Capturing The Friedmans

See the Trailer



Capturing the Friedmans is one of the most riveting and startling movies I've seen in some time. I don't want to give too much away, but it's an astonishing documentary about a regular family who get torn apart by an awful crime that the father and one of the sons may or may not have committed. Throughout the movie I kept on yo-yoing back on forth--- did they do it? Didn't they do it? There's no way they could have done it! But then, why did they do that? But where's the physical evidence? And why didn't they get a better lawyer?


Part of the film are actual home movies from the family. It started out as a documentary about one of the brothers and his work as a clown (that's right, the oldest Friedman is a birthday party clown in NY. Actually, I should say he is THE birthday party clown in NY. I've seen him perform, I've talked to him, and he's very good! If an ambassador's kid is going to have a birthday party, you get this guy.) But the documentary changed focus when the film-maker discovered the skeleton in his family closet.


I highly recommend this movie (it's currently playing at the Avon Cinema in Providence.)


See the official website

See Jesse Friedman's website (the brother that was accused of the crimes)