Finding Nicole is a true story based on the bestselling book of the same name, written by domestic abuse survivor Nicole Beverly. It must have been difficult to take on such a sensitive project, but director Harley Wallen has proven once again that he was the right person to bring the book to the screen in this excellent adaptation.
Based on the true-life story of Nicole Beverly as seen on “Inside Evil with Chris Cuomo,” “Til Death Do Us Part,” and the top-selling book with the same title. Nicole and her children survive and overcome domestic violence.
Kaiti Wallen once again takes the lead as Nicole in the film, in what is her strongest performance to date. There is a chemistry with co-lead Warren Beverly, who plays her partner Mari G in the film, which gives you that sense of connection early in the film. This helps shape the narrative, as there are moments, even during the abuse, where he does show compassion, albeit briefly at times and not always without motive. This really helps to highlight the difficulty she has dealing with the situation when the abuse starts, not only because of her commitment to her husband in the film, but later with two young children, her dependency to provide them a father figure.
Naturally, with the character, there is a sense of vulnerability. A lot of this is due to the physical dominance and aggressive nature in which Warren plays the character, which clearly makes it evident that she would be unable to protect herself when under attack. However, throughout the film, Kaiti brilliantly portrays her sense of determination as she tries to take her life back, despite her fears. Kaiti’s powerful performance emphasises the desperate isolation and loneliness of the situation, made worse by the failures in the system or others not willing to accept that domestication has occurred. This is highlighted throughout the film due to Mari being a cop.
Once the abuse begins, most of the film is shown from a present-day court case, interwoven with flashbacks to the escalation of events over the years, which eventually leads them to the trial. Showing not only the impact of the abuse at the time, but also how it carries over to the present day.
When it comes to abuse scenes, which become more intense as the film goes on, Harley manages to deal with this in a respectful manner. Whilst many of the scenes are impactful, especially as Warren’s performance is so imposing on screen, it never moves into exploitation or horror territory. It is hard-hitting and has some dark moments that leave an impact on the viewer, but it refuses to gratify or overindulge in the violent scenes, which it could easily have done.
The film also has some standout performances from the supporting cast, with many familiar faces who have worked with Harley previously. Sean Whalen stands out as Mari’s lawyer, Cameron Banks. Whilst he is often known for his more comical roles, I found him really engaging as Cameron whenever he was on screen, even if there was an unlikable edge to his character due to his actions as a lawyer. On the other side, however, Shawntay Dalon as Shonda Wright, Esq was also excellent as the opposing lawyer, who in addition to giving a presence in court, also delivered a more personal and compassionate side with Nicole.
Supporting actors Debra Lamb (as Suan) and Blanco Blanco (as Katarina Lopez) also have some nice moments with Nicole, showing the ongoing effects the violence has on her. Whilst I feel it would have been nice for these moments to be expanded more, this would obviously take away too much from the main focus of the film. It was also nice to see performances from Richard Tyson as Judge Carter and Vida Ghaffari as Mary Ann (NPR Reporter), as they always bring something to the film.
Once you have finished watching Finding Nicole, it lingers with you long after the credits. It is surprising not only how long the abuse was allowed to continue, but also some of the events which took place before action was taken. Were it not based on a true story, you would assume some of the events were fictionalised, which really makes it hit home. Harley has continued to grow as a filmmaker, taking on different genres and subject matters, but to deal with such a sensitive subject so respectfully and with the strong performances from the cast, I feel that this is his most accomplished film to date and demonstrates how he is continuing to grow as a filmmaker.
The film has some standout performances from the supporting cast
Movie title: Finding Nicole (2025)
Movie description: Based on the true-life story of Nicole Beverly as seen on "Inside Evil with Chris Cuomo," "Til Death Do Us Part," and the top-selling book with the same title. Nicole and her children survive and overcome domestic violence.
Date published: September 22, 2025
Country: UK
Duration: 1h 30
Director(s): Harley Wallen
Actor(s): Kaiti Wallen, Richard Tyson, Sean Whalen, Shawntay Dalon
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
