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Parents' Guide to

Capturing the Friedmans

By Hollis Griffin, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Captivating and intense. Mature teens+.

Movie NR 2003 107 minutes
Capturing the Friedmans Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

Imjustsaying
Imjustsaying Parent
February 16, 2011
age 14+
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.
See all 1 parent review

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?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

Capturing the Friedmans is unrelenting in its honesty and, as a result, it has moments of being utterly painful to watch. The Friedman family's penchant for self-chronicling yields a layered, complex examination of how they dealt with a crippling crisis. 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.

Talk to Your Kids 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?

Movie Details

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