While it would have been tough for any filmmaker to make something palatable of such unsavory story material, there's little depth or insight in director/co-writer Tommy O'Haver's harrowing account of a horrific true-life 1965 murder case. Temporarily left by their peripatetic parents in the care of divorced white-trash floozy Gertrude Baniszewski (Catherine Keener), 16-year-old Sylvia Likens (Ellen Page) and her younger sister Jennie (Hayley McFarland) try to adapt to their unappetizing new surroundings. Gertrude takes a dislike to Sylvia, wrongly accusing her of slutty behavior and constant lying, before eventually locking her charge in the basement and subjecting the girl to a torrent of mental, emotional, and physical abuse. Keener and Page are solid in demanding roles, but they are consistently undercut by O'Haver's bland, rhythm-less direction. Ultimately, An American Crime lacks the power and passion to make a truly inspired film out of such unappealing subject matter. Not recommended. (E. Hulse)
An American Crime
First Look, 92 min., R, DVD: $24.98 Volume 23, Issue 6
An American Crime
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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