Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Slow-moving Lifetime movie has stereotypes, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
An Amish Murder
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Kate Burkholder (Neve Campbell) was once a member of the Amish community, and she now serves as chief of police. But when two teen girls from the community are murdered, her former involvement only complicates her investigation and leads her to reconcile a dark secret from her past that tore her family apart.
Is It Any Good?
AN AMISH MURDER fails on two accounts: It's not a particularly gripping murder investigation, and it's not a particularly gripping tale of the Amish. Instead, it feels like a glossed-over account of both, with a frustrating pace and characters that are too surfacey to feel well developed. Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder is the film's most compelling actor, and she gives a nuanced performance with limited material. Fans of her work may find enough here to sustain them. To its credit, An Amish Murder isn't needlessly graphic or exploitative and relies instead on the emotional pull of community, family, and loss to drive the narrative. But, in spite of this restraint, there isn't much left to go on, and there are better versions of both subjects out there to engage viewers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about movies about the Amish. Why do you think they're so popular?
Does this movie seem to portray the Amish community accurately? Why, or why not?
Does the movie stereotype the Amish? If so, in what way?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 6, 2013
- Cast : Neve Campbell , C. Thomas Howell
- Director : Stephen Gyllenhaal
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lifetime
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 84 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 20, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate