Murdaugh Murders: The Movie

Puhleeze. The main character who's supposed to be Southern, called Beaufort BOOFERT. At least get the accent right.

I'm originally from Massachusetts so this is very reminiscent of what the Kennedy family thought their power would cover up. This is the SOUTH where the Good Old Boys still rule supreme.

The movie was entertaining enough and the main actors are pretty good. Bill Pullman was very unlikable as the slimed, Alec Murdaugh but the real Murdaugh was incredibly unlikable from what I've read. The story is what it is. Most assuredly if I hadn't moved to South Carolina, BOOFERT COUNTY, I wouldn't have watched this.

As a southerner, it's hard to concentrate on a film that uses non southern actors who try to talk southern. The problem is that from Texas to the Carolinas, each community sounds different. But, non southern actors try to pretend to be southern with same accent no matter where in the South the story is supposed to be located. It is like saying that someone from Boston sounds like someone from New York City. It causes a distraction that is hard to overcome, no matter how hard they try. That assist, this 2 parter is ok. It is a good attempt to tell this story of an American tragedy and a family gone wrong.

It is difficult to believe that anyone believes Bill Pullman did a great job with this. Murdaugh was 53 was he committed the murders; a robust, vibrant mover and shaker. Pullman was in his late 60's when he played this role. I don't know if Pullman is really a shaky, doddering old man, but he sure plays one. The squint, the waver in the voice, the "old man" ambling, the slump to the shoulders . . . None of it is age appropriate. My father was in better shape into his early 80's. My father-in-law is 86 and still golfs and works! C'mon - who can believe this is supposed to be Alex Murdaugh? It is difficult to get past the awful acting and see the story. I watched it only because I could leave, do laundry, clean, and come back to see Pullman still trying to pull this off. I also wanted to get the gist of the story, which is the only thing this is adequate for. Save yourself some time. Watch a documentary.

First off I take my hat off to Lifetime Movies for such a great docudrama movie. Although there is a disclaimer at the start of the movie that some of the content has been "reconstructed" I have to say as an avid follower of the actual case this docudrama has to be around 98% accurate with only 2 sequences that seemed not to be mentioned in the trial. It must have taken a lot of soul searching for the producer(s) to show the actual shooting as none of the documentaries I have watched show the actual shooting except in "cartoon" or "model" mode. Bill Pullman is excellent but so are the other supporting cast. I really enjoyed this move and at 2 x 1.30 Hours Long it never seemed that. It comes highly recommended if you are interested in true crime and the Murdaugh storyline.

My goodness - the accents are the first sign that this movie was going to be absolute garbage. They aren't talking like South Carolinians from the 21st century, they're talking like Virginians from the 1700s in the opening party. And the accents don't really improve.

Next, the acting is atrocious... what is Bill Pullman doing? He is playing a caricature of Alex Murdaugh... but it just comes across as a stage play. You know... where all of the actors are clearly "acting." There is no immersion... it's just... high school quality.

Next, there are many inaccuracies - from little things like where they set the law firm to big things like the complete absence of Morgan Doughty in the boat accident scene. Apart from Mallory Beach and Paul Murdaugh there was Connor Cook and his girlfriend Miley Altman, Anthony Cook (who was dating Mallory), and then Morgan Doughty (Paul's on & off again girlfriend).

This isn't a documentary, but his abuse of Morgan during that boat ride was a large factor in Paul crashing. Which leads me to my next point...

The writers of this clearly want to portray Alex Murdaugh and his father as the villains of this whole thing... but as somebody that's watched and read everything there is about this family and the events around them - and as someone who has personal connections with people who have close relationship with members of the Murdaugh family and their associates... portraying Maggie Murdaugh like a loving, caring person that is oblivious to the things her sons and husband were involved in (and not responsible for any of the events) is wildly inaccurate.

She bullied and tried to manipulate parents at the accident site to protect Paul, she likely covered up Paul assaulting the maid who later died because of her injuries... she wasn't an innocent angel as portrayed.

So, overall from the factual things we know (and in all honesty there is a lot of unknowns that will never be answered) this show is inaccurate, poorly acted, overly long, and MORE THAN ANYTHING distasteful to the many victims of the Murdaugh's.