When Lifetime adapted the Jodi Picoult novel, Plain Truth into a film, I knew I had to see it. And now that the adaptation has been released on DVD, Picoult fans and movie fans alike can add the film to their movie collection!

Release Date: July 13, 2010
Running Time: 86 minutes

Inspired by the best-selling Jodi Picoult novel of the same name, PLAIN TRUTH is a riveting, mutli-layered drama starring Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’s Mariska Hargitay as the tenacious criminal lawyer who sheds her urban persona to infiltrate the small Pennsylvania Amish community where her client stands accused of a shocking murder. In PLAIN TRUTH, after a newborn is found dead in a peaceful Amish farming community, people begin asking: was it a tragic accident or murder? That’s the shocking question facing Ellie Harrison (Hargitay), a high-profile criminal lawyer who ditches her self-indulgent city life to head to rural Pennsylvania, where she must defend the Amish teenager accused of killing her own baby. Despite the surmounting evidence, 18-year-old Katie (Alison Pill) insists that she was never pregnant. In search of the truth – and her client’s secrets – Ellie attempts to blend in with the Amish community and break down the barriers of this very private society. Can she discover what really happened in a world that doesn’t welcome outsiders?

Plain Truth is a pretty good adaptation of a Jodi Picout novel. I loved how much of the dialogue was literally lifted off of the pages from the novel. Though Jodi Picoult puts a lot of research into her novels and a lot of depth into her characters and I don’t think that enough of that detail was displayed in the film. There were a few scenes that I was anticipating seeing in the film that were not in the film, so that was disappointing. It was not disappointing because I had an urge to see those scenes come to life, moreso because it simply helps tell the story better.

Still, overall I did enjoy the film. The pace of the film was somewhat slow and the book was as well, so that was to be expected. The tone of the film was spot on and the mystery aspect evolved quite well throughout the film. Mariska Hargitay was a very smart choice for the role of Ellie and Mariska was just as captivating as I expected her to be. I love how she brought her character to life. Allison Pill is not someone that I would have thought of for the role of Katie, but she delivered. There is quite a disturbing twist at the end that may or may not have viewers yearning for more signs of this outcome…which you can find in the novel.

Honestly, if you have never read a Jodi Picoult novel, I would not recommend picking up Plain Truth as the first one to start off with. I would recommend you to watch this film and then if you are intrigued, to read the novel. Though to me, there are much more captivating Jodi Picoult novels and as far as Jodi Picoult adaptations, My Sister’s Keeper is really one worth buying on DVD! Back to Plain Truth though, don’t let the fact that this is a Lifetime movie discourage you from watching. The quality of this film is much better than the average Lifetime film so if there is any Lifetime film to watch it would be this one.

There are no Bonus Features on this DVD.

Own Plain Truth on DVD today.