Sophie: A Murder in West Cork

Who killed the beautiful Sophie Toscan du Plantier, a hugely talented Frenchwoman, who sadly died in Cork in 1996.

Netflix do this kind of documentary series very well, this is another strong example. A very sad story, one that seems to continue, the famous Bailey case.

You get the background, the area, the scene, the crime, the suspect, and a resolution.....of sorts.

It could have been told over two episodes, it's true it is a little dragged out in parts, but it's a very intriguing story.

Some think the answers are black and white, and obvious, I'm perhaps a little more sceptical, give it a watch, and see what you think.

Very watchable, 7/10.

Netflix new thing is dragging out a 20min criminal storyline into 3h of nature videos and circulating the same 15 photos of the victim.

I really wanted to like this more, but it's two quarts of plot in a five gallon pot.

I should say up front that the cinematography is gorgeous, the soundtrack and music are expertly done, it has all the current tropes of a streaming documentary (though perhaps a bit too much use of the interview gimmick where the subject stares silently into the camera as their voiceover plays on the soundtrack), and within the first fifteen minutes I wanted to visit Schull; after the first hour I wanted to live there.

That said, stretching this documentary out to about three hours of episodes seems more like a contract fulfillment than a need to tell a long story. There are very few cliffhangers; and while Episode 1 ends on a suitably Wow note, the story sort of bumbles along after that, mindful of the need to have long, gorgeous shots of scenery in between interviews so as to not reach present day too quickly.

While the case is practically entirely circumstantial, there is a lot of evidence implicating the chief suspect, with little to none pointing elsewhere and no other plausible suspects to talk about. Our suspect's chief defense seems to be simply saying that he didn't do it, over and over, and as we are now used to seeing how a trace of DNA can nail someone to the wall even decades after the crime occurred, the absence of much new insight into the case now makes one wonder why the film was made. As we moved through Episode 2, it seemed like Episode 3 was going to be the final, modern-day resolution at last. It wasn't.

I felt incredible sadness for the family of Sophie, and also the betrayal by the judicial system in Ireland. From the DPP who wouldn't prosecute and dismissed domestic violence as "one of those things that happen", to the incompetence and corruption of the Gardia, and even the attitude of the Coroner who didn't arrive on the murder scene until days later. Maybe the murder of a woman didn't warrant a speedy response. Also, the self serving 'key witness' who was out with her ex-boyfriend that night, but felt her own welfare came above the murder of an innocent woman when it came to her conflicting statements. I found the partner of Ian Bailey blinded by the extreme violence and abuse suffered at the hands of the 'poet' and maybe if she hadn't stuck by him for so long, justice would have been served. Mostly, I found the egotistical, angry, self indulgence of Ian Bailey the hardest thing to stomach. Here we have a violent man, with extreme sexual fantasies, lying to the audience in a vain attempt to attract pity. Where is the justice for Sophie, and how can a community life with such a man?

This kind of documentary show needs more appreciation. The crews interviewed many eye witnesses, dug old footages and even went back and forth between Ireland and French to show what happened.

It also shows no bias. All were interviewed. All available documents were presented. Two sides of the coin were covered so that audience don't have any doubt whatsoever, or or vice versa, even more doubtful?!