Documentary guy.
Capturing the Friedmans (2002) -- The central question of this movie is, "We know these people are incredibly messed up and horrible... but how much?" For example, did Arnold Friedman rape only two children (sarcastic italics) or an entire room of children? Did he leave child porn lying about his house, or was he more discrete about it (the movie presuming that the second answer is somehow better). I realize Andrew's son may have been wrongly convicted, but the entire movie is an attempt to make these people look like they are okay people, and they are not. After spending almost two hours with them, you sort of get to hate them--not to mention everyone the movie (cops, lawyers, judges, alledged victims, and the filmmaker himself). It's not a bad movie necessarily, as a movie, but it's attempting to do something close to Errol Morris's The Thin Blue Line, but for completely wrong reasons. The movie is bordering on irresponsible. (If nothing else, watch it for the ridiculous comments about the game of "Leap Frog.") C
Copyright (c) Feb 2004 - Apr 2005 by Rusty Likes Movies