of the case it also ends up following the formula other similar true crime movies have followed so we have the emotion of a father wanting justice, flashbacks to how Caroline met Gordon, and the increasing level of suspicion which focused on Gordon as we get a glimpse of how he acted following the death along with a look at new relationships.

Now I am not going to say too much more about "A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne" as whilst the acting is good it is also mostly routine. What I will say is that this movie was released back in 2009 a year after the story seemingly came to a conclusion with a court case. But let me tell you now the story doesn't end there and you can read up on what happened next if you search for "Death of Caroline Byrne".

What this all boils down to is that "A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne" is for me a routine TV movie which dramatizes a murder case. As such whilst I am sure it has more power for those who remember the true story when it was in the news for movie fans it is no better or worse than any other similar true crime movie.


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