Eu sou Elizabeth Smart

This is how I had hoped the film would be: her view, and her view alone, with an explanation of why she did what she did. Now I get it. She truly didn't feel like it was as easy as that to escape or ask for help. They were both masters at mind games. I could see myself in her place believing at any moment he would kill the person she asked for help from and/or my family. I found myself admiring her and rejoicing in the little miracles that came her way. Acting, on everyone's part, was stellar. I would recommend this movie.

I remember when Elizabeth Smart was Kidnapped, I was eleven years old and I am from Salt Lake City Utah. My parents would watch the news reports and updates on her kidnapping, I remember some things but not a lot of things. I remember when she was finally found, and I remember feeling relieved and I was happy, I was a kid then and her situation scared me.

I heard about this 2017 tv movie and I decided to check it out at my local library, watching it all these emotions came to me, anger, disgust, hope, and fear. What makes this movie so real is the fact that it's based on actual events, and it is narrated by Elizabeth Smart herself. What this woman went through as a young teenage girl is horrific. The actors and actresses did an amazing job, Alana Boden who played Smart was phenomenal, and Skeet Ulrich did amazing as the psycho Brian David Mitchell the way he played Mitchell just sucked you in, Deirdre Lovejoy was amazing too as Wanda Barzee Mitchells psychotic assistant, and first wife. I believe everything that went on in this movie and how it was acted out, plus if it is coming from Elizabeth's mouth it is true and I believe it. I'm giving I am Elizabeth Smart 10/10, a story of a true survivor and what she went through.

It's great to have the context from Elizabeth Smart herself in this movie. It's also really good to appreciate a bit more what she went through and how miraculous it was that she not only survived, but is mentally fine after all that abuse. Obviously, since Elizabeth herself is narrating the film, you can be sure that everything in the movie happened and nothing was needlessly dramatized.

However, from a filmmaker's standpoint, it could have been a bit better. They could have skipped back and forth between her point of view and that of her parents' to show their efforts in trying to find her and the developments that were going on outside her campsite. They didn't even explain how the police knew to find her (her sister remembered the voice of the suspect and they tracked him down).

I also don't like how through narration Elizabeth seems to try and justify all her actions throughout the piece. Does anyone doubt that she wanted to stop being abused? The film almost seems like a reply video to a bunch of people that question why she didn't yell for help. I dunno. To me, it's obvious and was forced a bit much, but maybe that's the audience Elizabeth was wanting to address in particular.

Overall, a great documentary of the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart. Cinematically, it could have been improved, but it did the job for the purpose it was filmed for.

Okay, maybe I'm a bit opinionated on this because Smart keeps justifying her non-action toward her captors, but I really can't appreciate this movie. There is no value. I'm glad she got lucky to be alive but none of her actions (or inaction as the case may be) is worth making into a movie. I've seen documentaries of girls her age, abducted and raped actively trying to get away and successfully doing so. They did not move when they know it could be harmful and did so when the opportunity arose. Mis Smart is actually the perfect victim. And if not for the lucky break of being noticed by policemen, she would still be a kidnap victim.

The fact that Elisabeth is alive and telling her nightmare is unbelievable in its own right. It's extremely likely that if she did anything it would mean death added to the already unspeakable torture both physically and mentally that she endured. It's akso extremely unlikely that a survivor has the guts or stamina to share that time period in her life. MOST survivors go into a self absorbed, protective mode that makes them unable or unwilling to tell her/his story to the world in fear of being blamed by society. For Elizabeth Smart to tour the free world telling her facts and helping save countless lives from doing it is absolutely remarkable. She is in my book a true hero and a extremely beautiful soul.

The movie itself while not the best put together cinematic piece it is, IMO a must watch.