Though this was based on a true story, the characters are so stereotypical. Men are really shown here to be a bunch of drunken,lecherous fellows and the woman involved is common, loose, but loves her young son. How the child could be this well developed under such an environment is missing. Then, there is also her mother, very stereotyped, common, loose lips, aggressive, but with a good heart.

A woman who had a child with a drunk, marries another liquor taker who adopts the boy. Both the woman and young boy are subjected to his disgusting ways and she flees, only to be charged with his kidnapping.

There is a sympathetic sheriff who doubts the guy's story and the ending is justified.

Anyone see any similarity in looks between our heroine and Kellyanne Conway?

"A Mother's Escape" (a.k.a., "Great Plains") is the story of a mother's love for her child. Murel is the mom who leaves her abusive husband, only to be arrested on charges of kidnapping because she was attempting to keep her little boy Kipp ("Kipper") away from a father who was a monster.

The film features two exceptional performances by the women playing Murel and her Aunt Tess, who aids and abets Murel in her escape with little Kipper. Another intriguing character was the sheriff, Randall, who felt sympathy for Murel, but was hamstrung by the aggressive attorney representing Tommy, the husband who was an alcoholic, a liar, and a wife batterer.

The best line in the film is spoken by Sheriff Randall, when his partner, a female cop trained in New York, researches Tommy's past and claims that he is a "church man." Randall's response is priceless: "I've known plenty of church men with lots of secrets."

The screenplay was sloppy at the end, where it was never made clear what happened to Tommy. If he survived, he almost certainly would have his attorney prosecute Murel for shooting him and carrying off Kipper. Did the sheriff make the decision to play judge, jury, and executioner? We only see him holding the pistol at the end. Whatever his decision was, he and two very strong women, Murel and Aunt Tess, were clearly doing it for the Kipper!

Showing bruises on her face and thigh, Oklahoma blonde Tara Buck (as Murel) is driving to California with her seven-year-old son Spencer Mabrey (as Kipp). They are attempting to separate from Ms. Buck's bearded, beer-drinking husband Damon Carney (as Tommy). He is an abusive husband and step-father. Making the journey difficult, Mr. Carney has accused Buck of kidnapping his step-son and the police are searching for the bruised, blonde mother. Desperate to protect her son, Buck visits relatives while trying to avoid the police and her husband...

"Inspired by a true story," this drama plays alongside other "Lifetime TV" stories, but it is not at all like the channel's celebrated "psycho killer" genre movies. This is a thoroughly serious domestic abuse story. Director Blair Hayes and his cast bring Buck and the characters she meets to life quite realistically. Each segment in "A Mother's Escape" arrives in time to help move what is essentially a slow, low-budget drama. The story could have been done as a higher budgeted feature film. It does not distinguish itself in stark realism, but impressively attempts.

****** A Mother's Escape/ Great Plains (7/21/2016) Blair Hayes ~ Tara Buck, Spencer Mabrey, Damon Carney, Beth Grant