The Client List: An Original Lifetime Movie Based on a True Story

The Client List starts out with a young married couple who are in financial trouble because of the economy. Rex Horton (Teddy Sears), the husband, lost his construction job and has a bum knee. Samantha (Jennifer Love Hewitt), the wife, lost her therapy job due to cut backs. After trying to apply for a loan, all the couple got was a one-month extension from the bank for their mortgage. If The Hortons do not make a mortgage payment by the end of the extension, the bank will foreclose on their house. This attractive couple has three kids, so being homeless was not an option. Plus, their oldest daughter needs braces and they have mounting medical bills from Rex's knee injury. As Rex struggles to find work, Samantha is applying to every business she encounters, but no one is hiring. Then, she found a massage polar an hour away from her hometown. Being a licensed massage therapist, Sam jumped at the opportunity and got the job. What she didn't know at the time was the massage polar is a front for a prostitution business. Once Sam realized this, she quit. But after her card was declined at a gas pump, Sam turned around the next day and went back. Sam Horton turned into a popular prostitute overnight and under the nose of her husband, mother (Cybill Shepherd), friends, and children.

During one point in the movie, The Hortons celebrated Christmas. Sam bought a big tree, lots of presents for the kids, expensive jewelry for her mother, and a motorcycle for her husband. At this point, I could not believe that Rex didn't suspect something fishing going on. Just a few months ago, they were about to lose their house and all of a sudden the wife buys the husband a motorcycle. I just can't believe Rex didn't start spitting out questions. After all, Sam's front was a massage therapist, not a doctor.

Well of course, a church group got wind of the prostitution ring and hounded city hall when the cops kept ignoring their complaints (some of the local cops were clients, too). Bad enough Sam was arrested for prostitution, but she was also charged with possession of cocaine, which one of her "clients" gave her as a gift and yes she used it.

I understand why Samantha Horton did what she did. Her family was facing financial ruin, so much so that the roof over their heads was in jeopardy. Don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to make excuses for her. I'm just saying I understand it. A lot of people have and still are suffering from the bad economy and The Client List is an example of how desperate people are these days. Samantha Horton sold herself to save what she and her family had, but still ended up losing it all. It's an interesting, but sad movie.

Jennifer Love Hewitt did a phenomenal acting job. However, I do wish they utilized Cybill Shepard more. Shepard is a popular veteran in the business, so I'm sure they had to pay her pretty good bucks. Why not put Shepard in as many scenes as you can? All and all, The Client List is a great movie with a nice moral lesson in the end. No matter how bad things get, keep doing the right thing. No one ever prospers by doing illegal and immoral deeds no matter what the reasons are. It all catches up to you eventually.