#97: Capturing the Friedmans

Release Date: May 30th, 2003

Format: Streaming (Max)

Directed by: Andrew Jarecki

4 Stars

One of my favorite aspects of a documentary is its ability to drop you into a world that you never knew existed, and if they’re well-made, they can change how you view the world. I think Capturing the Friedmans is one of those documentaries. It’s incredible and one of my favorites.

The doc tells the story of the Friedmans, a rather eccentric family living in Long Island, New York. The mother, Elaine, is the stereotypical neurotic Jewish matriarch, with a harsh voice and an accent straight out of Seinfeld. Her three sons, David, Seth (who chose not to participate in the documentary), and Jesse are extraverted and inherited their mother’s abrasiveness. And lastly the father, Arthur, is a wryly funny computer teacher, with a passion for photography and playing jazz piano. And, we learn in the documentary, Arthur is almost surely a pedophile. 

Considering the tasteless subject matter, what unfolds in Capturing the Friedmans is a surprisingly tasteful examination of the elusiveness of truth, the potential of hysteria amongst parents regarding the safety of their children, and how family members cope with awful realizations about someone they love.

Director Andrew Jarecki drops us into the middle of this loud, dysfunctional New York family and, when possible, allows the sons’ and Arthur’s extensive self-filmed footage to tell the story as it unfolds. There are significant philosophical questions left for the viewer at the film’s end, after we see the fallout of such awful, hurtful events. Jarecki has the wherewithal not to editorialize or impose his own views on his audience. He’ll capture these Friedmans, but it’s up to us to capture the truth.