This account of the most celebrated trial arising out of the child molestation and satanic abuse hysteria of the eighties and nineties--a witch hunt far worse than that of the McCarthy era in terms of lives destroyed and innocent people thrown in jail, and even worse than the Salem witch trials of the 17th century in extent, except that nobody was actually stoned or hanged, was only the tip of the iceberg. Hundreds of innocent people went to jail and some are still there. Nobody can give them back their lives, ruined by immoral prosecutors bent on career-building at any cost and by guilt-ridden latch key parents out to excite their blood lust. Yes, children do lie and more important, as this film demonstrates, they can be brainwashed and coerced into telling the most outrageous and horrific tales--and believing them!--to escape the gestapo tactics of their interrogators.
Oliver Stone produced, and Abby Mann, who wrote the celebrated Stanley Kramer film, "Judgement at Nuremberg" (1961), and Myra Mann penned the compelling script. James Woods is excellent as Ray Buckey's attorney, but Lolita Davidovich who plays the evil and sick Kee MacFarlane (who led the indoctrination of the children) is both too pretty and too sane to be effective. Mercedes Ruehl plays incompetent L.A. County prosecutor Lael Rubin with enough vile to drip. Sada Thompson brings warmth and charm to the part of Virginia McMartin, and Henry Thomas plays Ray Buckey to a perfect fit.
But this movie was made too soon. In the five years since its production, the full extent of the hysteria has come to light. When a significant portion of a society is taken in by something like this, it takes the passage of time before the full truth can be accepted. Had director Mick Jackson known of the near pandemic extent of the sickness he might have made a larger film. Steven Spielberg, your opportunity to really do justice to the subject should arise in about the year 2020.
(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)
Oliver Stone produced, and Abby Mann, who wrote the celebrated Stanley Kramer film, "Judgement at Nuremberg" (1961), and Myra Mann penned the compelling script. James Woods is excellent as Ray Buckey's attorney, but Lolita Davidovich who plays the evil and sick Kee MacFarlane (who led the indoctrination of the children) is both too pretty and too sane to be effective. Mercedes Ruehl plays incompetent L.A. County prosecutor Lael Rubin with enough vile to drip. Sada Thompson brings warmth and charm to the part of Virginia McMartin, and Henry Thomas plays Ray Buckey to a perfect fit.
But this movie was made too soon. In the five years since its production, the full extent of the hysteria has come to light. When a significant portion of a society is taken in by something like this, it takes the passage of time before the full truth can be accepted. Had director Mick Jackson known of the near pandemic extent of the sickness he might have made a larger film. Steven Spielberg, your opportunity to really do justice to the subject should arise in about the year 2020.
(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)