Mrs.Tigersoap
The Living Force
We recently saw this documentary and found it extremely interesting on several levels.
Capturing the Friedmans
SPOILER ALERT
It is a documentary about Arnold Friedman's conviction for child molestation. In 1987, U.S. postal services intercepted child pornography that Friedman had ordered from the Netherlands. Investigators searched his home in Great Neck, New York and found quite a collection of same. Since Friedman was teaching ICT to children, so the police began interviewing his students.
That's where the story begins to be blurry. Some of the children began reporting abuse, playing bizarre and creepy games (naked leapfrog, computer games with graphic sexual content, etc.). They were alleging that Jesse, Friedman's son, then around 18, was abusing them as well. However, other children had a hard time believing the accusations, having had a perfectly normal experience during their ICT lessons. What was also bizarre is that the children who had been allegedly abused actually finished their classes with Friedman and even signed up for other classes, apparently. At no point were the children in any way distressed when parents picked them up, either. Friedman, in a supposed attempt to help his son Jesse, pleaded guilty and went to prison. Jesse was sent to prison as well after pleading guilty (while claiming his innocence). Friedman committed suicide in prison, supposedly to leave Jesse a 250,000 $ insurance as a 'compensation' for having dragged him in this whole thing.
The documentary's title asks "Who do you believe?". Indeed, it is at first tricky, because on the one hand, the magazines have well and truly been found. Friedman admits to being a pedophile. But then Jesse claims to be innocent. Then the accusations seem outrageous and sometimes contradictory. One of the female police officer is filmed saying "There were kiddie porn magazines everywhere in the living room, in plain view" and you see snapshots taken by the police where it's obvious that it is not the case. The police's declaration states that the kiddie porn was hidden in his basement office where no one had access. If children were indeed abused during his classes, why did they all signed up for more afterward? Were all parents totally so clueless and all children so good at hiding their distress not to mention their wounds?. So, where is the truth?
An investigative journalist tries to shed some light to the whole thing and points to a few flaws in the accusations. But then, she shares elements about Friedman which are pretty disturbing: Friedman admitted to have had sex at 15 with his own brother who was then 8. Later on, he also molested the children of several friends. These are not accusations, but Friedman's own words.
It then begins to be difficult not to believe that Friedman has, indeed, done more than what he lets on. One look at his sons and one can see that none of them seems balanced, either. Living close to a pathological predator will that to you, I guess. Apparently, the family loved filming any and every event at home, so a lot of this period is actually on film, with reactions from family members, etc. And that's part of why this documentary is so interesting (although it is highly flawed, as I will explain below): you get to have an insider's view of what this family is really about. And that ain't a pretty picture. The kiddie porn magazines found are a fact, nothing alleged there. And still, apart from the mother, the three sons are convinced that their father is unjustly accused. During the whole thing (pre-trial, trial period, etc.), their reactions are just so bizarre. From the eldest son David wearing underwear on his head to show that the police have no business searching their house, to Jesse's goofing around in front of the courthouse where he knows he will be sent to jail and his whole teary tirade 20 minutes later about how his father "made him do it", the whole thing is just surreal.
But then again, I guess it's always surreal when you glimpse inside a pathological's head.
It's also interesting to see how the 3 sons gang up with the pathological father against the mother. She is viewed as the Devil himself! Talk about projection! This woman certainly does not stand by her husband - by now, she's put two and two together! - and so is seen as a threat to their bonkers view of reality. Lobaczewski's depiction of the family defending the pathological sister comes to mind. The mother very interestingly talks of children victims of abuse defending their abuser and identifying with them. She's spot on, I think.
Andrew Jarecki, who filmed this documentary, is obviously attracted by this kind of subject. He recently filmed The Jinx, a documentary about Robert Durst well worth seeing. The problem with Jarecki is that his knowledge of psychopaths is (or was) pretty much next to none, apparently. And that's the big flaw of the documentary: Jarecki clearly believes their story and takes a stand. He clearly takes a stand for this family, or at least for Jesse. So much so that years later, he will actually fund Jesse's appeal.
According to Wikipedia, Jesse was actually diagnosed as a psychopath. Some of his supporters say this is pure fabrication. But think about it: the manipulations, the lies, the tears at the drop of a hat, the need to be the centre of attention, the total lack of concern for the magazines found which belonged to his father, the total lack of concern for his father's victims not to mention the total disregard for his own situation: at no point does Jesse seem troubled that he is going to go to trial, and probably to jail. In the words of his brother David "Jesse seems the least concerned of all of us, for some reason". And we know that some people will fight tooth and nail to clear the name of a psychopath, so that's not exactly unheard of, either.
From the documentary, you infer that Jesse was sexually abused by his father. He was his "favourite" son, which puts another spin on the 250,000 $ left to Jesse through the insurance by his father. After all, Friedman had 3 sons, why leave the money to Jesse only?
District Attorney Rice claims that kiddie porn and disturbing rape stories written by Jesse were found in his cell. Jesse sued Rice for this, claiming this is pure fabrication. Jesse also went to Geraldo where he gave details about his part in the abuse of the kids. Still, he claims to be totally innocent.
If you are absolutely 100% innocent, why go on Geraldo and claim these things? If this is a witch hunt, as Jesse says, why a witch hunt against the Friedmans? What have they done, who have they upset? And anyway, is it really a witch hunt when the accused is a pedophile with kiddie porn at home and several cases of molestation under his belt (pun not intended)?
Capturing the Friedmans
SPOILER ALERT
It is a documentary about Arnold Friedman's conviction for child molestation. In 1987, U.S. postal services intercepted child pornography that Friedman had ordered from the Netherlands. Investigators searched his home in Great Neck, New York and found quite a collection of same. Since Friedman was teaching ICT to children, so the police began interviewing his students.
That's where the story begins to be blurry. Some of the children began reporting abuse, playing bizarre and creepy games (naked leapfrog, computer games with graphic sexual content, etc.). They were alleging that Jesse, Friedman's son, then around 18, was abusing them as well. However, other children had a hard time believing the accusations, having had a perfectly normal experience during their ICT lessons. What was also bizarre is that the children who had been allegedly abused actually finished their classes with Friedman and even signed up for other classes, apparently. At no point were the children in any way distressed when parents picked them up, either. Friedman, in a supposed attempt to help his son Jesse, pleaded guilty and went to prison. Jesse was sent to prison as well after pleading guilty (while claiming his innocence). Friedman committed suicide in prison, supposedly to leave Jesse a 250,000 $ insurance as a 'compensation' for having dragged him in this whole thing.
The documentary's title asks "Who do you believe?". Indeed, it is at first tricky, because on the one hand, the magazines have well and truly been found. Friedman admits to being a pedophile. But then Jesse claims to be innocent. Then the accusations seem outrageous and sometimes contradictory. One of the female police officer is filmed saying "There were kiddie porn magazines everywhere in the living room, in plain view" and you see snapshots taken by the police where it's obvious that it is not the case. The police's declaration states that the kiddie porn was hidden in his basement office where no one had access. If children were indeed abused during his classes, why did they all signed up for more afterward? Were all parents totally so clueless and all children so good at hiding their distress not to mention their wounds?. So, where is the truth?
An investigative journalist tries to shed some light to the whole thing and points to a few flaws in the accusations. But then, she shares elements about Friedman which are pretty disturbing: Friedman admitted to have had sex at 15 with his own brother who was then 8. Later on, he also molested the children of several friends. These are not accusations, but Friedman's own words.
It then begins to be difficult not to believe that Friedman has, indeed, done more than what he lets on. One look at his sons and one can see that none of them seems balanced, either. Living close to a pathological predator will that to you, I guess. Apparently, the family loved filming any and every event at home, so a lot of this period is actually on film, with reactions from family members, etc. And that's part of why this documentary is so interesting (although it is highly flawed, as I will explain below): you get to have an insider's view of what this family is really about. And that ain't a pretty picture. The kiddie porn magazines found are a fact, nothing alleged there. And still, apart from the mother, the three sons are convinced that their father is unjustly accused. During the whole thing (pre-trial, trial period, etc.), their reactions are just so bizarre. From the eldest son David wearing underwear on his head to show that the police have no business searching their house, to Jesse's goofing around in front of the courthouse where he knows he will be sent to jail and his whole teary tirade 20 minutes later about how his father "made him do it", the whole thing is just surreal.
But then again, I guess it's always surreal when you glimpse inside a pathological's head.
It's also interesting to see how the 3 sons gang up with the pathological father against the mother. She is viewed as the Devil himself! Talk about projection! This woman certainly does not stand by her husband - by now, she's put two and two together! - and so is seen as a threat to their bonkers view of reality. Lobaczewski's depiction of the family defending the pathological sister comes to mind. The mother very interestingly talks of children victims of abuse defending their abuser and identifying with them. She's spot on, I think.
Andrew Jarecki, who filmed this documentary, is obviously attracted by this kind of subject. He recently filmed The Jinx, a documentary about Robert Durst well worth seeing. The problem with Jarecki is that his knowledge of psychopaths is (or was) pretty much next to none, apparently. And that's the big flaw of the documentary: Jarecki clearly believes their story and takes a stand. He clearly takes a stand for this family, or at least for Jesse. So much so that years later, he will actually fund Jesse's appeal.
According to Wikipedia, Jesse was actually diagnosed as a psychopath. Some of his supporters say this is pure fabrication. But think about it: the manipulations, the lies, the tears at the drop of a hat, the need to be the centre of attention, the total lack of concern for the magazines found which belonged to his father, the total lack of concern for his father's victims not to mention the total disregard for his own situation: at no point does Jesse seem troubled that he is going to go to trial, and probably to jail. In the words of his brother David "Jesse seems the least concerned of all of us, for some reason". And we know that some people will fight tooth and nail to clear the name of a psychopath, so that's not exactly unheard of, either.
From the documentary, you infer that Jesse was sexually abused by his father. He was his "favourite" son, which puts another spin on the 250,000 $ left to Jesse through the insurance by his father. After all, Friedman had 3 sons, why leave the money to Jesse only?
District Attorney Rice claims that kiddie porn and disturbing rape stories written by Jesse were found in his cell. Jesse sued Rice for this, claiming this is pure fabrication. Jesse also went to Geraldo where he gave details about his part in the abuse of the kids. Still, he claims to be totally innocent.
If you are absolutely 100% innocent, why go on Geraldo and claim these things? If this is a witch hunt, as Jesse says, why a witch hunt against the Friedmans? What have they done, who have they upset? And anyway, is it really a witch hunt when the accused is a pedophile with kiddie porn at home and several cases of molestation under his belt (pun not intended)?
