HorroRated archive entry
An American Crime
HorroRated verdict
- Directed by
- Tommy O'Haver
- Written by
- Tommy O'Haver, Irene Turner
- Produced by
- Jocelyn Hayes, Pamela Koffler, Hans Ritter
Why it’s HorroRated
An American Crime is one of the more harrowing true crime films made and it earns that through restraint rather than exploitation. The focus stays on the institutional failure around Sylvia Likens rather than the violence itself. Ellen Page gives a performance that needs to be seen. Not comfortable viewing but serious and necessary.
Synopsis
Based on one of the most documented true crimes of the 1960s, the film handles the material with a restraint that makes it harder to watch than exploitation would have. The focus stays on the institutional failure around Sylvia rather than the violence itself. Ellen Page and Catherine Keener give it the gravity it requires.
Filed under
Quick facts
- Release date
- July 27, 2007
- Runtime
- 1 hour 37 mins
- Country
- United States of America
- Language
- English
- Content rating
- R
- Entry type
- Movie
