The Lifetime Movie Starring Will Ferrell And Kristen Wiig Is Not What You Think

The beauty of Lifetime Movies lies in how simple and straight-to-the-point they are. While many might clown them for their lack of range and overbearing, sometimes convoluted plot points, they continue to draw tons of eyeballs. In fact, you might have forgotten that some of your favorite actors were in Lifetime movies. Some might be surprised to know that Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig — two of Hollywood's funniest people — decided to become Lifetime stars. While the actors are known for their blockbuster comedies, their Lifetime flick, "A Deadly Adoption," isn't billed as a comedy. The made-for-TV outing is a straight up dramatic thriller that never lets up. 

Directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg, "A Deadly Adoption" follows Ferrell and Wiig as a couple who allow a pregnant woman (Jessica Lowndes) to stay in their home. The couple hope to adopt the woman's child, but things turn "deadly" when they begin to investigate her mysterious past. The plot for "A Deadly Adoption" is pretty much in line with most Lifetime movies, but the real shocker here is how Ferrell and Wiig handle the material. 

Ripe with potential for parody, Ferrell and Wiig don't make fun of the script by turning it into a comedy. Instead, the duo play their roles completely straight, leaning into the plot's lubricious nature. Both stars do a surprisingly exceptional job playing up their serious roles as they have tons of experience with dramatic performances.

"A Deadly Adoption" was produced by Gary Sanchez Productions, Will Ferrell's former production company. The film is as serious as it gets, which is part of the charm, or rather, the joke. Both Ferrell and Kristen Wiig used the opportunity to legitimize the convoluted narrative while also playing their characters with the right temperament. For some, the joke is that Ferrell and Wiig aren't making their joke obvious. "Kind of my perfect idea of a parody: formally an exact facsimile and otherwise so slightly exaggerated that you might not notice," wrote Letterboxd user matt lynch. 

The film's trailer (seen above) perfectly depicts the tone and structure of the Lifetime movie, letting audiences know that they shouldn't expect something funny. Ferrell is definitely a comedic genius, and "A Deadly Adoption" proves that he's also a master troller. During a panel at the ATX Television Festival (via Deadline), Ferrell expressed that the intention was to subvert expectations and create something so jarring that it puts viewers off. "[It's] one of my favorite things I've ever made, partly because it completely baffles maybe 80 percent of the audience," the actor said.

Nothing is more jarring than the film's ending, which features Ferrell and Wiig's character joyfully dancing for nearly a minute. While Wiig has broken character on "Saturday Night Live," she and Ferrell remain in character for the insane ending, playing up just how chaotic (and unserious) Lifetime movies can be.