Review of Capturing the Friedmans (2003) by Asim D — 28 Jan 2004

Capturing the Friedmans.

Directed by Andrew Jarecki.

107 Minutes, Color, NR, USA.

Review by OppressedWriter.

Is the Truth more bizarre than fiction or is the truth just fiction?

The justice system gets unjustified in Andrew Jarecki?s frustrating compelling ?Capturing the Friedmans.? A haunting and unsettling look at dreamlike suburbia gone nightmarish. The Friedman?s are an affluent family living in Long Island, New York. They are ostensibly a perfect family: they have a nice house, popularity among the community, and three sons. All of this is shattered when a letter containing child pornography is linked with Arnold Friedman -- the father of the family. This sets off a chain of events that leads to the justice system?s systematic breakdown of an American Family.

The revelation of Arnold?s shocking secret sends ripples throughout the community. He is a smart, well known, and very prominently praised computer teacher in the community. Many parents are disturbed to hear that a former teacher of their children is a closet pedophile. Worsening matters is the sensationalistic coverage of the media labeling Arnold as a sexual predator and implying him of alleged molestation charges. These lurid accusations help the police in conducting interviews with many of Arnold?s prior and current students. The questioning leads to countless claims of child sodomy in Arnold?s computer class, many of which include the participation of Jesse Friedman -- one of Arnold?s younger sons.

Jesse Friedman?s involvement triggers the families spiral into destruction. The remaining brothers band together to support their brother and father and the mother starts to doubt her marriage. The mother?s -- Elaine Friedman -- doubt makes her become an outcast in the family; she receives constant verbal bashing and contemptuous disregard by her sons. A rift starts to form between her and the children which ultimately leads to her losing faith in Arnold.

Jarecki presents all this information with a variety of interviews going from the immediate family -- everyone except Seth. To professionals whose ineptitude and seemingly endless contradictions further show the frailty of our justice system. However, by far the most thought provoking bit of info is the interviews with several alleged victims. Who themselves deny any form of sexual abuse, and bluntly admit that they made up lies in order to stop the questioning. Many also state that they admitted the crimes only through hypnosis and they now have a hard time remembering the details.

Reexamining of facts and assumptions as difficult as the ones presented here is an art of it?s own; and if ?Capturing the Friedman?s? was only that it?d still be commendable as a documentary, but it isn?t , it stands heads and shoulders above other films is because of it?s sense of immediacy. It?s an unflinching look at the lower depths behind the surface. The films most powerful moments come from real footage shot in the Friedman home by David Friedman -- the eldest brother. It is these explosive moments that transcend this film beyond other documentaries. Jarecki offers no answers, but he sure as hell asks some terrifying questions.