El encierro

I attended the world premiere of "An American Crime" at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Among the several decidedly downbeat films I saw this past week, this one was by far the hardest to watch. But something about it is compelling, like craning your neck to see what horrors can be spotted at the scene of a car crash. You know it can't be anything pretty, yet you can't take your eyes off it. Perhaps it was knowing that the film is, in fact, based on a true story. The opening courtroom scenes and disclaimer that "actual transcripts" were used make that clear. There's something about a "true crime" drama that triggers a desire to sit through whatever terrifying images lie ahead. And the images conjured up here are bone-chilling.

In 1965, Betty Likens (Romy Rosemont) and her husband Lester (Nick Searcy) decided it was best to leave their two daughters with a neighbor while they went off with a traveling carnival. So Sylvia Likens (Ellen Page) and her sister Jennie Fae (Hayley McFarland) settled in with the Baniszewski clan. And what a clan it was. Mother Gertrude (Catherine Keener) already had five of her own in tow, and now she added two more. What happened then, well documented in the record, is now played out for us with horrifying realism.

This is Keener and Page's film, despite the large ensemble cast assembled for the story. And both actors create frighteningly devastating portrayals of characters we still can't quite believe really endured these horrors. Mommie Dearest doesn't hold a candle to Keener's Gertrude, and Page is as heartbreaking as any victim I've seen in modern cinema. Both turn in award-winning performances that left me with chills.

In addition to the numerous family members, an assortment of school chums has the opportunity to get involved in some way. Coy Hubbard (Jeremy Sumpter) is the boyfriend of one of the Baniszewski brood. Known to most from 2003's "Peter Pan," we can't help but feel that he will be the hero here. Teddy Lewis (Michael Welch), is an enigma from the start. One of our most prolific yet underrated young actors today, Welch is perfectly cast as the boy whose blood runs hot or cold depending on the prevailing winds. Other notables include The West Wing's Bradley Whitford as prosecutor Leroy K. New.

This is a period piece set in the mid-60s, and the costumes, sets, and palette of colors effectively evokes that era to a T. Much of the film's look can be attributed to the cinematography of Byron Shah, who had two films here at Sundance (his "The Go-Getter" was one of my favorite film' at this year's festival).

"An American Crime" is not for everyone. It's a horror film that isn't a work of fiction. If it was from the hand of Stephen King it would be scary and delicious. Instead it's scary and nauseating. Yet it deserves the label "important," because the subject matter is worthy of discussion. And that's because the horrors exposed in this film are still occurring today. That's the real crime.

I was born in 1970 and had an Aunt that lived just down the street from the house where Sylvia and her sister were staying. When I first heard the name "Sylvia Likens" it was in a childhood chant which was very disrespectful to her life/death. When my mother heard me, she asked why I was doing that and I said it was a spooky game. She explained to me at that time that Sylvia was a real girl who lived through a horrid time. It wasn't until I was older that I found out she was murdered. Although it was a bad neighborhood, sometimes my husband and would drive by the house. Its frightening to think of what happens in our country, and in the very state I live in. I think it was important for this film to be made, especially when I read that none of the actors had heard of Sylvia's story. There is a park not far from her home that has a memorial in place for her, with her picture on it.

The "disclaimer" at the end of "An American Crime" could not be more appropriate. Why does Hollywood have to make up "fake scenarios" about one of the most horrific crimes ever committed? Are the actual facts not "interesting" enough for the big screen? I can assure you, they are indeed, and need to be told. Anyone who has ever comprehensively researched this case can tell you, there is very little "fact" here. The ferocity and unrelenting cruelty of the monster "Gertrude," as well as the "enthusiasm" of the children who participated in the torture of Sylvia Likens, particularly, daughter Paula, has been falsely conveyed and greatly understated. It's really a travesty and dishonors the memory of an innocent young girl. They had a great opportunity to show the truth, and they blew it. Shame on them.

This movie was good, acting was excellent, filming was excellent and you are quickly drawn into the story so that all around you is no longer there. Yet when you see the things that happen to this poor girl your eyes don't want to stop watching but in the back of your mind you're thinking why? Then you remember during portions of this movie that it was based on actual events and when the credits roll you're hit with this overwhelming since of sadness and grief that makes you want to tell your parent or parents that you love them and that you're thankful for them. While your mind processes what you've just seen it's hard because it's so shocking and real and you want to shout at the top of your lungs SAVE THIS GIRL! I guess it could just be me but it had powerful emotional effect on me. I've seen other movies about true stories but other than Schindler's List nothing had such an impact until now. There was a Lifetime movie that made me angry and sickened me that turned out was fictional that I wished they would have said before the movie began its not based on actual events. My advice is if you think you can handle the emotions you'll feel after this movie then watch it. If you don't think you can, then watch it with another person. The overall sad and disturbing fact was this movie was based on a true story. I guess that makes it all the more scary.

I rate the movie a 7, as it does introduce individuals to this most horrible series of events. However, in my opinion the movie does not portray the abuse of Sylvia Likens to the extent to fully represent the horror and suffering of her torture. In researching this case, I find the movie "light" on the true depth of this crime. Sylvia Likens had at least 100 burns, contusions, and cuts on her body when she was found. She was starved, placed in scalding baths, and suffered extreme and prolonged abuse. I'm not voyeuristic, but I think that the film really lacks the details of the sequence and scope of events to provide the emotional and intellectual impact that the Likens case calls for. In contrast, "The Girl Next Door" appears to go a little too far in portraying a couple of events that may not have happened (I hope!) - but I believe that "The Girl Next Door" will leave you with a better sense of the true nature of the tragic murder of this young girl.