nlong-92 Review of Chowchilla

Chowchilla (2023)

Interesting Documentary But Falls Apart at the End

[6/10 · 3 February 2024]

This movie is incredibly attention grabbing for the first hour or so as it follows the story of the kidnapped, their escape, and the kidnappers' incarceration. The latter half of this documentary, however, is quite dull compared to its counterpart. It covers how the kidnappers received parole, the psychological impact on the kidnapped over the years, and the change in societal response since. As much as I can appreciate that CPTSD is a very real and very serious affliction, the way this film approaches it is a bit "off" to say the least. By the end I felt like this whole story was used as a way to advertise how far crisis responders have come in the last few decades instead of giving these victims the time of day that they deserve. Results may vary, that's just how I felt.