 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Capturing the Friedmans
- Review Date: October 27, 2005
- NR
- Genre: Documentary
- 2003
Common Sense Media says
Captivating and intense. Mature teens+.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this film discusses a father and son accused and convicted of many counts of child sexual abuse. The film includes explicit discussion of incest, anal and oral sodomy, and child pornography. There are also intense scenes involving a father committing suicide, heated arguments between family members, and adults recalling childhood sexual abuse.
What's the story?
Using bittersweet loops from family movies and gripping scenes of confessional-style interviews, CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS recounts the arrests and convictions of a father and son for child molestation in the 1980s. Arthur and his son Jesse were accused of committing hundreds of rapes during the computer lessons they taught to elementary school children in their Long Island basement. Precipitated by a police investigation into Arthur's child pornography collection, the arrests plunged his middle class Jewish household into a media storm and divisive family crisis. Told via family video footage before, during, and after Arthur and Jesse's arrests, Capturing the Friedmans relates the effects of the crimes on the relationships between the various family members. Viewers learn how these family dynamics influenced the decisions that Arthur and Jesse make while defending themselves in court.
Is it any good?
The Friedman family's penchant for self-chronicling yields a layered, complex examination of how they dealt with a crippling crisis. Capturing the Friedmans is unrelenting in its honesty and, as a result, it has moments of being utterly painful to watch. David, the eldest Friedman son, refuses to believe that his father could harbor sexual feelings for young boys and Elaine candidly admits to suffering from an acute depression. Moments of extreme introspection like these make Capturing the Friedmans as fascinating as it is excruciating.
This documentary could raise many opportunities for families to discuss issues related to sexual abuse. Yet because so many of the interviews and scenes involving family discussions are emotionally intense and filled with frank descriptions of sex crimes, parents should be wary of letting kids watch it alone. That said, this is documentary filmmaking at its best -- but it's still best watched by those mature enough to handle the very serious subject matter.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about police investigation procedures. Why might Arthur and Jesse Friedman be innocent? Families could also discuss David's reactions to his father's and brother's arrests. Why was he so angry with his mother? Was he right in believing his father and brother without question? Families could also discuss Elaine Friedman's reaction to her husband's and son's arrests. Why was she eager to have her son confess to something he insists that he didn't do? How would you have felt in a similar situation?
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AGE
I love this docu. It's done very well and I get a feeling that the son is guilty during the movie. There are some surprises at the end too that are shocking. Over all this movie will stay with you for a long time. There is also a extra dvd you can order from netflix if you are interested after seeing the movie.
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AGE
Very very very very very disturbing
Oh my GOD THIS MOVIE IS SO SAD AND DISTURBING but INCREDIBLY interesting and well done, its all about this man who like raped and sexually abused heaps of kids, including his own son, in the 80s, and ITS TRUE!! There was one bit where the man said he was being aroused by a 5 year old boy, and that was just too much, it really shows how horrible and sick and twisted people can be, and it shows thru video diaries and stuff how the family copes with the dad being a paedophile, there are no positive messages, there mostly all bad rolemodels except Dave and the Mum and some others but the main ones are really negative and bad, there is nothing shown of the abuse, but there is references to sodomy, oral rape, incest and other disturbing sexual issues.
I think you really need to prepare yourself before seeing this, because its a really really disturbing and sad movie, and you need to be in the right mood. I think a mature 14 year old - 15 year old would be able to handle it, but not for people who are affected easily, as it is very very very very disturbing and confronting, but its also very good.
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| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Andrew Jarecki |
| Cast: | Arnold Friedman, David Friedman, Elaine Friedman |
| Genre: | Documentary |
| Run time: | 107 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | January 1, 2003 |
| DVD release date: | January 27, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
| MPAA explanation: | not rated |
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