surprise visit real story

The Surprise Visit (2022): What is the True Story Behind the Film?

As ‘The Surprise Visit’ unfolds, Annabelle and Casey grapple with their drug addiction, realizing the need for a fresh start as they anticipate becoming parents. Faced with financial challenges, the couple decides to overcome their substance abuse, driven by a desperate desire to provide a stable and nurturing environment for their unborn child. In a twist of fate, Casey discovers that Mrs. Dixon, his father’s employer, will be out of town for the weekend.

Faced with financial struggles and a desire for a fresh start, Casey proposes a risky plan to Annabelle—to commit a robbery as their final act of desperation. They intend to secure enough resources to embark on a new life for their unborn child, steering away from the challenges of their current circumstances. Directed by Nick Lyon, the story of the 2022 movie explores the lengths people go to when pushed to the brink and delves into the moral and ethical complexities surrounding their choices.

The Surprise Visit is Inspired by Real Events

The writers of ‘The Surprise Visit,’ Nathan Cowles, Andrew Fein, and Serah Henesey, drew inspiration from a true story connected to Serah Henesey’s husband, Nathan Cowles’ family homestead, which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tale reportedly revolves around the previous owner, also named Mrs. Dixon, who, after being widowed, left her property to visit her sister for the weekend. During her absence, the housekeeper, Eric Roberts, unknowingly shared the information with her drug-addicted son and his girlfriend about the vacant house.

Learning of their pregnancy, the couple attempted to rob the residence. However, the unexpected arrival of Mrs. Dixon’s daughter and son-in-law on the same night led to their apprehension, mirroring the film’s theme of desperate actions with unexpected consequences. ‘The Surprise Visit’ masterfully captures the raw and unforgiving realities of addiction, providing an unfiltered glimpse into the tumultuous lives of individuals ensnared in the clutches of substance abuse and economic hardship.

With a keen eye for authenticity, the film explores the complex relationship between addiction and poverty, exposing the vulnerabilities that drive individuals to make desperate and often misguided decisions. Annabelle and Casey’s journey becomes a reflection point for the societal challenges surrounding substance abuse, shedding light on the relentless cycle of struggle and the profound consequences it inflicts upon those entangled in its grip. Drug addiction in the country remains a pervasive issue that affects individuals, families, and communities across the nation.

The country grapples with a multifaceted crisis involving a range of substances, from opioids and stimulants to marijuana and alcohol. Contributing factors to the epidemic include the widespread availability of prescription painkillers, socioeconomic disparities, mental health challenges, and a lack of comprehensive addiction treatment resources. One of how the problem of addiction manifests itself is through a rise in criminal activities, and the movie has been able to bring this conversation to the forefront.

The film draws a significant dose of reality from its carefully chosen shooting locations. Much of the filming took place in a secluded area on the outskirts of Virginia, providing the actors and the creative team with an immersive environment. This isolation mirrored the experiences of the characters in the movie, creating not only a captivating cinematographic journey that enhances the horror elements but also an authenticity that resonates with the script and the overall backdrop of the film. The deliberate selection of these locations contributes to the film’s ability to evoke a genuine sense of despair and desperation.

Director Nick Lyon and actor Serah Henesey acknowledge the deliberate Hollywoodization of the true story that served as the inspiration for their film’s universe. While certain elements, such as character names, have been altered, and fictionalized events have been introduced in the latter part of the narrative, the makers proclaim that the movie successfully maintains a sense of believability. Despite these creative liberties, the film remains an entertaining watch, blending reality and fiction to craft a film that entertains the audience.

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Is The Surprise Visit a true story? The movie’s connection to true crime

• by Kate Marin
•  – on Nov 27, 2023
•  in Film

The Surprise Visit  tells the story of a desperate couple who break into a mansion intending to make away with as much as they can. Aware that the owner has left town, they do not expect any resistance. However, the couple, young drug addicts, are unaware of a visit by the owner’s relatives.

The Surprise Visit  is based on a true break-in attempt on the home of the co-writer’s husband

The Surprise Visit  is loosely based on a true crime. Serah Henesey, one of the film’s writers, based the narrative on a break-in attempt at her husband’s family’s home. However, the movie’s creators embellished the story to make it more entertaining. 

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‘The Surprise Visit’ Embellishes a True-Life Scary Story

By Eva Trieger

SOLANA BEACH, California — While some surprises are good and welcome, others, not so much.  In this horror/thriller based on a real story, The Surprise Visit  relates the story of an unplanned visit gone horribly awry. The story has factual historic roots, but co-producer, and actress, Serah Henessey told me that she and husband, Nathan Cowles, “Hollywoodized” it.  I was very happy to hear that as the film disturbed me very much and I was relieved to know that it was embellished and not a precise re-enactment.

Henessey has a fascinating and varied history in the entertainment business. She was born in Sydney, Australia, and trained in ballet until the age of 16. She also lived in Turkey where she expanded her repertoire by acting in a sitcom for four years that outperformed “Friends” in America!  This dancer/actor/ producer also does her own stunts and indulges in kick-boxing!

In a delightful phone interview, I became acquainted with Serah. She shared that her first theatrical role was in The Epic of Gilgamesh . Since that time she has done film and theater.  Her theater experiences are especially interesting, spanning virtually all genres, from action, sitcom, drama, horror, and comedy.

Recently Henessey has been seen in Saw franchise films, directed by Darren Bousman. These immersive films were done in downtown Los Angeles and were interactive. Audiences and actors fed off each other, creating a “mind-blowing” experience. Henessey has performed in Saw II through Spiral.

The actress told me that she loves doing period pieces and especially enjoys roles that require her to step back into the 17th-century era. She is a devotee of Shakespearean works and also loves performing plays from this time

The Surprise Visit is the embellishment of a break-in that went awry on Henessey’s husband’s family’s homestead. A previous owner, Mrs.Dixon, recently widowed, had decided to visit a sister for the weekend. Her groundskeeper (Erc Roberts) somehow shared this information with his son, a drug addict. The son and his girlfriend, who recently discovered they were pregnant, figured that they would rob the home in the absence of the owner to get some capital. They did not anticipate the surprise visit of Mrs. Dixon’s daughter and son-in-law.

The film depicts the desperation of the young couple of addicts and the fear and desperation of Mrs. Dixon’s daughter. All of the characters are sympathetic and the viewer experiences the fear, desperation, and will to survive on the part of each character.  While Juliet has grown up with means, a loving family, and privilege, she also just lost her father and watched the murder of her husband. The young addicts have no material goods, but a future and a baby on the way. The groundskeeper loves his son, Casey, but cannot condone his actions. The emotional roller coaster is inescapable.

One very interesting thing to note is that this film was made during the pandemic and Serah Henessey told me that they did not want to expose countless people to the virus, so the cast and crew were working overtime. As she observed the first day on the set as a producer, not as an actor, she felt great pride and gratitude to everyone who gave their all. Henessey cried, kvelling and humbled by the efforts of everyone.  She saw the blood, sweat, and tears they put into their efforts and she knew a “joyful kind of exhaustion.” The film is definitely worth seeing and encourages viewer to consider his own moral compass and guideposts.

Click here for the trailer: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzGllMLLkDDtDppxGZjgdjPGPlzp?projector=1

The film will be available after January 14, 2022.

* Eva Trieger is a Solana Beach-based freelance writer who specializes in coverage of the arts.  She may be contacted via [email protected]

Home > The Surprise Visit Ending Explained

The Surprise Visit Ending Explained

• UPDATED: November 23, 2023

Table of Contents

“The Surprise Visit,” a suspense thriller directed by Nick Lyon, opens with a scene of a terrified woman in pajamas fleeing through the woods, setting the tone for a film that explores themes of desperation, class difference, and the consequences of actions taken in extremis. The story revolves around Annabelle and Casey, a couple expecting a child, struggling with meth addiction and financial hardship. In a bid to alleviate their financial woes, Casey overhears his boss, Mrs. Dixon, mentioning she will be away for the weekend. Seeing an opportunity, Casey plans to rob her house, knowing she possesses valuable jewelry.

However, the plot takes a turn when Mrs. Dixon’s daughter, Juliette, and her husband, Daniel, decide to make a surprise visit to the Dixon residence, coinciding with Casey’s planned robbery. The situation escalates when Casey kills Daniel, forcing Juliette to attempt an escape to avoid a similar fate. This twist propels the film into its final act, a chase through the woods, as Juliette tries to flee her pursuers​​.

The film’s narrative attempts to blend elements of a home invasion thriller with a critique of social issues, particularly income inequality and the circumstances that drive people to desperate acts. However, the portrayal of the central characters as drug addicts seems to undermine the intended message about poverty and income inequality in America, inadvertently reinforcing negative stereotypes about the poor​​.

Despite its aspirations to delve into deeper themes, “The Surprise Visit” ultimately falls short in its execution. Critics have noted that the film, while presenting a somewhat interesting twist on the home invasion genre, fails to fully engage with its characters, leading to a lack of emotional depth. The ending, in particular, has been critiqued for its ambiguity and the seemingly random and rash decision made by Annabelle, which is followed by an upbeat celebration. This conclusion leaves the audience uncertain about how to feel towards the characters, particularly Annabelle, and reflects a disjointed narrative approach​​.

Overall, “The Surprise Visit” aims to be a gripping thriller that touches upon issues of desperation and social inequality but struggles to balance its thematic ambitions with effective storytelling. The film’s portrayal of its characters and their motivations, coupled with a plot that treads familiar territory, results in a movie that is more suited to a casual viewing rather than a profound cinematic experience​​​​.

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Tricia Hawn in True Story Robbery Thriller 'The Surprise Visit' Trailer

by Alex Billington January 10, 2022 Source: YouTube

"We have to do this now!" Vertical Ent. has released an official trailer for The Surprise Visit , a "based on a true story" robbery thriller from filmmaker Nick Lyon. This is arriving on VOD in a few weeks if anyone is curious. A robbery goes wrong, leaving two young drug addicts to make a difficult decision: to give up, or to do the unthinkable and kill. "The film is an American tragedy. I chose to tell The Surprise Visit in a gritty and realistic style that was complemented by deep and intense performances from the talented cast. Beyond the film's thriller veneer, it [also] delivers incredibly dramatic performances, that to this day still send chills through me," the director states. Starring Eric Roberts , Tricia Hawn , Rob Riordan , Jacqi Vene , and Serah Henesey . This looks pretty bad, and the shoddy performances seen here aren't helping much either.

Here's the official trailer (+ new poster) for Nick Lyon's The Surprise Visit , direct from YouTube :

When a young couple makes a surprise visit to Mom, they get an even bigger surprise themselves from an old family friend who plans to steal Mom’s valuable jewelry while she is out of town. But when the "easy peasy" robbery goes wrong, resulting in the accidental death of the daughter’s husband, it forces the two young drug addicts to make a difficult decision; to abandon ship, or do the unthinkable. The Surprise Visit is directed by American indie filmmaker Nick Lyon , director of many films including Fallen Angels , Rise of the Zombies , Bullet , Hercules Reborn , Isle of the Dead , The Boy the Dog and the Clown , and The Rebels of PT-218 . The screenplay is by Stephen Meier, from a story by Serah Henesey and Nathan Cowles. Vertical opens The Surprise Visit in select US theaters + on VOD starting January 14th, 2022 . Who's interested?

Find more posts: Indies , To Watch , Trailer

I guess the first bad choice they made is making this film...

shiboleth on Jan 10, 2022

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The Surprise Visit (2022)

Though The Surprise Visit is hoping it can bank some interest on the fact that it’s “Based on a true story”, the fact that there’s no history attached to such a statement leaves Nick Lyon’s occasional thriller in the company of many other genre flicks that advertise similar sentiments in their best bid to add intrigue to an otherwise standard narrative.

The film centres itself around junkies and expecting parents Casey (Rob Riordan) and Annabelle (Jacqi Vene) who, upon learning of their impending parenthood, decide to give up their drug habits and make a play for the straight and narrow. It all sounds so reasonable, but this duo don’t exactly seem like the types to execute such a cookie cutter plan without resorting to some type of crime – especially Casey – so we are unsurprised when he hatches a plan to rob a neighbouring home in order to make a quick buck.

The neighbouring home being both occupied by residents who knew Casey as a young boy, as well as being the employ of his father (Eric Roberts) means there’s some emotional stakes tied to Casey’s decision, but, sadly, The Surprise Visit not adhering to any type of nuance or subtlety means we ultimately have little care for what happens to either party. Casey is just a terrible person, and no amount of emphasis on his drug habit is going to convince us otherwise. Annabelle is the most shrill of characters, and though she’s clearly heavily under the influence of both Casey and whatever substance she favours, there’s no emotional connection or understanding of her for us to care. And the victims here – Juliette (Serah Henesy) and Daniel (Johnny Santiago) – have little development that the only reason we muster any investment in them is that they simply aren’t Casey and Annabelle.

Ultimately, it’s only Roberts’ Hugh that we stand behind. The idea that he would have to choose between his son – and, by extension, his grandson – and the household that has treated him so kindly over the years is one that screenwriter Stephen Meier and story artists Henesy and Nathan Cowles don’t utilise to its full potential. Setting The Surprise Visit in the realms of the home invasion thriller makes sense, but even then it fails to deliver on any thrills or elaborate set-pieces, with so much of the brief 86 minute running time devoted to Casey and Annabelle bickering about how they navigate the situation they’ve found themselves in.

Whilst the film may have its share of unsavoury ingredients, director Lyons at least deserves props for working within such limited budget restraints and for wrapping the story up in a manner that I suspect most studio projects wouldn’t have opted for. Had some of the acting been more fine-tuned and a little more development been afforded to the characters, The Surprise Visit could have done enough to earn itself a welcome reception, but, as it stands, this is a houseguest best turned away.

The Surprise Visit is now screening in select theatres across the United States. An Australian release is yet to be determined.

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Badly written, especially the end

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The surprise visit - movie review.

Sometimes there just isn’t an easy way out of a really bad situation.

Go ahead and get those happy thoughts out of your head.  The Surprise Visit is not based on a happy occasion.  Not at all.  This is a film full of many twists and violent turns as a routine robbery goes tits up and someone is murdered.  The fallout is drastic and unexpected, making this film a bit more interesting than the usual home invasion thriller.

Starring Academy Award Nominee Eric Roberts, Dopestick ’s Tricia Hawn, Rob Riordan, Jacqi Vene and Serah Henesey , director Nick Lyon ’s intense, gritty and suspenseful thriller begins when two strung-out drug addicts find out that they are going to be having a baby.  Uh oh.  

That’s not the SURPRISE at the center of this jewel heist, though. 

Annabelle ( Jaqui Vene ) and Casey ( Rob Riordan ) are trapped in their own personal hell of drug addiction.  They are currently living in a busted up Winnebego under a bridge somewhere near Middleton, Virginia and are struggling to pay their phone bill.  Money has never been much of a concern for them as long as there are drugs to be consumed, it seems.  Somehow, they make it work.  

But, with the sudden revelation that Annabelle is pregnant, they are both going to have to change their ways.  Can Casey do it?

At least that is the hope as he goes out in search of another chance or, depending on your viewpoint of his situation, another sucker to squeeze.  This hope is captured elegantly in the sweeping cinematography from Nate Haban.  Don’t worry, though.  When it is time for the film to go dark and desperate, Haban’s lens is there to ratchet up the tension.  This is edge of your seat entertainment, after all, as attempts to get ahold of some jewelry goes sideways.  

Based on a true story, The Surprise Visit takes a bit of a turn when Juliette ( Serah Henesy ), the rich woman’s daughter, takes her husband along with her to surprise her mother with a visit at the ranch the same weekend Casey plans to rob it.  

Except, as we have learned, Juliette’s mother isn’t there . . . which means the house that Casey and Annabelle want to rob WILL be inhabited.  I think you can see where this home invasion thriller is headed.  Blood will be had and, as accidental as it is, there will be stark consequences raining down in response to the events happening.  They will be swift and they will be final.  

But what will it mean for Casey and the life he had at the opening of the movie?  

Stephen Meier ’s adaptation, based on a story by Nathan Cowles and Serah Henesy , is both shocking and starkly realized due to the talent assembled.  Full of solid performances from the cast, The Surprise Visit is definitely a shocker, keeping us on our toes.  White the film doesn’t do anything new with the sub-genre, it definitely delivers when it comes to SHOCK and AWE as a chase through the woods ends rather unexpectedly and twists the sharp-edged truth like a knife into our own guts.

The Surprise Visit premieres in theaters and on demand January 14 from Vertical Entertainment .

MPAA Rating: unrated. Runtime: 86 mins Director : Nick Lyon Writer: Stephen Meier Cast: Eric Roberts; Jacqi Vene; Serah Henesey Genre : Thriller Tagline: Based on a True Story. Memorable Movie Quote: Distributor: Vertical Entertainment Official Site: Release Date: January 14, 2022 DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Synopsis : When a young couple makes a surprise visit to Mom, they get an even bigger surprise themselves from an old family friend who plans to steal Mom’s valuable jewelry while she is out of town. But when the“easy peasy” robbery goes wrong, resulting in the accidental death of the daughter’s husband, it forces the two young drug addicts to make a difficult decision; to abandon ship, or do the unthinkable.

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The Surprise Visit

By Benjamin Franz | December 20, 2021

When a film claims to be “based on a true story,” unless there’s a primary document we can refer to, it’s very hard to know what is an actual event and what has been contrived to develop drama for the narrative’s benefit. Case in point is  The Surprise Visit , directed by Nick Lyon. This, by far, is the most interesting question concerning the film. Stephen Meier’s adaptation, based on a story by Nathan Cowles and Serah Henesy, presents the challenge of figuring out what in this scenario is real and what is not.

Juliette (Serah Henesy) plans to surprise her mother with a visit this weekend. When she arrives, Juliette learns from her mother’s gardener, Hugh ( Eric Roberts ), that her mother has left town to care for her aunt. Nevertheless, Juliette and her husband still choose to stay the weekend in her mother’s empty mansion. For me, this is the first moment the film enters the uncanny; I know of no one who would stay in their parent’s home without their expressed permission. This frankly odd decision leads to the traumatic events which unfold.

Converging as an equally rude surprise is Hugh’s son Casey (Rob Riordan) and his wife Annabelle (Jaqui Vene). They are junkies, expecting their first child, and Casey has decided the best way to secure a future for his wife and nascent child is to rob his father’s employer. They plan to take a cachet of jewelry. As can be expected, none of this goes according to plan.

“… junkies, expecting their first child …plan to take a cachet of jewelry.”

The Surprise Visit  culminates in a climactic and deadly game of hide and seek. Throughout this thriller, the cinematography by Nate Haban is spectacular. He captures the pastoral beauty of Middleton, Virginia, very effectively. This film’s action is very easy to follow, from a series of crane shots to smooth and non-shaky handheld camera work. This keeps audiences on edge the entire time.

Nick Lyon does a superb job directing the woodland chaos. A veteran of television series and movies, his directorial eye and hand are very clear in execution. I very much enjoyed the sense that literally anything could happen at any given moment. The cast wonderfully expresses the terror and stress that are inherent in this situation.

Riordan’s Casey and Henesey’s Juliette are the driving forces of the story. The terrible violence would not be possible without their strong and determined personalities clashing at this very unexpected and surprising turn of events. Their combined acting made the action strongly believable. The acts of brutality and accidental murder present in  The Surprise Visit  seemed the bad decisions of a junkie looking to escape a poor situation without witnesses. Juliette, conversely, is simply trying to survive. She made a bad call deciding to surprise her mother. Now, she must attempt to get out alive.

I would suggest if one wants to watch a violent spectacle set in pastoral Virginia, then  The Surprise Visit  is for you. Seek it out at your local art-house. It should be worth the visit.

The Surprise Visit ()

Directed: Nick Lyon

Written: Stephen Meier

Starring: Serah Henesey, Jaqui Vene, Rob Riordan, Eric Roberts, etc.

Movie score: 7/10

"…Lyon does a superb job..."

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Hey isn’t Eric Roberts having a hard enough time. He has to take a rolls like this I feel bad for the guy. He used to be a big cokehead. But then again who cares

Should not be allowed to say a movie is true when it isn’t. To me it’s just a plot to try and get people to watch the movie and u must be concerned that no one would watch it otherwise u would not have lied. Shame on you.

Did the girl kill Casey’s dad at the end?

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With great characters and believable performances, “The Surprise Visit” is a chilling, investing crime thriller that is surprisingly good.

The Surprise Visit (2022) is supposedly based on a true story.

Though the filmmakers chose not to reveal which true story the movie is referencing, a little digging and you’ll discover that one of the co-writers who also appears in the film, Serah Henessey (the Saw franchise), and her husband embellished the true details of a crime that actually occurred.

There is a lot to love about this movie.

For one, Eric Roberts, who plays the hired caretaker of a wealthy property owner and the father of one of the main antagonists, is pure gold. His acting has gotten exponentially better over the years, and he slides right into his role as naturally as if it were written specifically for him.

We can’t help but empathize when his no-good son (played by Rob Riordan) comes around begging for money and a job despite having done so enough times for the hard-working father to know that it’s just a ploy to get money for drugs.

“You’re not my son,” Roberts says, “You’re my embarrassment.”

As harsh as that sounds, after his son furiously careens away, we then see the old man, against his better judgment, ask his employer to give the young addict another chance. This makes it all the more heartbreaking when the events that eventually unfold take place.

Back at his beaten-up RV with his newly pregnant girlfriend (Jacqui Vene), the son decides to conspire with her to rob the home of his father’s employer, confident they’ll get away with it after finding out the owner just left town. What the addicts don’t know is that a relative of the homeowner (Henessey) and her husband (Johnny Santiago) have arrived to stay the night there.

What follows is a story of desperation, murder, addiction, survival, and heartbreak.

What most impressed me with The Surprise Visit was the realism of the characters.

They were written so well that nearly every character ends up portraying a full range of emotions.

The addicts seem like real addicts — normal, desperate people trapped in their addiction which ravages their bodies, their minds, and their quality of life. The father seems like a truly good man in sharp contrast to his son who chooses the dark path of home invasion and robbery, not knowing that his dad has already decided to help him.

Of course, the young addicts end up surprised by the couple who are startled awake by the noise of the break-in, and what started out as a simple burglary soon goes horribly wrong for everyone concerned.

There is an assault, an accidental murder, the horrifying realization that the wife of the victim has seen too much, and then the drama of the addicts trying to gear themselves up to permanently silence the woman while she does her best to assuage them.

About halfway through, the protagonist manages to escape and we are treated to a thrilling chase during which Henessey really shines as a strong woman determined to survive no matter what it takes.

There is more than one exciting twist as she fights for her life with the ever more desperate addicts hot on her trail, as well as a surprise ending that manages to be just as heartbreaking as it is unexpected.

If you like realistic crime thrillers with excellent characters and a lot of heart, you should definitely check out The Surprise Visit .

The Surprise Visit is now available to rent on YouTube Movies, Google Play, Vudu, and Amazon Prime.

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Guilty Pleasures

She’s a lover, he’s a fighter. Together, they’re CHEER AND LOATHING. Tune in to hear your hosts, Stephanie (Cheer) and Casey (Loathing), clash over the films they love — and the ones they love to hate.

Welcome to Guilty Pleasures, the show where we give in to pleasure, rising from our coffins to discuss a modern horror film and debating just how guilty we need to feel about loving or hating it. 

It was Steph’s pick this month, and she was once again desperate for any excuse to talk about the (according to her) greatest actor of our generation and possibly of any generation, Nicolas Cage.

We asked our adoring fans to choose between 2021’S PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND and 2023’S RENFIELD.

In an absolute bloodbath of an online vote, RENFIELD eviscerated the competition to earn its time in the light of this podcast.

So welcome us into your ears as we find out if RENFIELD glamours us with its charms or sucks the life out of us.

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The Surprise Visit

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The Surprise Visit – Movie Review

86 Minutes, Not Rated

Written by Stephen Meier

Directed by Nick Lyon

When a young couple makes a surprise visit to Mom, they get an even bigger surprise themselves from an old family friend who plans to steal Mom’s valuable jewelry while she is out of town. But when the “easy peasy” robbery goes wrong, resulting in the accidental death of the daughter’s husband, it forces the two young drug addicts to make a difficult decision; to abandon ship, or do the unthinkable.

“Based on a true story.”

We’ve talked about this before. How much of a film is “based on” before it become “inspired by” or even “I heard about this thing this one time?”

Regardless, the biggest selling point for The Surprise Visit is that, whether this story actually happened it not, it feels like it could have happened.

And we could guess that some version of it has, indeed, happened. At least some parts of it, at any rate.

Despite Eric Roberts getting top billing here, he’s not in the film all that much, and the film really rests on the shoulders of Rob Riordan and Jacqi Vene as Casey and Annabelle, who find themselves in over their heads.

This is all Casey’s fault, as Annabelle is truly a naive, trusting soul.

Plus: drugs make people do stupid things, as can a victim mentality.

The performances are good, although I found the accent Jaqui adopted for Annabelle to be grating to the point of wishing she would just stop talking. Part child, part ham-fisted southern, all annoying, it’s the worst part of the film.

Her behavior and physical performance is great, and the emotion she’s giving us is genuine, but that delivery…

Riordan embodies the drug-addled son-with-daddy-issues well enough to where, when he meets his ultimate fate, you feel no sympathy for him at all.

The ending of this one was a bit of a twist, though, I must admit.

Check it out if you’d like.

The Surprise Visit is available in theaters and On Demand.

The Surprise Visit stars Eric Roberts, Tricia Hawn, Rob Riordan, Jacqi Vene and Serah Henesey.

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The Surprise Visit Ending Explained- Did Annabelle Kill Hugh?

Sometimes, based on true events films are elevated by the story that inspired them, however loosely the story is pulled. There is something inherently creepy about knowing that, on some level, some of the things we saw on the screen actually happened. More often than not, adding those words is a cheap attempt to create buzz. Currently streaming on Tubi, the Surprise Visit is more shameless than scary, but it still manages to be entertaining.

The Surprise Visit opens with a young couple who have just discovered they are pregnant. Unfortunately, the couple are drug addicts with no money who live out of their dilapidated camper. Annabelle(Jacqi Vene) and Casey(Rob Riordan) are the last people you would want to raise a child. They make rash decisions based on their addiction and desperation and have no understanding of the danger they are to each other and everyone around them. After learning they were pregnant, Casey turns to his father, who refuses to help until he gets sober. There’s some messiness surrounding his father Hugh’s(Eric Roberts) neglect of his mother because of potential alcohol abuse and a wealthy widow whom he works for.

That altercation and the discovery that the widow is leaving town leads Casey to decide to rob her while she is gone. He plans to steal a few pieces of jewelry she won’t miss and move to Mexico. He convinces Annabelle that it will be easy because there are no alarms due to a fully stocked armory and plenty of town respect. Unbeknownst to Casey, however, a couple of guests arrived earlier that day. Mrs. Dixon’s daughter Juliette(Serah Henesey) and husband Daniel(Johnny Santiago) came to surprise her mother. When the two couples confront each other in the middle of the robbery, things turn violent.

When Casey accidentally kills Daniel, all hell breaks loose. Juliette wants to call for help, but Casey refuses. At this point, she recognizes Casey as Hugh’s kid and tries to run. Annabelle and Casey chase her down, knock her out, and tie her up. They then argue about what to do next. Casey is not making great choices and decides that Juliette has to be killed for the future of their child. Annabelle begs him to spare her life, but he convinces her it is the only way. A great deal of chattering later, Juliette talks her way out of her restraints, and a chase ensues. Here’s everything you need to know about the ending of The Surprise Visit.

The Surprise Visit ending explained

Casey and Annabelle argue about what to do next, and Casey decides to track down Juliette to remove all witnesses. Juliette is more than he bargained for, though, and she hits him over the head with a shovel before running. Annabelle and Casey chase after Juliette, and Casey’s father, Hugh, shows up to find the house and the garage in disarray. Fearing the worst, he searches the house and finds Daniel’s dead body. He calls the police and begins searching for Juliette, who has evaded the pair so far. Juliette manages to get back to the house and grabs one of the aforementioned guns, which she begins shooting at Casey and Annabelle. All of this is happening while Hugh tries to find and help Juliette.

By this point, Casey has completely lost all touch with reality. Annabelle destroyed his meth pipe, he had been hit in the face with a shovel, and his plans had disintegrated. Worst of all, Annabelle argues with him constantly. She is scared, worried, and in trouble. Annabelle isn’t brilliant, but she is smart enough to know she doesn’t have a lot of options. Casey threatens her and constantly says they can leave no witnesses behind. Casey tries to force Annabelle to be a decoy despite the apparent danger it puts her in. Annabelle keeps her talking, and Casey sneaks up behind her and takes the gun away. He then shoots her dead.

Casey finally realizes the mess he has made and begs for forgiveness. Annabelle snaps and beats him over the head, presumably killing him. Just then, Hugh finds the group, and Annabelle tells him this was all Casey’s fault, but she loved him anyway. Hugh tells her he will clean this up and buy her some time. He tells her to run and never look back. However, she had been told repeatedly throughout the film that they should never leave witnesses. Just as she is leaving, she gets a cold look on her face and says, “Leave no witnesses.” We next catch up with a young mother and a child on the beach. The assumption is Annabelle killed Hugh and ran to Mexico like she had planned with Casey all along.

Annabelle was a follower, not a leader. Casey obviously did not make great choices and shouldn’t be followed, but she loved and trusted him. Even though Hugh offered her a lifeline, she couldn’t trust him, and thus, she followed the last set of instructions Casey gave her. She did kill Casey in a moment of rage. It was probably one of the only clear-headed decisions she ever made, but he was the closest thing to a trusting relationship she had. In the end, she chose to take his advice and kill Hugh before running to Mexico. Although the final scene makes it appear Annabelle escaped poverty and addiction as well as murder charges, all is not perfect. She is the same irrational person who killed at least one and probably two people.

The final act is meant to engender empathy for Annabelle. Poverty and addiction are tragic, and the differences between the rich and poor are often extreme. She appeared poorly educated, young, naive, and without family support. Juliette, on the other hand, is presented as intelligent, connected, and privileged. Despite Juliette’s advantages, there is no indication that she is a terrible person. Casey may have been a decent person before his addiction destroyed him, but now he is a monster and decimates everything around him, including Annabelle. Although she is an unwitting participant in the deaths of Juliette and Daniel, and she kills Casey in rage and fear, she calmly chooses to kill Hugh. She may have started as innocent but is now just as culpable as Casey.

What is the real story behind The Surprise Visit?

The real story is a stripped-down version of the violent home invasion depicted in the film. Star Serah Henesey and coproducer Nathan Cowles said they experienced a break-in, and the story stuck with them. They Hollywoodized it, and the movie was born. Like most stories loosely based on real crimes, director Nick Lyon’s film is loosely inspired by the emotions of a crime rather than the details of said crime. Drug addiction, especially in the Appalachians where this film is set, is rampant, as well as poverty. Addiction and poverty make a terrible combination. The film may take liberties with what happened to Cowles and Henesey, but stories like this one probably happen all the time. Desperate times lead to desperate measures.

The scary story based on actual events reads like a version of Requiem For A Dream if it were made by Lifetime. If the addition of Eric Roberts in the cast didn’t clue you in, this will be thriller lite. That doesn’t mean the made-for-television film doesn’t have some merit. It’s a quick, easy bit of storytelling that proves Roberts doesn’t phone in any performance and capitalizes on fundamental life truths. Addiction and poverty can lead to desperation. Desperate people make horrible decisions. The Surprise Visitor is currently streaming everywhere on VOD and Tubi for free.

As the Managing Editor for Signal Horizon, I love watching and writing about genre entertainment. I grew up with old-school slashers, but my real passion is television and all things weird and ambiguous. My work can be found here and Travel Weird, where I am the Editor in Chief.

The Surprise Visit (2022)

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Netflix's 'Hit Man' is inspired by a real story about a fake hit man. All about the true story

Glen Powell’s new comedy, “Hit Man,” is one bold, funny and embellished ride inspired by a true story.

The actor portrays Gary Johnson, a divorced philosophy professor who does tech work for the New Orleans Police Department on the side. When one undercover cop is put on a temporary leave, Gary is tasked to become the PD's fake hit man.

Gary, who lives his life seemingly unnoticed, begins to create a number of characters to catch people who are willing to hire a killer to do their dirty work. However, he gets caught up in his confident and suave Ron persona, eventually falling for a woman who wants to hire him to kill her husband.

From there, the story takes unexpected twists and gives audiences a surprise ending.

Powell co-wrote and co-produced the action comedy with director Richard Linklater. The two tell TODAY.com that they took some creative liberties with the script, but “Hit Man” is inspired by a true story of an undercover hit man.

Read on to learn more about the life of the real hit man, Gary Johnson.

Is 'Hit Man' a true story?

Yes, and no. “Hit Man” is inspired by the October 2001 Texas Monthly article of the same name written by Skip Hollandsworth about the real Gary Johnson. According to the article, Johnson was the “most sought-after professional killer” in Houston, Texas — but really worked for the cops.

Linklater had read the article about 20 years ago, elaborating to TODAY.com, “I never forgot it. But it was kind of on the back burner, as like, ‘How would that (movie) work?’”

Powell stumbled on the article and “thought it was fascinating,” calling Linklater to discuss the possibilities of making it into a film. The actor had no prior knowledge that Linklater had been interested in adapting the article.

“I learned the history,” Powell tells TODAY.com, “And lots of people had optioned it over the years and tried to do stuff with it, but nobody could crack it. It was really interesting how effortless the process was. Rick and I just kept talking about it... and that’s when you know you have something special, when you can’t forget about it.”

Who is Gary Johnson?

The real Gary Johnson was raised in Louisiana by his carpenter father and housewife mother, according to Texas Monthly.

He spent a year in Vietnam working as a military policeman overseeing convoys, before working as a sheriff’s deputy and doing undercover work.

Johnson was a staff investigator for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston, and just like in the film, he did moonlight as a hit man for the police departments in and around the city.

Police wouldn't be able to arrest a person seeking a hit man until the undercover (and wired) Johnson would get the person to say he wanted someone killed and pay for the service. He would convince every new client with a different disguise. At the time, he estimated that he had investigated some 300 murder-for-hire cases since the late '80s.

Johnson, who had dreams of being a professor, taught human sexuality and psychology at a local community college.

He had two cats named Id and Ego (just like in “Hit Man”) and enjoyed tending to his garden, which according to the article was “filled with caladiums and lilies, gardenias and wisteria, a Japanese plum tree, and rare green roses” and included a goldfish pond.

“He was a big gardener, had a big garden, spent a lot of time (in it),” Linklater says, adding that Johnson “was a big classical music guy.” He also notes he would’ve liked to “have spent more time at his house” and explored his down time.

Did Gary Johnson marry his client, Madison?

Madison was a character created for the film. Adria Arjona, who portrays Powell’s love interest in “Hit Man,” tells TODAY.com, “Everything’s sort of true until he meets this woman. That part of it was true, he met this woman and then sort of let her go... that was like a platform that we were jumping off from.”

She said it was up to her, Powell and Linklater to “discover who this woman is or what we wanted this woman to be and what we wanted this couple to be. All of that is fictitious.” It should be noted, the wild ending where *spoilers* Madison and Gary take matters into their own hands did not happen in real life.

However, one could say Arjona's character was inspired by a real woman Johnson helped. The Texas Monthly article states that Johnson got a call about a woman who had an abusive boyfriend and wanted to find someone to kill him.

Before he helped the woman, the article noted, he learned that she was a victim of abuse and was too terrified of leaving him. Instead of setting her up, he referred her to social service agencies and a therapist to help her get out of the abusive situation and into a women's shelter, the article said.

“Just this once,” Johnson told the writer about helping out the woman instead of setting her up.

Was Gary Johnson ever married?

According to Texas Monthly, Johnson had been married and divorced three times.

His second wife, Sunny, who remained a friend, told the publication, “The true essence of Gary is that he is a loner. He’ll show up at parties and have a good time, and he’s always friendly, but he likes being alone, being quiet. It’s still amazing to me that he can turn on this other personality that makes people think he is a vicious killer.”

In the article, he also tells the writer about his lack of long-term relationships, “I think it would be fair to say that I don’t let many people get too close.”

Where is the real Gary Johnson now?

Linklater spoke to the real Johnson “several times” on the phone and attempted to contact him as they were getting the film made.

Johnson died in 2022, according to press notes.

“I talked to him on the phone several times, and then his life was just kind of cut short,” the director says. “I was trying to get in touch with him, like, ‘Hey, the movie's happening, you got to come visit the set.’ I just thought he’d be happy and I wasn’t hearing back from him. He had this pulmonary condition (that) went downhill really fast.”

Linklater says he was happy to include a tribute to the real Johnson at the end of the film, calling him “the chillest dude imaginable.”

“Because he wasn’t that excited, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, we’re making a film (about you).’ And he’s like, ‘Sounds good,’” he recalls. “He didn’t (seem to care). He was so chill about it all.”

As for Powell, according to the press notes, he did not get to talk to Johnson. He just listened to old recordings and read police debriefs on Johnson.

“I really wish I would have gotten a chance to meet him because Rick had a lot of reverence for Gary and who he was,” Powell said in the notes. “I think Gary died the week before we started shooting, so he never got to see a cut of the film. I’m really glad we have that tribute to him at the end of the movie, because I think he would have really appreciated the story.”

Liz Calvario is a Los Angeles-based reporter and editor for TODAY.com who covers entertainment, pop culture and trending news.

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50 Cent says Lauren Boebert is ‘making the White House look good’ as they pose for photo at Capitol

M ulti-platinum rapper 50 Cent made a surprise visit to Capitol Hill Wednesday, where he posed for a photo with controversial Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert — raising eyebrows online.

The “In da Club” singer shared a pic of him with his arm around Boebert’s waist in the White House on X alongside the caption: “Lauren Boebert, Colorado Republican making the white house [sic] look good,” and a winky face emoji.

X users quickly went off in the comments asking the rapper “What movie did you guys see?” in reference to Boebert’s notorious Denver theater date with a Democrat in which the pair were filmed groping each other in their seats.

“Beetlejuice beetlejuice beetlejuice,” another person commented also in reference to the pol’s date.

Boebert was watching a performance of the “Beetlejuice” musical when she and her date were kicked out of the theater over their behavior — including the groping and Boebert’s vaping.

50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, addressed the comments on X hours later.

“Wait, wait, guys I took pictures with everyone and all you seem to care about is Lauren,” he tweeted. “What did she do in a dark theater that hasn’t been done, my God ! Hey I don’t have chlamydia by the way. LOL.”

The “Just a lil bit” and “Candy shop” hit master did share several more photos with politicians from both parties on X as he visited DC to advocate for more black entrepreneurs in the liquor industry.

50 Cent, who was joined by famous civil rights attorney Ben Crump, owns the wine and liquor company Sire Spirits.

He also shared photos of himself with several members of Congress including Rep. Joyce Beatty from Ohio (D), former House Speaker and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D), current House Speaker Mike Johnson (R), Rep. Troy Carter from Louisiana (D) and Rep. Steve Scalise from Louisiana.

Boebert shared a photo of herself and 50 Cent on her own X page as well.

“I’d still love you if you flipped burgers at Burger King,” she tweeted. “ @50Cent , I used to do that myself! Thanks for the photo, great to meet you!”

Gaza hostage rescue latest: Top EU diplomat's tweet sparks outrage in Israel; How much was US involved in Gaza raid?

Nuseirat refugee camp has been described as the "epicentre" of Gaza's trauma after reports 210 people were killed there and more than 400 wounded. Israel says it carried out a mission under "heavy fire" to rescue four hostages.

Sunday 9 June 2024 10:49, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

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• Four hostages rescued by Israeli forces - what you need to know
• Number of Palestinians killed during operation rises to 210
• Paramedic describes 'horror movie' scenes after strikes
• Some hostages killed during rescue mission - Hamas
• 'Shame on you' - Israeli minister hits back at EU official
• Who are the rescued hostages?
• Analysis:  Hostages rescue will be cathartic for Israelis - but Netanyahu is under pressure and infuriating the US
• Live reporting by  Josephine Franks  

An Israeli airstrike has reportedly hit a house in the urban Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza today.

Three people were killed in the strike, with the dead brought to the Al Aqsa Martyrs hospital in the nearby town of Deir al Balah, hospital authorities said. 

An Associated Press journalist at the facility counted the bodies.

The operation to rescue four Israeli hostages from central Gaza was a "high risk, complex mission", according to the IDF - and it happened with help from the US, a Biden administration source says. 

A US hostage cell provided advice and support throughout the process of locating and rescuing the hostages, a Biden administration official told the Associated Press. They were not authorised to comment and requested anonymity.

The hostage cells are multi-agency teams. 

Pushing back against social media claims, the US Central Command said in a tweet that neither the American-built pier in Gaza that brings in aid for Palestinians by sea nor any of its equipment, personnel or other assets were used in the Israeli operation. 

It said Israel used an area south of the pier "to safely return hostages".

Children lying on foil blankets crowd the floor of Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital as doctors deal with an influx of patients. 

The hospital is just over two miles from where four Israeli hostages were held in the central Gaza refugee camp of Nuseirat, which was hit by multiple strikes as Israel carried out its rescue mission yesterday.

The Hamas-led government says 210 people were killed in the raids, a figure repeated by hospital spokesman Dr Khalil Al-Dakran.

Israel has acknowledged "under 100" Palestinian casualties.

Watch our report from Sky News US correspondent Mark Stone below - please be warned, this video contains images of injured children in hospital and dead people in the street. 

An American-built pier has been repaired and a badly needed shipment of food delivered to Gaza, according to a US official. 

The effort to deliver aid by sea has been plagued with problems.

The pier built by the US military was only operational for about a week before it was blown apart in high winds and heavy seas on 25 May.

The damaged section was reconnected to the beach in Gaza on Friday after undergoing repairs at an Israeli port. 

Crews delivered almost 500 tonnes of humanitarian aid via the pier yesterday, a US official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The damage to the pier was the latest stumbling block, after earlier efforts were disrupted as desperate crowds overran a convoy of trucks, stripping much of their cargo before they reached a UN warehouse.  

More than 400 people were wounded and 210 killed during Israel's hostage rescue mission, according to senior Hamas officials. 

Israel has acknowleged "under 100" Palestinian casualties during raids on the Nuseirat refugee camp, where it says the four freed hostages were being held in two locations. 

Gazan paramedics and residents said the assault killed scores of people and left the mangled bodies of men, women and children around a marketplace and a mosque.

"It was like a horror movie but this was a real massacre," said Ziad, 45, a paramedic and resident of Nuseirat, who gave only his first name.

"Israeli drones and warplanes fired all night randomly at people's houses and at people who tried to flee the area."

"To free four people, Israel killed dozens of innocent civilians," he added.

The war is Gaza grows more horrific by the day, UN relief chief Martin Griffiths says.

"Nuseirat refugee camp is the epicentre of the seismic trauma that civilians in Gaza continue to suffer," he wrote on X.

He called for the release of the remaining hostages and the protection of all civilians, after reports 210 Palestinians were killed in al Nuseirat yesterday. 

"Seeing shrouded bodies on the ground, we are reminded that nowhere is safe in Gaza."

Al Nuseirat, a historic Palestinian refugee camp, was hit by multiple strikes yesterday as Israeli forces launched a hostage rescue mission. 

At least 210 Palestinians were killed in the operation to rescue four people, the Hamas-led government has said.

Israel said there were less than 100 casualties.

Photos from central Gaza show the level of destruction.

A pier built by the US for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza was not used in Israel's operation to rescue four hostages yesterday, the US says. 

An area south of the pier was used by the Israelis to safely return the hostages to Israel, the US Central Command said. 

But it insisted the pier facility "including its equipment, personnel, and assets" were not used. 

"Any such claim to the contrary is false," a statement on X said. 

"The temporary pier on the coast of Gaza was put in place for one purpose only, to help move additional, urgently needed life-saving assistance into Gaza."

Welcome back to our live coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. 

Yesterday, the Israel Defence Forces rescued four hostages from the Nuseirat area of Gaza during a military operation. 

A soldier named Arnon Zmora was killed during the recovery mission, Israeli police said. 

The Hamas-run government, and a doctor at al Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, said at least 210 Palestinians had been killed and a further 400 had been injured as a result of the operation. 

Israel acknowledged less than 100 people casualties.

In the hours after Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv were returned home, several Israeli officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu, praised the work of soldiers, calling them "heroic". 

But Hamas claimed Israeli forces had killed some hostages during the mission, and warned that its fighters could take more prisoners. 

"It will not change its strategic failure in the Gaza Strip, as our valiant resistance still maintains the largest number in its possession, and is capable of increasing its yield of prisoners," it said. 

We'll be bringing you the latest updates throughout the day, but first here's a look at the other key events from the last 24 hours: 

• During a trip to France, Joe Biden said the US will not "stop working until all hostages are home";
• Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he expects Hamas to release the remaining hostages and his forces will do "whatever it takes" to bring them home;
• Colombia announced it will suspend coal exports to Israel;
• Doctors Without Borders said al Aqsa Hospital was dealing with "back-to-back mass casualties" following Israel's operation.

A missile has struck a cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden in a suspected attack by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The British military's UK Maritime Trade Operations centre reported the attack on the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged ship.

Private security firm Ambrey said the missile hit the ship's forward station, starting a fire that the crew were able to put out. 

A second missile missed and people "on board small boats in the vicinity opened fire on the ship during the incident",  Ambrey added. No one was hurt onboard.

Suspicion for the attack fell on the Houthis. The rebels did not immediately claim responsibility.

The Houthis have been targeting shipping throughout the Red Sea corridor during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

They say the attacks are aimed at stopping the war and supporting the Palestinians, although the attacks often target vessels that have nothing to do with the conflict.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, killing three sailors, seizing one vessel and sinking another since November, according to the US Maritime Administration.

A US-led airstrike campaign, supported by Britain, has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes.

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Real Teenagers, Fake Nudes: The Rise of Deepfakes in American Schools

Students are using artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit images of their classmates..

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Natasha Singer

Produced by Sydney Harper and Shannon M. Lin

Edited by Marc Georges

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Elisheba Ittoop and Dan Powell

Engineered by Chris Wood

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Warning: this episode contains strong language, descriptions of explicit content and sexual harassment

A disturbing new problem is sweeping American schools: Students are using artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit images of their classmates and then share them without the person depicted even knowing.

Natasha Singer, who covers technology, business and society for The Times, discusses the rise of deepfake nudes and one girl’s fight to stop them.

On today’s episode

Natasha Singer , a reporter covering technology, business and society for The New York Times.

Background reading

Using artificial intelligence, middle and high school students have fabricated explicit images of female classmates and shared the doctored pictures.

Spurred by teenage girls, states have moved to ban deepfake nudes .

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Natasha Singer writes about technology, business and society. She is currently reporting on the far-reaching ways that tech companies and their tools are reshaping public schools, higher education and job opportunities. More about Natasha Singer

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