Story: Katie (Alicia Ziegler) is having quite a moment, as her children’s books are a hit and her social media profile keeps growing, while her husband Dan (Philip Boyd) is climbing the work ladder as well, though Katie wishes he could be around more. But she soon makes a new friend in Louisa (Maiara Walsh), a fresh arrival to the neighborhood and the two hit off right away, even if a secret from Louisa’s past might threaten the friendship. Louisa used to date Dan and while he recognized his ex, neither of the two let Katie know they had some history together. When she does find out, Katie is laid back and doesn’t have a problem being Louisa’s friend, after all, the past is the past. But is the past truly the past or does Louisa have a sinister plan in mind?

Entertainment Value: This Lifetime thriller might fall into all the usual checklist traps of the genre, but Your Husband is Mine, aka The Ex Next Door, is a fun movie that keeps a good balance. There is a good amount of drama and dysfunction here, as well as some over the top moments, but a lot of the movie dials that in as well. In other words, this should be a wider appeal Lifetime thriller, since it covers the more serious drama interests, in addition to those who want a more melodramatic thriller, hitting both sides of the equation quite well. The dynamic between our lead and our villain is a lot of fun here, driving the story and entertainment fronts involved. I wouldn’t have minded if the craziness was tuned up a little, but I appreciated the dramatic outbursts and melodramatic touches, so I was always entertained and interested in Your Husband is Mine. The pace is on point, as the movie rolls along at a brisk clip and has no real dull stretches to mention, even when in exposition mode. I had a good time with this one and for Lifetime thriller fans, it is recommended.

I do love a wild Lifetime villain and we have one here in Your Husband is Mine, thanks to an energetic, enthusiastic performance from Mariara Walsh. She seems to get the material and how these thrillers work, as she ramps up the melodrama often to great effect. The script lets her be gleeful in her chaos as well, with little to no regard for keeping her craziness undercover, so her wackiness just shines through and those red flags go unnoticed. For the most part anyway, as Alicia Ziegler’s Katie is played as aware and keyed in for some of the movie, only to shift into an “oh, that’s probably nothing” mindset that makes her come off as oblivious at times. In any event, Ziegler is fantastic in this role and even when her character seems clueless, she is still fun to watch. Ziegler and Walsh have very good chemistry as well, so whenever the two interact on screen, it is a good time, especially if Walsh can unleash some drama. The cast also includes Philip Boyd, Kate Gilligan, and Jack Krizmanich.

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