The Caregiver [2023] – TUBI Review (1/5)

THE CAREGIVER on TUBI is a thriller that is so full of tropes, that you could make a drinking game out of it. In other words, it’s the kind of movie that could’ve been fun if it was made with a tongue-in-cheek campy vibe. Unfortunately, it isn’t. Read our full The Caregiver (2023) movie review here!

THE CAREGIVER is a new TUBI Original that could have worked but simply does not. The plot of this thriller has no real surprises. Well, except for a final twist meant to really shock you but by this time, I was so numb from the stupidity. I’m sorry if that sounds harsh as I really am not someone who enjoys bashing movies in reviews.

The movie has a runtime of 1 hour and 41 minutes which is definitely too long. Still, if you want to have fun with something that has no surprises and quite a few over-the-top character portrayals (I blame the directors, not the actors), then do check it out.

Continue reading our The Caregiver (2023) movie review below. Find it on TUBI from October 26, 2023.

“Bitch, are you that crazy?!”

The words “Bitch, are you that crazy?!” is an actual line from The Caregiver (2023), and one that I felt deeply. In a good way, actually, because I was quite frustrated with the storyline, but finally someone said something that made sense. And yes, the storyline has many issues.

There’s the very laid-back approach to even hiring a caregiver. A live-in caregiver, I might add. The timeline that feels completely off. Tempering with a crime scene but after the police have been at the scene to collect evidence and so much more. To be fair, some of these things are covered, but just not in very believable ways.

What I don’t understand is why these TUBI movies don’t utilize what they have going for them better. A movie like The Housekeeper went the very kitsch way, while Deadly Midwife managed to go the darker route. I enjoy either style. Just not this very half-hearted one that lacks any and all passion.

However, everything from the plot to the dialogue and the over-the-top acting (which I am sure was encouraged) just falls flat. It leaves me completely cold when we get the “soap opera stare”. You know the one, where a person is asked a question, and then their eyes sort of twitch and they stare off into empty space. Yeah, this movie has quite a lot of that.

Watch it for Jennifer Freeman

What did work in the 2023 thriller The Caregiver was one actor: Jennifer Freeman. She plays a police officer and is the only one who manages to sound believable. The one star is absolutely for her. Jennifer Freeman is also a producer on the movie, though her name is strangely lacking on the IMDb page of the movie. Both in the cast and production.

Apart from her performance, it truly is a cringe-fest. Including the character of Gerald. Supposedly a disabled teenager, who can’t really use his arms, but he has the upper body of a gymnast. Hey, good for the actor (Perry Madison who has been on American Ninja Warrior several times), but extremely wrong for this character!

The title character is portrayed by Tationna Bosier, who does what she can with what she’s given. Unfortunately, she’s given some terrible scenes to work with. Tationna Bosier does actually portray the character in the over-the-top and almost campy way required. It’s just that everything around her is made to be serious. It’s like oil and water and never really works.

I did also like Vanessa Simmons (Boogie Town) as the mother of Gerald, but she has to struggle with the poor storyline she’s given.

Watch The Caregiver on TUBI now!

The writers and directors of the 2023 The Caregiver on TUBI are Bobby Peoples and Renee S. Warren Peoples. I haven’t watched any of their previous movies, and I can’t say I feel like I’ve missed out. On paper, this story could be brutal and dark or it could be very kitsch and campy.

Both would’ve been fine with me. This strange in-between style does not work for me. At all. We have the grotesque campiness of the story highlighted by having very serious performances from the cast.

As a thriller, this movie is so full of tropes that it would make for a wonderful drinking game. Whenever a character overtly flirts or switches personality, you could take a shot. Of course, you’d be passed out drunk within the first act, but still. Look, have fun with it, and you’ll be fine. Just don’t expect a movie that is actually a dark thriller. This movie cannot deliver on that.

The Caregiver (2023) is out on TUBI from October 26, 2023.

Details

Directors: Bobby Peoples, Renee S. Warren Peoples
Writers: Bobby Peoples, Renee S. Warren Peoples
Cast: Vanessa Simmons, Tationna Bosier, Jennifer Freeman, Jerome Ro Brooks, Maurice G. Smith, Whitney Bowers, Perry Madison, Mike Strong