rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States; 2007
Directed by Tommy O'Haver; produced by Jocelyn Hayes, Katie Roumel, Kevin Turen, Christine Vachon, Henry Winterstern; written by Tommy O'Haver, Irene Turner
Starring Ellen Page, Catherine Keener, Hayley McFarland, Nick Searcy, Ari Graynor, Romy Rosemont, James Franco
'An American Crime' tells a story worth telling, but fails to show why it should be told. We get to see the crime from the title - the how - but the why stays a mystery. It's a missed opportunity. The film itself has its moments, especially due to strong performances from Ellen Page ('Juno') and Catherine Keener, and it keeps our disbelieving attention, but since we never understand the character's actions some of its impact is lost.
Page is Sylvia Likens, together with her sister Jennie (Hayley McFarland) left by her parents under the care of Gertrude (Keener), she herself mother of five. Gertrude seems a stressed but friendly woman, but slowly starts showing cruelty. First Sylvia is only disgraced in front of others, then burned with cigarettes, forced to kind of sexually abuse herself, and ultimately she is locked in the basement to get a beating once in a while. At least some of Gertrude's children participate, and Jennie is too scared to do something about it.
All this is hard to understand on itself, but Gertrude provides us insights in her own thoughts from time to time. Actions of the children are harder to get, although they have been raised by the crazy mother. Things get really strange when children from the neighbourhood are invited to torture poor Sylvia as well - most of them from respectable families. The film should have investigated the why instead of just showing the how. Around twenty minutes could have been added to show how these children are handled by Gertrude, leading them into action hard to imagine.
The transitions in single characters happen too fast. The more we see, the less we understand. Gertrude's oldest daughter (Ari Graynor) goes from liking to hating and back to feeling sorry for Sylvia, even though her mother's actions - cruel from the beginning - are partly based on things she has said.
The why is missing, but we do care for Sylvia and what happens to her. Therefore the film works well enough. Page, in another terrific performance, has chosen another interesting character and even in lesser films she stands out. Keener, as always, is excellent. The screenplay never really gives her a chance to explain her actions, but in some scenes she shows her tormented self and helps us to understand just a little better.