Dangerous Intentions

For years, Beth endures Tim's battering while she hides every bruise from Laurie. She carries the pain in silence, shielding her daughter from the full horror of the marriage. The constant threat of violence weighs heavily on her daily life.

Beth decides to escape the abuse and moves with Laurie to her parents' home. She hopes the visit will be temporary, keeping Laurie safe while she figures out the future. A phone call from Tim interrupts the quiet, and Beth refuses to return, telling him she is not finished fixing Alice's hair before she goes back.

That night, Tim apologizes and tries to placate Beth in hopes of rekindling the relationship. Beth remains wary, but she considers his words before deciding how to proceed. The moment underscores how fragile the peace still is.

Tim's temper explodes again as he destroys food, belittles Beth, and shatters a window. Beth, with Laurie, escapes to Andrew and Alice's house to seek safety. Andrew calls the police, Tim locks the door during the confrontation, but Beth and Laurie are eventually protected as Tim surrenders and is hauled away to jail, and Beth is taken to the hospital for injuries.

In a public building after his release, Tim confronts Beth and presses for reconciliation, but she makes clear she wants a divorce. He tries to intimidate her and even grabs her keys, threatening that she will lose Laurie if she resists. Terri intercedes by telling Tim to leave Beth alone, but the threat of his retaliation lingers.

Tim resumes terrorizing Beth, tracking her to her sister Terri's home. He sets Terri's house on fire, endangering everyone inside. Terri and her husband manage to extinguish the blaze and save the household, while Beth remains a target of Tim's fury.

Beth and Laurie flee to a protective shelter to escape Tim's reach and begin to rebuild their lives. There, Beth befriends Kaye Ferrar, another battered woman hiding from an abusive husband. The two mothers decide to move into a shared house to look after their children and gain a measure of independence.

Kaye Ferrar is stabbed to death by her husband Joe in front of Beth, shattering her sense of safety. Officials inform Beth that she must testify against Joe, who is arrested for murder. Beth fears that testifying will pull her into the public eye and reveal her own whereabouts to Tim.

Beth and Laurie move to Roseville to begin anew after the divorce. Beth cuts her hair short and colors it red, signaling a fresh start and a break from the past. Alice reminds Tim to stay away and bans him from her house, offering Beth a safer environment.

Tim returns to torment Beth, arriving while Laurie is at school. Beth signals for help by turning on the porch light, and a neighbor intervenes while calling the police. Tim tries to overpower Beth with physical violence and a gun, but officers arrive, and he is forced to drop the weapon.

Police arrive as Tim's gun is finally secured, and he is arrested. Beth and Laurie are transported to the hospital by ambulance, where they begin to heal. Tim is sent back to jail, and the immediate danger to Beth and Laurie is removed.

Beth and Laurie live together in a stable life with support from Alice, Andrew, and Terri, who visit and provide ongoing care. They have reclaimed their independence and built a home free from Tim's abuse. The film closes on a hopeful note for their future.