Little girl covers ears and repeats something when scared

[nickname]

In the opening scene, there was a mom and guy (possibly a step dad), both pretty nasty characters, and they were talking at the kitchen table (green room?). They were talking about sex or something inappropriate because the mom's young daughter (5-9ish?) is there, and the mom is belittling her. One or more of the adults were smoking.

In the same opening scene, I think someone comes to the front door, or somehow, the young girl witnesses a murder, by the guy, I think. But the Mom's involved too.

I remember a different scene where the young girl is being chased down the hall by the guy who has a knife and, I think, the Mom is egging him on until he find her.

When the little girl gets scared, she puts her hands over her ears and says something over and over. A rhyme perhaps?

In a different scene the girl hides under her mom's bed, but her mom throws her out. I think this is because she's about to have sex with someone.

Yeesh. This sounds like a pretty dark movie, but any help is appreciated. It's driving me nuts that I can't remember what the little girl is repeating. And I remember there being more to the movie. I just can't remember what!!

I'm pretty sure the movie is modern (2000-).

Thanks in advance for the help!

[Dude]

This sounds like "The People Under The Stairs."

[nickname]

Hmmm. . .  I haven't seen that, but thank you for the suggestion. I think the movie I'm trying to remember is more psychological thriller/overcoming obstacles than horror (which I'm guessing "The People Under The Stairs" is). Thank you very much for your help though. I'd never heard of that movie before.

[Dragonfly]

I am trying to remember this.  I think the character name is China, and she is repeating "China (her last name) .... something .... safe." and it is a memory.  I think a little girl has been abducted and she comes across the situation.  She gets trapped with the little girl and ends up using a lighter to start a fire to escape.  She backs a motor home up to the house and has to go on a ladder across the top to get her and the girl in.  Does any of this sound right for the movie you're looking for?  Still can't think of the name. 

[cinemaphile]

Dragonfly, you're thinking of Intensity. The only reason I didn't mention it earlier is because nickname mentioned the girl's parents in a couple scenes and as I recall, the parents die early on in Intensity-the whole family aside from the little girl, actually.

In Intensity, the name the little girl repeats when she's scared is "Badger." Also, I think China is the older girl's name. The one who ends up helping the little girl.

[nickname]

@ cinemaphile Ah yes - Intensity. I saw that awhile back and actually couldn't remember the name, so thank you advance for answering that question of mine!!!

[nickname]

Please see my last post on this discussion. The movie I was thinking of WAS Intensity. I re-watched it thanks to your comment and discovered the scene I was thinking about was the opening scene! :(

Thank you - thank you again. :)

[nickname]

@ Dragonfly -- It's not the same movie, but I have seen that movie too. I had completely forgotten about China repeating that though. That's a good detail, and yes -very similar. One thing that stood out in that movie to me were the wolves which appeared a few times and made eye contact with China during the moments she needed courage. In spite of the wolves, that was a creepy movie.

[MissAnnThrope]

I'm no help, I'm sure.  But I remember a movie like this.  Which in my recollection, took place in Florida and also, the bits with the little girl were flashbacks to sometime around the 60s, when she was a child.  The guy with the knife was the mother's boyfriend, iirc.

[nickname]

Yes! Yes! I think we are thinking of the same movie. Now that you say that, you're right - flashbacks to the 60s. Well, it's good to know the movie exists. If you ever run across it again, please remember me. Thank you! :)

[Dragonfly]

Ah yes.  Made for TV movie.  That is why I can't find it on Netflix perhaps.  Thanks for answering!!  Hope you find your movie title as well.

[nickname]

Ahh! I am so dense. The movie IS Intensity (1997).  :(

I re-watched it recently, and the scene that stuck in my head is the opening scene. I just didn't connect it with the movie because I was being dense!!!!