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Directors: Laura Ricciardi, Moira Demos
Cast: Steven Avery, Penny Beerntsen, Teresa Halbach
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 47 - 66 min/episode
Rating: 6/10
Filmed over a ten-year period, the documentary is a real-life thriller about Steven Avery, who was exonerated in 2003 after serving 18 years in prison for crimes of sexual assault and attempted murder of Penny Beerntsen, that he did not commit.
On his release he filed a $36 million civil lawsuit against Manitowoc County and several county officials associated with his first arrest in an attempt to expose corruption in local law enforcement, but soon after, in 2005, he finds himself the prime suspect in a new crime - the murder of 25-year-old local photographer Teresa Halbach who was seen on the Avery family property to photograph a minivan for sale. He is convicted in 2007.
Thumbs Up
The Columbia graduate directors did well in bringing to light the corruption that goes on in local government even managing to generate controversy and plenty of publicity for the film in equal measure.
The ten-part series systematically explores issues and procedures in the Manitowoc County sheriff’s department that led to Avery’s original conviction. It suggests the county officials had a conflict of interest in participating in the investigation of Halbach’s murder.
The inclusion of rare, intimate footage makes the film more believable.
Thumbs Down
It is also alleged that, in the making of the film, the directors had already made up their minds and believed Steve Avery was innocent hence were not seeking the truth but consistently lead the documentary’s viewers to the conclusion that Avery was framed by the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department. They do this by minimising or leaving out many aspects of Avery’s less than savoury past, including multiple alleged incidents of physical and sexual violence.
Verdict
When you do watch and your response is ‘Oh, my God, these two men are innocent’, you may want to check on the bias of the film.
