L'Assassinat de Kenneth Chamberlain

This was a very difficult film to watch, there's no question that there are police all over America that are overzealous, that are drunk with power, who do not use common sense, and who escalate situations for very marginal reasons, oftentimes resulting in fatal encounters that simply did not have to happen, had they exercised more caution, better judgment and been more reasonable.

In my mind there is no question about the fact that police officers need more vigorous training on how to de-escalate situations and this movie presents a very good example of highly ignorant men flexing their muscles and doing something incredibly stupid and killing someone in the process.

This in no way takes away from the vast majority of law enforcement officers who are good cops, who put their lives on the line doing a very dangerous job, and are reasonable and judicious in their decisions.

Greetings again from the darkness. No one denies law enforcement officers have a tough and demanding and risky job. However, with cell phones putting video cameras in the hands of just about everyone, any poor decision by cops ... and certainly any tragic one... is likely to get recorded and then plastered across all media. Writer-director David Midell delivers a dramatized reenactment of a tragic and inexplicable interaction between one man and a team of frustrated cops whose actions proved deadly.

On November 19, 2011, former Marine Kenneth Chamberlain Sr was asleep in his White Plains, NY apartment. He rolled over and accidentally enacted his LifeAid alert pendant. Since he slept without his hearing aids, Kenneth didn't hear Candace, the LifeAid operator, try to reach him. Following protocol, Candace ordered a welfare check. 90 minutes later, Kenneth lay dead - killed by police after they broke down his front door. The tension during that 90 minutes is nearly unbearable.

Frankie Faison ("Banshee") gives an excellent and gut-wrenching performance as Chamberlain. We 'feel' everything he says. As he talks to the cops through the door, we learn he has a heart condition, as well as a mental health issue (likely bi-polar). His constant pleas of "leave me alone", "I'm fine", the alarm "was an accident", and "you're not coming in" all heighten the sense of impending doom he feels. We feel it too. His experience tells him to expect something to go wrong anytime the police are involved.

The three cops banging on his door are Sergeant Parks (Steve O'Connell), Officer Jackson (Ben Martin), and Officer Rossi (Enrique Natale). Jackson is the racist, hot-headed gum-smacking cop (blond of course) who has judged Chamberlain simply by the demographics of the run-down complex he lives in. Rossi is the empathetic rookie cop who has a feel for the pressure Chamberlain is under, and his attempts at preaching patience are shot down by the more experienced cops. Parks has little time for Rossi's cuddly approach or Jackson's on-edge nature, but he's not appreciative of Chamberlain's refusal to cooperate, and certainly can't relate to his distrust of the badge.

Midell's film has been well received at film festivals the past couple of years, and his 'real time' approach coupled with the performances and the claustrophobic setting (it all takes place in Chamberlain's apartment and the stairwell outside his door) work to give us a feel for the emotions and nervous energy of the situation. Throughout the ordeal, Chamberlain communicates with Candace at LifeAid and his own family on his cell. The opening quote tells us that depending on who you are, the sight of a police officer could mean "safety" or "terror". This film relays the latter, and the actual audio and photos over the closing credits prove this horror film was unbearably true. "This is my home" was not enough for Kenneth Chamberlain. One small quibble: Chamberlain's hearing aids come and go through the film.

In select theaters and VOD on September 17, 2021.

The duration of the film is 83 minutes and the narration gets straight to the point. And it success to made the audience emotional throughout the film. But I think there should be additional narrative about the development characters here. I'm just tired of bad cops and their victims. It's already hard to watch people hurt because bad cops in real life.

But seriously, if you didn't know the story, you should watch it.

This is a perfect example of what great independent film can be. It takes place in two rooms, but is so well made that you never wish it was opened up. The realtime storytelling makes the heart wrenching story even more effective. Great acting, especially by Frankie Faison, Enrico Natale and Tom McElroy. I hope this film finds a wider audience. It deserves it.

"depending on who you are, the sight of an officer can produce either a warm sense of safety and contentment or a plummeting feeling of terror"

Watch this movie and read that again.

Based on just one true story and over a decade after the events took place, this film is still painfully relevant. You'll likely spend the credits sitting in silence - recovering and trying to process what you just witnessed. All poor reviews so far seem to have missed the point and/or thought it was fiction.

No matter where you live in this world, but especially if you are white (yes Australia, us too), please, watch this film. Check your privilege and let your perspective change with it.