"This," said Prosecutor Leroy New, "has been the most terrible crime ever committed in the state of Indiana;" the first crime of child abuse that broke through reticence and denial to register with the public. In Tommy O'Haver's heartbreaking and hard-hitting film, AN AMERICAN CRIME, Academy Award ® nominee Catherine Keener portrays Gertrude Baniszewski, the seemingly ordinary housewife who imprisons and tortures a beautiful teenager, played by Academy Award ® nominee Ellen Page, in the basement of her house - two portrayals that will resonate with audiences long after they leave the theatre. AN AMERICAN CRIME also stars James Franco and Bradley Whitford.
An extended sleepover turns tragic for two sisters in this fact-based tele-film. After their carnival worker parents separate, Sylvia (Juno's Ellen Page) and Jennie Fae Likens (Hayley McFarland) move in with Gertrude "Gertie" Baniszewski (Emmy nominee Catherine Keener), a divorced Indianapolis mother with seven children (six in the screenplay). The kids get along, so the Likens figure Gertie will offer a safe haven until they return. Little do they realize she has a substance-abuse problem, a history of mental illness, and a layabout lover (James Franco). Even with the money the Likens send and the washing she takes in, Gertie can't make ends meet, so she takes her frustration out on her boarders. Since Jennie has polio, Sylvia bears the brunt of her anger: beatings, cigarette burns, and worse. Then when Sylvia tries to protect Paula (Nick and Norah's Ari Graynor) from an abusive boyfriend, Paula turns against her, too (Sylvia tells him about Paula's pregnancy). Like dominoes, the rest of the extended family falls in line. Three months later, their torture culminates in murder. Throughout, the narrative alternates between 1965 and the ensuing court case, in which prosecutor Leroy K. New (The West Wing's Bradley Whitford) cross-examines witnesses and defendants, whose testimony comes from the original transcripts. If An American Crime, which aired on Showtime, makes for difficult viewing, former Indianapolis resident Tommy O'Haver (Ella Enchanted) renders a salacious story as tactfully as possible, and his cast is always convincing--painfully so in the case of Ms. Keener. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
The Things We Are Capable Of...:
This movie is unbelievable; very well told and acted. However, I don't recommend it for the weak at heart as it is a true story about a tragic event from the Mid 60's. After this movie my very soul ached at this story's theme ...displayed so vividly and actually once upon a time - committed!! I had to adjust my emotions after this movie... "LIFE!! It's can be so crazy; the unimaginable things we do to each other sometimes!!"
American Crime is a well made film - Great cast!!!:
This was a very well made movie. It had a great cast (Ellen Page from Juno, Catherine Keener and James Franco) and is definitely entertaining to watch. The whole topic is on the serious side, but it is fascinating to watch the real life events that led up to this murder. I think this whole criminal topic of people being kept from the outside world is definitely a hot topic right now - there was someone in Austria a few months back that seemed to have gone through a similar experience. But this is definitely... more info
It started as a white lie, and ended as the worst crime in Indiana history. SPOILERS:
When I reviewed The Girl Next Door, which is also based on the case of Sylvia Likens, I could hardly put my thoughts into words. I sat in front of my computer screen for hours knowing that I needed to write something, but unable to find the words, which is somewhat frustrating for a writer. No such problem exists with this film, An American Crime. An American Crime is more true to the actual events then The Girl Next Door, although it skips over a lot of the abuse and doesn't really give a clear... more info
Not Easily Forgotten--And Rightly So:
"An American Crime" presents a streamlined retelling of an actual 1965 child abuse case which resulted in the death of 15 year old Sylvia Likens. It is told through a combination of dramatizations of the abuse Sylvia suffered at the hands of the woman charged with caring for her, along with, frighteningly, the woman's own children and several neighborhood kids who in the film at least appear to have joined in the abuse and torture with nary a hint of conscience in sight. While "based on a true... more info
