As humans, we just can't resist a juicy story. And the infamous Meredith Kercher murder case had it in spades: the gruesome killing of a beautiful young girl, a picturesque Italian village, a throwback Sherlock Holmes-style detective-philosopher, and an interconnected web of young, multicultural, possibly sex-addicted suspects, headlined by a knockout American student with icy blue eyes - the titular Amanda Knox.
Somebody had to make a documentary about it, and here we are. Netflix covers the bases: they get all of its principal actors on camera, stylishly photographed, as is the norm today for true crime; they weave in surprisingly detailed case footage - including that of the actual crime scene, moments after the murder had taken place; and they let the story unfold chronologically, making sure the intrigue is as strong as ever.
What emerges is the dissection of a modern-day witch hunt. The main adversaries are "hot property" Amanda and the pipe-smoking Italian lead investigator, who are both captivating in their own right, even if for completely different reasons. But the crucial insights come from Nick Pisa, the British journalist who broke the internet with his scoops during the case. Halfway, he sheepishly smiles at the camera, and then sums up the whole mess in one line: we just can't say no to a juicy story.
Recommended if you like true crime, done well.
Somebody had to make a documentary about it, and here we are. Netflix covers the bases: they get all of its principal actors on camera, stylishly photographed, as is the norm today for true crime; they weave in surprisingly detailed case footage - including that of the actual crime scene, moments after the murder had taken place; and they let the story unfold chronologically, making sure the intrigue is as strong as ever.
What emerges is the dissection of a modern-day witch hunt. The main adversaries are "hot property" Amanda and the pipe-smoking Italian lead investigator, who are both captivating in their own right, even if for completely different reasons. But the crucial insights come from Nick Pisa, the British journalist who broke the internet with his scoops during the case. Halfway, he sheepishly smiles at the camera, and then sums up the whole mess in one line: we just can't say no to a juicy story.
Recommended if you like true crime, done well.