Presunta inocencia

As a mum of two lovely children, I watched this film wondering how politics could be stronger than family love and unity. In the end, love won, but at what cost..... all the years without celebrating birthdays, Christmas, a new year at school, a new girlfriend, etc... so many things happening in one's life. I don't think I ever cried so much whilst watching a film, so I dare to imagine how much these parents and children cried every day of their lives, since when everything happened and forever more because you simply cannot replace or re-create 12 years of any human being's life. If the real Kniffen's ever see this message, please note, I have the utmost respect for you and have no idea where you found the strengh to carry on. I hope you have found peace and happiness and wish you all the best. you must be such strong human beings...From a mum that loves her children....they must have been the force that kept you going. Have s happy life, wherever you are.

I have never before in my entire life seen a movie which dealt so strongly and so stirringly with the most profound and most common human emotion of all: love within a family. I felt emotionally attached to the Kniffen family as if I were a member of their kin. The emotional roller-coaster this movie provides is substantial and will not let go of you. This is because of the unbelievable injustice and the outrageous mistake committed by the legal system of the United States.

Just Ask My Children is a true story, elaborating on the tragedy of the Kniffen family in 1982. This was the time of a nation-wide witch-hunt that tore dozens of families apart and brought many innocent parents into jail. Scott and Brenda Kniffen (Jeff Nordling and Virginia Madsen) live a happy life with their two boys Brandon, age 9, and six-year-old Brian. When wrong allegations of child abuse cause a state-wide hysteria, they find themselves in a harrowing nightmare. Without a shred of evidence, the Kniffens are arrested and their two sons are taken away from them and put into the custody of social services. There the impressionable boys are brainwashed, confused and utterly manipulated by a malicious prosecutor in his relentless ambition to put the Kniffens into prison. In court they testify against their own parents, which convinces the jury beyond the reasonable doubt that Brenda and Scott Kniffen are guilty of committing the heinous crimes they are accused of in the indictment. They are sentenced to 240 years each, the longest sentences ever imposed in Kern County. Scott and Brenda spend twelve years behind bars, suffering and praying to God, while their boys are put from foster home to foster home, confused and emotionally scarred.

The movie gains all its strength from this single, but tremendously strong theme. While following the developments of the story, the tragedy and the hardships imposed on this innocent couple makes everyone unwilling to believe that such an outrageous thing could have actually happened not yet 20 years ago. The reference to medieval witch trials occasionally surfaces in the story and makes the audience even more aware of how merciless the system can be in case of utter failure.

The toughest and most brilliant aspect this movie deals with is how the family is effected by the verdict. The story of the boys, as they mature and question their own past is wonderfully adapted to their emotional turmoil. Scott's parents and their continuous fight to prove the innocence of their son and Brenda is stunning in its passion and desperate commitment. The movie features various heart-breaking scenes that will leave you emotionally drained and makes you aware of how much suffering the family has to bear. The tragedy hits you so strong because you know the truth, and you feel so sorry for the entire family, good and decent people now thoroughly despised by the public and labeled as child molesters.

Brian and Brandon are played by Ryan Wilson (Cold Creek Manor) and Cody Dorkin at the beginning, then by Dan Byrd and Scott Bailey. Finally Gregory Smith (The Patriot) plays 18-year-old Brian, Scott Bailey again 21-year-old Brandon. The passing of the years makes the audience understand how long this struggle for justice went on and how desperate Scott and Brenda sought freedom to embrace their sons. The young actors portraying the two boys, above all Ryan Wilson and Cody Dorkin, do a great job. Ryan Wilson in particular made it straight into my heart, due to his performance in the court room, but also when he is yearning for his mom. The scene when Scott and Brenda are allowed to see their boys one last time is nothing but tough, because it shows the tragedy of the separation in all its brutality. You see this family, how much they love each other and how strongly they yearn for just being together again, but you know that they will remain torn apart.

Just Ask My Children will affect you, even more so if you consider it being based on a true story. It makes you mad at the relentless prosecutors and shows with smashing credibility how atrociously the system can fail. The emotional scenes are likely to force tears into your eyes, as you automatically associate and identify with Scott and Brenda. The story is really tough, not suited for kids and an emotional roller-coaster that will leave you terrified. This movie deserves a 10, no doubt about that.

Just saw this movie on T.V. for the first time today. I can personally tell you that this 90 minutes barely scratches the surface of the stories of ALL of the families involved. Someone should do a followup story on the children involved and how they were mentally affected by what they were exposed to during those years. My family in California did not contact us to let us know this movie was out . . . . but we don't talk much about it anymore - too painful.

One key subject here is something most people don't realize. Your children ARE NOT required to have an attorney present when they are questioned by the police. Therefore, a child can be denied sleep and food. Questioning techniques that are used by the military were used on these children. Some of them were also told that if they would just admit to the charges that they could go home to their parents. I know - if I were not related to two of the children involved - I wouldn't believe this happened in the United States in this century.

"Just Ask My Children" is based on the true story of a modern-day witch-hunt in which a couple is falsely accused and jailed for molesting their own children.

When Brenda (Virginia Madsen) and Scott Kniffen (Jeffrey Nordling) are asked to testify at a custody hearing on behalf of their friends, they and their two sons, Brandon and Brian, are sucked into a nightmare. Their friends' hysterical relative has accused both sets of parents of molestation and peddling child pornography - and the local D.A.'s office is intent on appearing tough on child abusers. They badger Brian and Brandon into testifying against their mom and dad, with tragic results. For 12 horrible years, Brenda and Scott languish behind bars, separated from the sons they love and fighting to prove their own innocence.

I agree that 10 is not a high enough number to rate this movie. This movie was well written, produced, and all the actors and actresses did a wonderful job. I am a fan of Virginia Madsen. The sad part is that what happened to this family happens all the time to other families and you do not hear or read about it. As I children's rights advocate, I have seen what happened to this family happen time and again. While you are watching this movie or even after you have seen it you will ask yourself, "How can this happen in the US?" Of course, I have other personal opinions that I cannot post here. This movie is a "must see" for anyone who has a child or children and/or works with children and/or families, etc. I would highly recommend this movie to be shown in college Psychology classes, law schools, especially when you are studying Family Law/Domestc Law, Criminal Law, and for medical doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, etc.