Review of Capturing the Friedmans (2003) by The Critic ( — 24 Oct 2012

An exceptionally well-made and considerably balanced insight into a case which came from the heart of suburban America. The subject of paedophilia is never an easy one to document on film, yet Andrew Jarecki does so with enough care that the persons involved come across as flawed individuals and not unrelatable monsters from another world.

What is most fascinating, though, about this dysfunctional family is how deeply the Friedmans are willing to allow Jarecki to delve. Upfront and honest interviews, home movies of savage disputes, family letters, and even a video diary give much information and insight into the principal players of the real-life soap opera.

Whist there's no question that Arnold Friedman was a paedophile, those on the side of the law don't always come off as squeaky clean as they should, and their shadowed star witness, whose testimony alone added thirty-five charges against Friedman, doesn't really come off as credible.

However, Jarecki allows the viewer to make up their own mind, and with all sides of this tangled drama passionate about their points-of-view and where they stand, it's little surprise that things get explosive. An excellent and unmissable documentary.