Casting JonBenet

I believe the earlier reviews here are trying to make this documentary into something it's not, and judge it for something it's not trying to do. This is not yet another whodunit, and we're not asked to reexamine the evidence or create new theories. I certainly did not see it as another exploitative money grab that this tragedy seems to attract. This was a look beyond the crime itself; it was a fascinating exposé on how the general public interacts with true crime by exploring -on set- the thoughts and feelings of unknown (and CO local) actors and actresses on one of America's most notorious murders in modern history. What makes this documentary so great is not the casting or acting by any means - it's the film's ability to grasp onto these people's stories and perspectives and allow us to see ourselves in them. There's a thousand theories about what happened that night, but rather than drag the viewer through another dozen of them, the viewer is allowed to see just how deep society's fascination with mysteries and tragedies goes. Rather than mocking or exploiting the death of this little girl, it encourages us to ask ourselves why we form such personal attachments to the losses of others and why we are so curious about the darkest, most deviant human behaviors.

Out of the recent trend of documentaries of actual films that portray real stories, which are not as confusing as they sound (like "Katie Plays Christine"), "Casting JonBenet" is the best. I think I should say that before this movie I had never heard of the JonBenet murder and subsequent case; maybe I've been living under a rock or something. I say this due to the fact that it may have enhanced my experience with this film, and that people who are not entering it blindly might not enjoy it as much. After I watched the film I went online to judge the reactions of people, and far and away most general audience members seemed to dismiss this film as garbage. Many people stated that it added no new information to the case or that it was boring. To those people I would say that they missed the point, as pretentious as it sounds. This was a seemingly world famous case, what new information could they provide? What makes movies like "The Thin Blue Line" or "The Jinx" so good is that they actual had some real impact on the world by adding evidence not previously seen. Other movies/miniseries, like "The Imposter" or "Making a Murderer" show us cases that we otherwise never would have heard of. This movie has neither of those luxuries, so instead it does something different. It films the people in the community that Jonbenet Ramsey lived in and tasks them with playing the parts of members of the Ramsey family. All the while, the camera crew is filming these people and gleaning their insight into what they think about the murder. Their opinions range from insightful to off-the- wall batsh*t insane (think movies like "Room 237), and I enjoyed every second of it. Parts of this movie had me and my friends rolling on the floor with laughter due to just how peculiar and funny these characters playing characters really were. Other moments, like the ending montage I wont spoil, had me sitting in silence completely engrossed at what was on screen. Being able to have moments like that within the film make this movie truly special, as well as the first amazing film of the year. My only issue with it is that it lulls at some points towards the final 3rd, but even then it is still a very watchable film. Don't let negative reviews online discourage you from watching this movie. Watch it for yourself and make your own mind up

This movie was not what I thought it would be. It innovates the genre of documentary. It is a fresh way to tell an old story. Be prepared to see something new.

I'm surprised by some of the reactions from other reviewers. I assume they think we should let this horrid crime drift into history. And because it involved a poor, innocent little child, I really do get their point. The girl is innocent even if we're not sure who else is. But should we just "let it go" and not push for an answer? Someday, perhaps new DNA testing will tell us WHO and then JB will get a bit of her well-deserved justice. If we forget, simply because it was tragic, then we allow the guilty to walk free.

Fascinating performances by Colorado local actors. Who would have thought this state garnered so much talent. I was memorized by personal stories told by Hack Hyland, Suzanne Yazzi, Kit Thompson and Ronda Belser. This film is less to do with JonBenet and more to do with human emotions.

I never review films on IMDb, but I had a particularly strong reaction to this one. It started out as an intriguing concept, and I was very impressed with the creative vision of the film, which seemed like it could add a new layer of commentary to a tired, old story...That impression lasted for about 10 minutes. After that, the film very quickly devolved into a one-note gimmick, which somehow managed to be disturbing, ghoulish and often boring at the same time. Ultimately, I was left with a hollow feeling of numbness about this murder, as well as the non-professional actors profiled. The film felt so craven in its blatant exploitation of the crime (as well as the interviewees). It was downright grotesque if you give more than a passing thought to the fact that it's all based upon a child's murder...one that has been examined ad nauseam over the course of the past 20 years. In the end this film felt like more of an exercise, or an experiment gone awry. It had no heart, or center. It was utterly empty.