I Am Vanessa Guillen
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I Am Vanessa Guillen
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that I Am Vanessa Guillen is a grim but well-made documentary about a woman in the U.S. military who was murdered by a superior officer at Fort Hood. There is violent detail about what happened to Vanessa, including how she was "hit in the head with a hammer," how her body was "cut into many pieces and set on fire." There are also several references to sexual assault, rape, abuse, grooming, and corruption. After their sister, Vanessa, goes missing, the Guillens begin calling Fort Hood for answers. But it takes the military two months before saying anything. Further, they knew Vanessa was murdered and who did it, but failed to arrest him. Later it is revealed that the murderer shot himself after initially fleeing Fort Hood. Despite these setbacks and other tales of institutionalized corruption and cover-ups, Vanessa's family show incredible perseverance and courage in seeking justice.
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What's the Story?
I AM VANESSA GUILLEN tells the horrific story of a young U.S. soldier who was brutally murdered at Fort Hood military base by a superior officer. Having endured endless sexual harassment before her murder, Vanessa's family are determined to reveal the truth -- taking their case all the way to Congress.
Is It Any Good?
While this documentary is a bit long, sometimes lingering too much on side characters' backstories, the main message still feels incredibly important and vital. A lot of pain is shown in I Am Vanessa Guillen, but there is some encouraging progress shown by the end. Despite the conclusion not being perfect, it still shows how the tireless efforts of one family can make a huge impact. A tough watch, the docu doesn't hide from being direct, calling out the U.S. military and especially Fort Hood for their collusion in trying to cover-up dozens of cases of sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape, and murder.
After highlighting the failures within the U.S. military judicial system, the film decides to follow the Guillen family's efforts to make change at a congressional level. Unfortunately, by the time the end is reached, any sense of triumphant victory is cut short, made bittersweet by the extent of the U.S. military's corruption. The only gripe is that if the film had been more snappily presented, perhaps even more people would be aware of this case and its implications.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence discussed in I Am Vanessa Guillen. How did you feel hearing about some of what Vanessa went through? How did this compare to when you watch a violent action movie? Why is that?
Why is it important to hold people and institutions accountable? How can documentaries help do this?
In what ways did the Guillen family show courage and perseverance? Why are these such important character strengths?
Did you find the conclusion of the film encouraging or disappointing? Why?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 17, 2022
- Cast: Vanessa Guillen, Lupe Guillen, Gloria Guillen, Lucy Del Gaudio
- Director: Christy Wegener
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Activism, Brothers and Sisters
- Character Strengths: Courage, Perseverance
- Run time: 95 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: December 1, 2022
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