The College Admissions Scandal

Last updated
The College Admissions Scandal
The College Admissions Scandal.jpg
Promotional poster
Written by Stephen Tolkin
Directed byAdam Salky
Starring Penelope Ann Miller
Mia Kirshner
Michael Shanks
Country of origin United States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerGail Katz
Running time87 minutes
Production companyVarsity Films
Original release
Network Lifetime
ReleaseOctober 12, 2019 (2019-10-12)

The College Admissions Scandal is a 2019 TV film that aired on Lifetime as part of its "Ripped from the Headlines" feature film. The film is based on the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal and stars Penelope Ann Miller, Mia Kirshner, and Michael Shanks. [1] It tells a fictional account of the event that involves two fictional characters.

Contents

Premise

Caroline DeVere (Penelope Ann Miller) and Bethany Slade (Mia Kirshner) are two wealthy mothers. Caroline is an interior designer and Bethany owns a financial services firm. When they want their teenagers to get into a college, they resort to paying Rick Singer (Michael Shanks) to get them in. [2]

Cast

Production

On September 5, 2019, ET Online reported that characters in the film would be depicted by actresses Mia Kirshner and Penelope Ann Miller in roles inspired by Lori Loughlin's and Felicity Huffman's involvement in the college admissions matter. Describing her role, Kirshner was quoted saying, "This story is about privilege and corruption and it's about people who don't follow the rules because they think they're above rules... My character (based on Loughlin but named "Bethany" in the film) is so corrupt, greedy, narcissistic, self-centered, and the dialogue is hilarious, so I'm glad that they're able to capture humor about this as well." [1]

Reception

The film premiered with a 719,000 viewers. [3] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film scored a 71% based on seven reviews. [4] On Metacritic, the film scored a 57 based on 7 critic reviews. [5]

Gwen Ihnat of The A.V. Club gave the film a C+. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William H. Macy</span> American actor (born 1950)

William Hall Macy Jr. is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He is two-time Emmy Award and four-time Screen Actors Guild Award winner, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, a Drama Critics' Circle Award, and five Golden Globe Awards.

Lori Anne Loughlin is an American actress. From 1988 to 1995, she played Rebecca Donaldson Katsopolis on the ABC sitcom Full House, and reprised the role for its Netflix sequel Fuller House (2016–2018). Loughlin is also known for her roles of Jody Travis in The Edge of Night (1980–1983), Debbie Wilson in The CW series 90210 (2008–2012), Jennifer Shannon in the Garage Sale Mystery television film series (2013–2018), and Abigail Stanton in When Calls the Heart (2013–2019). She was a co-creator, producer, and star of the two seasons of The WB series Summerland (2004–2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mia Kirshner</span> Canadian actress (born 1975)

Mia Kirshner is a Canadian actress, writer, and social activist. She is known for television roles as Mandy in 24 (2001–2005), as Jenny Schecter in The L Word (2004–2009), as Amanda Grayson in Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2019) and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2023), and as Isobel Flemming in The Vampire Diaries (2010–2011). Her film credits include Love and Human Remains (1993), Exotica (1994), The Crow: City of Angels (1996), Mad City (1997), Not Another Teen Movie (2001), and The Black Dahlia (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felicity Huffman</span> American actress (born 1962)

Felicity Kendall Huffman is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Lynette Scavo in the ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives and her role as a transgender woman in the film Transamerica (2005). Over her career she has received numerous accolades including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as well as a nomination for an Academy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenda Strong</span> American actress (born 1960)

Brenda Lee Strong is an American actress. She began her career in television, including guest starring appearances in Twin Peaks, Party of Five, Seinfeld, Scandal, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Blossom and Sports Night. She was a regular cast member in the series Desperate Housewives (2004–2012).

<i>The Pompatus of Love</i> 1996 American film

The Pompatus of Love is a 1996 American comedy film that tells the story of four guys discussing women and the meaning of the word "pompatus". This made-up word is found in two Steve Miller songs, "Enter Maurice" and "The Joker", the latter of which contains the line "Some people call me Maurice / 'cause I speak of the pompatus of love". Wolfman Jack can also be heard using the term in his spoken lines in The Guess Who's "Clap for the Wolfman."

<i>Back to the Beach</i> 1987 film by Lyndall Hobbs

Back to the Beach is a 1987 American comedy film starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, directed by Lyndall Hobbs. The original music score is composed by Steve Dorff. The film generated a total domestic gross of $13,110,903. It received a "two thumbs up" rating from Siskel and Ebert, who compared it favorably to Grease.

<i>Transamerica</i> (film) 2005 independent comedy-drama film directed by Duncan Tucker

Transamerica is a 2005 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Duncan Tucker, and starring Felicity Huffman and Kevin Zegers. Released by IFC Films and The Weinstein Company, the film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 14, 2005, and to theaters in the United States on December 2, 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mossimo</span> Mid-range American clothing company

Mossimo was a sportswear and accessories company, founded in 1986 by designer Mossimo Giannulli that was acquired by Iconix Brand Group in 2006. Mossimo specialized in youth and teenage clothing such as shirts, jeans, jackets, socks, underwear, and accessories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathaniel M. Gorton</span> American judge (born 1938)

Nathaniel Matheson Gorton is an American lawyer who has served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts since 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Buckingham</span> American author and businesswoman

Jane Ruth Buckingham is an American author and businesswoman who founded the consumer insights firm Trendera. She is known for writing "The Modern Girl's Guide to Life" book series, which spawned the television series of the same name. She was convicted in the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal.

<i>American Crime</i> (TV series) 2015 American crime drama television series

American Crime is an American anthology crime drama television series created by John Ridley that aired on ABC from March 5, 2015, to April 30, 2017. The first season centers on race, class, and gender politics as it follows the lives of the participants in a trial who are forever changed during the legal process.

Garage Sale Mystery is an American/Canadian mystery film series starring Lori Loughlin as Jennifer Shannon. It is based on the Garage Sale Mystery book series written by Suzi Weinert. The Hallmark series aired on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in the US, Bravo in Canada and Channel 5 in the UK occasionally as part of the weekday films. Fifteen films aired from the 2013 pilot film, until the series was cancelled in 2019 after Loughlin was fired from Hallmark.

<i>Rhapsody in Bloom</i> 1998 American film

Rhapsody in Bloom is a 1998 American television film, starring Penelope Ann Miller, Ron Silver, Craig Sheffer and Caroline Goodall. It was directed by Craig Saavedra.

<i>Otherhood</i> 2019 American comedy film

Otherhood is a 2019 American comedy film, directed by Cindy Chupack, from a screenplay by Chupack and Mark Andrus. It is based upon the 2008 novel Whatever Makes You Happy by William Sutcliffe and follows three suburban mothers who show up at their sons' New York City homes unannounced. It stars Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, Felicity Huffman, Jake Hoffman, Jake Lacy, and Sinqua Walls.

Operation Varsity Blues was the code name for the investigation into the 2019 criminal conspiracy scandal to influence undergraduate admissions decisions at several top American universities.

Olivia Jade Giannulli is an American YouTuber, and daughter of fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli and actress Lori Loughlin. While in high school, Giannulli began a social media career on YouTube and Instagram. As of 2024, both accounts have amassed more than one million followers. Giannulli's fraudulent application to the University of Southern California was a prominent part of the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal.

"Star City 2040" is the sixteenth episode of the seventh season of the American television series Arrow, based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, revolving around billionaire playboy Oliver Queen as he returns to Starling City, after having been shipwrecked for five years, and becomes a bow-wielding, hooded vigilante who sets out to fight crime and corruption. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the universe. The episode was written by showrunner Beth Schwartz and Oscar Balderrama and directed by James Bamford.

Rock Steady Row is a 2018 American drama film directed by Trevor Stevens and featuring Diamond White, Logan Huffman and Larry Miller. It is Stevens' feature directorial debut.

<i>Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal</i> 2021 documentary film

Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal is an American documentary film about the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal. The movie stars Matthew Modine as Rick Singer and features reenactments as well as interviews with real people involved in the scandal.

References

  1. 1 2 "Felicity Huffman & Lori Loughlin-Inspired 'College Admissions Scandal' Movie Gets First Trailer (Exclusive)" . Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  2. Petski, Denise (2019-08-12). "'The College Admissions Scandal': Penelope Ann Miller & Mia Kirshner To Headline Lifetime Movie". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  3. "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.12.2019". Showbuzz Daily. October 15, 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  4. "The College Admissions Scandal". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  5. The College Admissions Scandal , retrieved 2019-10-21
  6. "Lifetime's The College Admissions Scandal is as bland as its title". The A.V. Club. 2019-10-11. Retrieved 2024-07-13.