The Bizzare Documentary Known as Capturing the Friedmans

I remember, in 2003, my mom brought a documentary for us to watch. I was instantly enthralled by this film that invoked multiple emotions in me such as suspicion, discomfort and sadness. This documentary is called 'Capturing the Friedmans' which is produced with mostly homemade videos.

The film starts off with various clips of family homemade videos, the family is known as the Friedmans, which includes Arnie (Arnold)-the father, Elaine - the mother, Howie - the oldest son, Seth - the middle son, and Jesse - the youngest son. This seems like your typical middle class family.

The father was a high school teacher, who also held computer classes in the basement of the family house. The mother was a typical mother although a bit emotionally distant and the boys were your typical playful boys. There was this one thing that set them apart from other families was their somewhat unhealthy obsession of capturing every moment of their lives through pictures or videos.

One day, the police arrive at the family's house, looking for Arnold and his youngest son, Jesse, saying that a boy accused them for sexually and physically molesting him, along with other classmates at the computer class. Arnold and Jesse denied this, and fought at first but eventually agreed to plead guilty, hoping to earn lesser sentences. However, Arnold died in prison in 1995, and Jesse was released in 2001, after serving 13 years of a 16 years long sentence.

During the trial, the family, amazingly enough, kept filming everything. Conversations and arguments that occur between the families. Many bizarre moments are captured on film. You also get to watch clips of the family speaking on camera years during and after Jesse was released. You get to learn about the childhood that Arnold led. You get to listen to Arnold's brother speak about Arnold.

This film also focuses on mass hysteria, where every parent began to suspect that their child was molested as well, also you watch interviews with boys who claimed that the police forced them to say that Arnold molested them. In addition, the film shows students who say they cannot even imagine Arnold committing these crimes. The crimes itself were just so outrageous that it was just impossible for them to even imagine.

In the beginning of the film, most will suspect it's a simple molestation case, but I promise you, once you finish watching this film, you will be left with even more questions!