Lifetime’s ‘Trapped in Her Dorm Room’ Tackles Toxic Male Entitlement [Review]

Sometimes the pleasure of a good Lifetime film is how ridiculous it is. But there’s something to be said for a simple, grounded story done well.

Trapped in Her Dorm Room has the potential to be completely over the top. As written by Casey John, however, the story about an obsessive, entitled man who imprisons his crush in her college room over Spring Break is chillingly plausible (the story does, in fact, allege to be ‘Inspired by true events’).

Erin Wallace (Ciara Hanna) is a promising art student living a relatively sheltered life. She’s a scholarship student, which means she’s obsessed with her grades, much to the chagrin of her roommate Kaley (Aja Hinds), who wants her to cut loose and come to Daytona Beach for Spring Break. Erin demurs, arguing that she needs the quiet time to work on a major project.

Her decision appeals to Cade Rowlands (Will Sparks III), the nice guy in Erin’s program who is obviously obsessed with her. Cade also plans to stay on the nearly deserted campus in order to try and woo Erin while everyone is away.

Things come to a head when Kaley convinces Erin to change her mind, resulting in an argument between the artist and Cade that takes a violent turn when he pursues Erin into her room. Our lead is knocked out and, when Erin awakens, she discovers that Cade has tied her to the bed. With Kaley on vacation and Erin’s overbearing mom, Andrea (Nicole Dionne) mistakenly went with her, Erin is left at the mercy of a jealous, possessive, and potentially violent man for a week.

The film adopts the usual Lifetime approach by opening at the end and then flashing back, so we know in advance that Erin escapes Cade’s clutches at some point. It’s one of the few major missteps Trapped in Her Dorm Room makes, if only because the framing device adds very little value aside from an obvious opening hook.

The film is best when director Peter Sullivan lets Hanna and Sparks III do their thing, with sporadic complications introduced to shake up the primarily single-setting film. The vast majority of Trapped in Her Dorm Room takes place in the titular dorm, but Sullivan trusts the interactions between captive and captor to carry the drama.

Hanna delivers a quietly compelling performance. For large chunks of the run time, Erin is either tied to her bed or her desk and while the character is put through the emotional wringer, Erin is no damsel in distress. Our protagonist frequently makes smart, believable choices to either placate Cade or seize on opportunities for escape.

The MVP of the film, however, is Sparks III, who effortlessly channels the disarming likability of an entitled straight white man. There’s definitely a soft incel vibe in Cade’s desire to control Erin, particularly when her sexuality (ie: she should be with him and no one else, otherwise she’s “just like the other girls”). John’s script wisely has Erin challenge him on this subject in a way that doesn’t feel preachy, but definitely gets the point across.

As the film progresses, additional characters and developments are introduced to shake up the narrative. These include Anna (Ishika Muchhal), the RA on Erin’s floor who some suspicious activity and begins to monitor the situation. There’s also campus security officer Sophia Tate (Jessica A. Caesar), who performs a wellness check on Erin and later connects the dots when Andrea realizes something is very wrong.

The fact that all of the characters who become embroiled in the story are women is no coincidence. Trapped in Her Dorm Room engenders sympathy for its male antagonist with an abusive backstory in its back half, but for the most part, the film openly acknowledges the dangers of toxic masculinity, unchecked mental illness, and how vital it is to believe women.

Even if some of the developments stretch credibility, Cade’s actions throughout the film reinforce how easy it is for men to play into and manipulate social hierarchies to their benefit. Erin is a survivor who repeatedly fights for her own freedom, but it is only because of the interjections of multiple women who refuse to dismiss their gut instincts that she is discovered.

Trapped in Her Dorm Room isn’t the most bombastic Lifetime movie, but it tells its simple story exceedingly well. Hanna and Sparks III anchor the film with grounded performances. The story unfolds in a believable, but entertaining fashion so that the film never becomes boring. It’s just a solidly entertaining thriller with an extremely relevant perspective on unchecked male entitlement.

Trapped in Her Dorm Room airs on Lifetime Movie Network on March 21 at 8pm EST.

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