Untamed Love is based on a true story adapted from the book One Child. However it has the sheen of a 1990s typical made for cable television film and not a very good one at that.
Maggie (Cathy Lee Crosby) is a devoted teacher to a class of students with special educational needs. She reluctantly accepts a 6 year old girl, Caitlin who comes from a disturbed background and refuses to speak. Caitlin who is uncooperative at first slowly blossoms.
However Maggie finds out that Caitlin may be sent to a state mental institution and she and her lawyer boyfriend fights to keep her out especially as it seems Caitlin has emotionally developed a lot and has a high IQ.
The problem with the movie is that it is like a lot of true life films of that era. Emotionally manipulative, half baked and flatly scripted and directed. It lacks grittiness. Caitlin comes from a rough, dirty background but we never really get the feel of it although they make the father out to be a boorish, trailer trash scumbag.
There are hints that her father sexually abuses Caitlin but that aspect of the story is not fully explored apart from when she is suddenly taken to hospital.
The film has been sanitised so much you can smell the antiseptic through the television screen.
