A disturbing and confusing true crime series
“The best true crime stories humanize people and situations that at first seem incomprehensible.” That’s what Nick Antosca said. gizmodo about his series actionhis first TV switch from the horror genre he mastered channel zero When fresh cherry flavor.
That word is doubly true for his new limited series. family friend, is almost laughable because it contains decisions and situations that, on the surface, seem so incomprehensible.limited peacock The series follows the multiple kidnappings of Jan Boberg, a kind girl in the ’70s whose well-meaning family seemed to have made the worst decisions imaginable. But what Antosca can do is flesh out the perfect portrait of this family and their awful situation, humanizing the absurd and creating order out of their chaos. A bizarre, suspenseful study of ignorance and the manipulative brutality of those who take advantage of them.
A friend of the family is about Broberg’s story
The story of Jan Boberg and her family may be familiar.The event has been told in countless news articles, books and netflix documentary kidnapped in plain sighta star-studded dramatization family friend Definitely the best way to approach it.
For those unfamiliar with the event, family friend Develop it with scrupulous consistency. Brobergs lived in Pocatello, a small area of Idaho, where in the 1970s he was a prominent member of the Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints. To this idyllic Mormon presence came a new family in town, the Berchtles. The town’s new family appears to be the most charming matriarch in town, with rambunctious, out-of-control children, a nervous and haunted wife (the great Rio Tipton).
Robert, or “B,” as he’s called, has a million-dollar smile and a talent for gab, and he’ll actually soon become part of the Broberg family. A very hospitable type and often a doormat, Bloberg cannot recognize this ravenous wolf in sheep’s clothing. Robert is a predator and increasingly obsessed with Jean, and his devious plots (and the way his family acquiesce to them) would be utterly implausible if not entirely true.
family friend Keeping track of the very bad choices we all made that ultimately forgave Robert. kidnap a young man Yang not just once, but twice. Families are caught in a web of their own consequences, spun by ignorance and vulnerability. Jean was manipulated by Robert into loving her abuser, but she’s not the only one. Robert was a master manipulator who eventually invaded Broberg’s parents’ lives (and pants).
Colin Hanks, Anna Paquin and Jake Lacy are great in the Peacock series
More than any other medium, feature-length television may be the best way to fully explore real-life crime stories.If so, there’s no way to humanize Broberg family friend In the same way that news stories about events simply fail to capture the tragic extent of the situation, it was a feature film. good mini series We have time to make the inexplicable explainable and humanize what might at first seem like the most ridiculous decisions possible.
Much of the series’ success is due to Antosca (who has proven to be one of the best minds in television) and his excellent crew of writers and directors (Brian Chamberlain, Alana B. Lytle, Lucy Titleler, Rachel Goldberg, including Eliza). Hittman, Steven Piet, Jamie Travis, etc.).another reason family friend The work is its wonderful cast. The talented Anna Paquin Heartbreaking as Mary Ann, the conflicted Broberg matriarch.
They all have what could be the best ensemble cast in a miniseries this year, and it’s phenomenal here (especially Hanks as a father who’s completely overwhelmed by societal pressure to go bald himself). But the surprising standout might be Jake Lacy as the crafty Robert Brechtold.
Lacy has mastered the pathetic obsession of a pedophile, blending expertly into the Broberg family, always keeping an eye out for everyone’s weaknesses, and using his good looks and dapper demeanor to always get what they want. Lacy continues her stellar career here. express child Follow up on his recent outstanding achievements in white lotus When Being Ricardos.
Jan Broberg humanizes a family friend
Perhaps the most important reason for its success is family friendHowever, it mostly happens off-screen, thanks to the involvement of Jan Broberg himself, who played a very active role in shaping the series. she introduces it. This instantly provides a bit of hope before the sprawling dark story ahead—she survived and is more or less okay.
Jan’s input definitely helped paint a clearer picture of these people and prevented them from looking like caricatures or plain Oahu.Her introduction and many of her first episodes establish the weird vibe of family frienda mix of ’70s pieces, skewed public service announcements, and psychological horror.
Without Jan, this might have been a cruel denunciation exercise. From letting Robert sleep in the same bed as Jean, to deciding not to call the police after she was kidnapped, it might seem inconceivable how the Brobergs could be so naive. not. In a vacuum where each questionable action exists without context, it might be an understandable response.
Family friends understand Broberg
but, family friend develop a perfect portrait of true crime story, everyone’s motives make sense in a tragic and frustrating way. Antosca said in notes for the show: !’ I see, that’s a surreal story […] To know what their life felt like, to live in the experience of each member of the family, to know how they got caught up in such a strange web, and to make it understandable to the viewer as well. I was thinking ”
People tend to assume that we would do a better job if we were in similarly dire circumstances. We consider how victims can bring about atrocities, whether genocide or sexual abuse. Not only is this offensive, it lacks empathy. No, given the same situation, we would all do terrible, silly things.
I hope that, away from the series, you get a deeper understanding of your family and say, ‘That time, that place, they were like me. They made a terrible mistake, but they loved their children. And the master manipulator took advantage of them.
great achievement of family friend How to expose the ubiquity of human stupidity without blaming anyone, and how to disturbingly portray the terrifying individuals waiting to prey on our wrongs. It makes the absolute readable and allows us to see for ourselves the ignorance and cruelty we are all capable of.
Co-produced by Eat the Cat, Universal Content Productions and Top Knot Films. family friend Four episodes premiere on Peacock on Thursday, October 6th, with the remaining five episodes streaming every Thursday through November 10th.
https://movieweb.com/friend-of-the-family-review/ A disturbing and confusing true crime series