This is a TV movie based on a true story. The killer is Phillip who does extremely well at medical school, and chases a new student Megan, pushing for her to be with him instead of studying. He was creepy from the very start. They moved in together only 6 months after they first met, and soon he wanted to marry her, and they both have a joint bank account. The girl Megan comes across as totally brainwashed by Phillip, even when he fails to pay any rent and drains the bank account when she needs money and when he turns up home at very late hours. She's not even suspicious when he returns home from scratches on his neck. In fact no one asks him about that later on. One of his victims who was found dead scratched him. He was an evil killer and this TV movie kind of humanised him and romanticised him. Why did they put on sickly music and show Phillip and Megan in a heavenly scene talking about their future together with children? It seemed very weird and sick. The victims never got justice but atleast they know he was responsible. Megan dumped the engagement ring in prison and packed away the wedding dress. That scene played more sad music, which was inappropriate and unecessary because she's a moron completely besotted by her murderer evil boyfriend. I didn't like this film at all. TV movies are often good at making films based on true events, and also even if they add some changes they're always good but this film was dull and almost sympathetic to the killer.

OK, so when I went to buy one of my favorite films from Blockbuster, I found out that it was one of those Buy One, Get One Free deals. The only other movie, which had at least a dozen copies left, was a Lifetime original movie entitled The Craigslist Killer. At first, I had no intent of actually watching it, but will nothing to do, I watched it. To start off, it is much better than I thought and probably one the best if not the best Lifetime film ever (remember, it's Lifetime and the movies are cheesy and bad). About the first 20 to 30 minuets of the movie are all about showing how Phillip Markoff (Jake McDorman)and Megan McAllister (Agnes Bruckner) met and fell in love. Then, the film takes off. Bruckner and William Baldwin who plays Detective Bennett provide very believing roles, but McDorman's is mediocre. None the less, the film becomes very intriguing with Markoff living a double life as a good boy doctor and a criminal. Then the last ten minuets happen. In real life, Markoff didn't actually love McAllister but used her as cover. In the movie, obviously a Lifetime trademark, they make it this corny, mushy movie in which Markoff takes his own life and writes his so-called love's name on the wall. The music is terrible, the acting is decent, the story is very interesting, and the romance is horrible. Could be a 7 or 6 without the end, but a 5/10 which is none the less watchable. If it's on TV and you have nothing to do, you should watch it.

Made for TV films used to be a standard thing on Television. Every Sunday night you could catch a rather typical but entertaining film about spousal abuse or kidnappings or serial killers. Now films like that are almost exclusively saved for 'Lifetime' or 'AMC' or other cable networks. The Craigslist Killer attempts to tell a true crime story within a small budget and still entertain and tell a real story that happened. It is entertaining and it is decently made but the small budget shows and the performances are just alright making this decent but quite obviously slapped together in many ways.The film does really revolve and rely on the performance of Jake McDorman who plays medical student and killer Philip Markoff. His performance is okay but it is also rather cheesy at times and laughable when it should be serious and really twisted. He sort of lets down. Agnes Bruckner gives a much better performance as the completely oblivious girlfriend/fiancée. Her performance makes you feel for her and really understand her character. The supporting cast are passable but really add nothing that stands out including that of William Baldwin who is probably the most recognizable name in the film.As I said the movie is passable and watchable and reasonably entertaining. It certainly tells the story well enough and gets all the points across. I suppose the only downfall is that it is in the made for TV mentality which makes it that much less impressive that the current age of big screen thrillers. Still for a TV movie it is watchable. Director Stephen Kay is a TV director and he plays by the book. Tell the story, deal with the actors given. True crime fans will enjoy it. 6/10

Though very much different, why did the last scene evoke memories of Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1951's "A Place in the Sun?"Philip Markoff had it all. Brilliant beyond belief, a winning personality and a girl who loved him deeply, and yet he threw it away due to the fact that he was a complete psycho. Amazing that he was able to balance his life for as long as he did.The film didn't concentrate on his family life other than to say that his parents separated and his mother showed up at his engagement party. As quickly as she showed up, that's how fast she evaporated from the film.Once the police were on to Philip, he goes downhill very quickly.You wonder how is fiancé could have been naive. Love is certainly blind.