Parents' Guide to

Wormwood

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Dark docudrama about drugs, suicide, and a CIA cover-up.

TV Netflix Drama 2017
Wormwood Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

miss-tea
miss-tea Adult
September 14, 2022
age 18+

Great acting- nudity needs to be labeled.

It DOES have nudity in it when showing a scene of magazine clippings. Besides that part it was pretty well done!
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Directed by renowned filmmaker Errol Morris, WORMWOOD is a six-part docudrama about the mysterious death of a civilian scientist working at a military research lab in the 1950s. In 1953 Frank Olson allegedly committed suicide by jumping out of a New York City hotel window. It wasn't until 1975 that Olson's family, thanks to the release of the President's Commission on CIA Activities within the United States ( aka The Rockefeller Report), learned that Frank died as a result of unknowingly participating in a CIA drug experiment using LSD. But over the years, the facts surrounding his death have not been forthcoming, prompting Olson's son Eric to commit his adult life to uncovering the entire story. Extensive interviews with Eric Olson and archived media footage reveal some disturbing details about the CIA cover-up. Dramatizations featuring actors like Peter Sarsgaard and Molly Parker offer reconstructions of what allegedly happened prior to the scientist's death.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This collage-like, dark series blends interviews, media footage, and actor reenactments (of possibly imagined events) to create a unique but troubling documentary. The story jumps back and forth between 1953 and 1975 to reveal what happened to Frank Olson and his family while highlighting the U.S. government's late response to his death. Contemporary conversations with Eric Olson and his lawyer, most of which reveal how they have gone about trying to get answers, help put these moments in context.

The fictional dramatizations of Frank Olson's ordeal, including his alleged paranoid reactions to the drugs he was given, and the CIA's efforts to manipulate him as he struggled, are filled with sinister moments. The less theatrical reveals of the CIA's covert Cold War tactics, including illicit drug testing and espionage, are equally disturbing. Wormwood is an interesting watch, but one that raises a lot more questions than answers, and it's as entertaining as it is informative.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about conspiracies. How do people feel when their government is accused of, or found to have engaged in, unethical or unlawful activities? Why would a government keep secrets?

  • Governments around the world often engage in operations in order to protect their countries' interests. Do the ends justify the means?

  • What is the difference between a documentary and a docudrama? How would the story that Wormwood tells be impacted if it got rid of the actor portrayals of events?

TV Details

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