After being wrongfully convicted of murder, Monica (Raven Goodwin) has finally been exonerated—but freedom comes at a price. Though the charges against her have been dropped, the stain of suspicion lingers, and reclaiming her life, her career, and the trust of those around her is proving to be an uphill battle. Meanwhile, the real threat has yet to vanish. Simone (Amber Riley), now a fugitive, has fled to a convent in Mexico, having no choice but to abandon Houston, along with the one thing she truly cared about—her daughter, Joy (Kennedy Chanel). When a terrifying nightmare shakes her to the core, Simone becomes convinced Joy is in danger and returns to Houston, for a final reckoning between the estranged half-sisters. It’s only a matter of time before old grudges resurface and Monica and Simone come face-to-face. K. Michelle reprises her role as Monica’s best friend Bebe. 

Recap/Wine Thoughts

The movie recaps what happens in the first two movies, but it doesn’t clarify anything for me TBH.

Monica is in jail for Simone’s crimes, but she is released based on DNA findings. Bebe helps Monica get back on her feet, uses the publicity to become famous, and even presses her friend to start dating. (Bebe! It is too soon.) Monica’s boss, Nathan, calls and offers her her old news reporter job, but Monica declines. She has other plans, like finding Simone and helping the cops get justice. The friend decides to go back to Huston to find Simone or at least lure Simone to them.

Trevor’s sister Ebony is convinced that Monica killed her brother and won’t have it any other way. She is actually a detective and is fitting to lose her job if she doesn’t let Monica go live her life. (Has Ebony never heard of double jeopardy?) Ebony gets the go-ahead to look for Simone, and she is on the case.

Monica talks to Nathan and pitches a podcast about the wrongfully incarcerated. Nathan is into the idea and green-lights the project. (Nathan and Monica need to date TBH!)

Simone is in the damn nunnery like she is Maria from The Sound of Music. Simone helps her daughter (???), Joy, navigate bullies online. (I bet those bullies won’t survive the movie.) Simone tries to get reassigned to Huston so that she can be close to her daughter and stop the bullying. The bullying is so ridiculous, and Shevaun, the bully, is just a terrible person. No one is amused by her antics.

A video Shevaun makes of bullying Joy goes viral, and she goes live to her followers in a dark alley and is run over. RIP Shevaun. After (Allegedly) killing Shevaun, Simone meets up with her daughter and tells Joy not to worry about others judging her anymore.

The next person to be murdered is Sister Somebody, the nun who helped Simone escape capture in the first or second movie. It seems a little too convenient to be Simone on a murderous rampage, so I think Monica is framing Simone. Detective Ebony investigates the crime scene and is sure Simone is responsible. Simone is devastated by the loss and is actually Sister Somebody’s beneficiary.

Ebony stakes out the church and sees Simone leaving in her nun habit. Ebony trails Simone and follows her to Joy’s house. Joy and Simone are inside, having a sleepover, and doing hair. Joy worries that she could be on Monica’s hit list since it seems Monica is out for revenge. Simone tells Joy that she can’t stay long or risk being caught, and she doesn’t want Joy to get in trouble for harboring a fugitive.

Just when it seems like Monica is the one responsible, she is ready to get out of town after finding out about the murder in the city. Then, her break goes out while she is driving, and the police discover Monica’s breaks have been cut. IT IS TIME FOR MONICA TO GO! Bebe wants to go to the police and share the information she has been researching with another detective named Walter. Monica learns about Joy and even has her license plate. Monica goes to Joy’s college and keeps an eye on the college freshman.

Ebony isn’t far off the trail and gets Joy’s transcripts from the school. She also goes to group therapy for grieving people. Ebony finds out that Joy’s adoptive parents had a hard time with Joy and found her to be very manipulative. Ebony realizes that Simone is Joy’s birth mother.

Joy has the house to herself and invites a boy named Devin over. Devin has ulterior motives and works for the school paper or something; we aren’t here for this C-plot drama. While Devin and Joy make out, someone spikes Devin’s drink. Devin goes into convulsions, and Joy goes to call for help, but when she comes back, Devin’s body is gone. Joy rushes to Simone and cries. Joy is afraid Monica is trying to kill her.

SIMONE AND MONICA FINALLY COME BACK TOGETHER. They pull guns on each other and accuse one another of crimes they claim to have not committed. Simone realizes Ebony has a reason to want them both dead. They smell gas and rush out of the house, and it explodes with some very sus looking CGI. Bebe is shocked to see Monica and Simone together and tries to call the police. They fill her in about Ebony. Simone asks them to help her keep Joy safe, and she promises to confess everything.

Ebony has Joy alone at a cottage, and she lays all her cards on the table. Joy tricks Ebony into going into the shed and pitchforks her to death. Then Monica and Simone show up, and Joy pulls a gun on them. The police arrive just as Monica beats Joy down.

One year later, Monica creates her own podcast, and it is very successful. She writes a letter to Simone in jail and offers her half-sister forgiveness.

Simone is touched and in jail with Joy. It’s a mother/daughter ward, I guess!

I guess.

STRAY Thoughts

I thought this was entertaining enough despite not remembering any of the source material.

Overall rating

Number of Kills: (4 knives)

Lifetime Tropes: Stalking, Bullying,

Enjoyment Level (1-5 scale)

(3 Glasses of Wine)

Should you watch it?

Pour it Up (Give it a shot!)

Put a Cork in it! (Skip it!)

What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments