American Crime

With traces of Austrian director MichaelHaneke’s brutal and unsentimentalcinematography, “An American Crime” strikeswith explicit picturing of hideous violence,not hiding behind shadows on the wall. Butstronger than the shock value is the film’sdepth of analysis. Haunted by a true story fromhis Indiana childhood, director Tommy O’Havertries to comprehend the cruel facets of humannature as he recounts the fate of teenage sistersSylvia and Jennie Likens, who were left by theirparents to the care of a single mother, GertrudeBaniszewski – a psychologically unstablewoman, living in poverty with a handful of herown children to feed. The arrival of the sisterspushes Gertrude beyond the brink of sanity. Herhorrifying actions and manipulations turn herchildren, and other kids from the neighborhood, into basement torturers. O’Haver has divinedstellar performances from the child actors andcaptured the spirit of 60’s American suburbiato perfection. The nuanced presentation ofGertrude, convincingly played by CatherineKeener, leaves the viewer feeling an unwantedempathy. The impossibility of understandingthe unbearable events remains.

Premiere Status
Nordic Premiere: Orig. title
An American Crime: Cast
Catherine Keener, Ellen Page, James Franco: Producer
Jocelyn Hayes: Script
Tommy O´Haver, Irene Turner: Cinematography
Byron Shah: Music
Alan Ari Lazar: Spoken language
English