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An American Crime - A Movie Review

'An American Crime' reflects the pivotal life of Sylvia Likens

By Marielle SabbagPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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Never be afraid to speak out.

An American Crime is a 2007 film based on the horrible murder of Sylvia Likens in 1965. Placing their daughters in the care of Gertrude Baniszewski, life becomes a nightmare. Sylvia is endlessly tortured by the members of the family, getting weaker, with no voice to help her.

I came across the sad story of Sylvia Likens a long time ago. An American Crime is a film that not only distributes the horrible punishments that Sylvia faced, but it is a message to the world about the brutalities of abuse. Watching this movie is unsettling, though it’s a powerful message about how to speak up.

Delving into the history of Sylvia Likens, Ellen Page reportedly stopped eating to get a sense of the genuine mistreatment that Sylvia endured. Page was remarkable, delivering heart-wrenching emotion. She truly captured a genuine performance, bravely providing peace to the late Sylvia. Sylvia’s story will forever be told, hopefully inspiring those who are trapped in similar situations.

Catherine Keener steps into the brutal shoes of Gertrude Baniszewski. Her performance is commendable. I really give her credit for the portrayal of a cruel human being who took the life away of a child. In no way did Keener try to give this woman an empathetic light, purely solidifying what Baniszewski did was wrong. Even Keener expressed who difficult the part was. Keener was excellent, proving to be a highlight of the film.

Cast credits include Hayley MacFarland, Nick Searcy, Romy Rosemont, Ari Graynor, Evan Peters, Scout Taylor-Compton, Tristan Jarred, Hannah Leigh, Carlie Westerman, James Franco, and Bradley Whitford.

Portraying real figures of this story had to be tough. Most of the cast didn’t know the story of Sylvia Likens until reading the actual script. Anyone who worked on this film should be proud of how they bravely presented a person in history who had a significant impact in this historical case.

I like how the movie was filmed in chronological order. First, the tone is a calming atmosphere, until quickly delving into an uncomfortable sense that something is not right in the Baniszewski home. Audiences connect to the action, but mostly Sylvia who is the eyes of the film.

This is a very hard movie to sit through, and even read about. The punishments are so horrible. Arguably, this is an important movie to watch. The outcome of situations makes me angry, along with how so many people in this neighborhood took part of the abuse but never said anything. That is important. Now, Sylvia Likens’ story has been talked about generations.

The reason why Tommy O’Haver brought this story to the big screen is to present a story in history that completely changed the world. O’Haver respected the story never omitting important details or ruining the entire message behind the story. He recreated scenes very close to home, refurbishing a set of the house where the nightmares took place. Like Sylvia, I did not want to be a guest being of witness to events in the Baniszewski household.

Yes, it is not a feel-good movie, but An American Crime makes people thankful for the life that they have. I do give O’Haver a hand for an engrossing conclusion. That was very creative and it worked well, despite the upsetting outcome.

I would not recommend An American Crime for its brutal nature, but it’s a story that has to be seen. Sylvia Likens sadly dealt with a horrible situation that could have been altered if better decisions were made. The film is very well-acted with Page and Keener standing out.

Don’t ever forget Sylvia Likens’s story.

movie review
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About the Creator

Marielle Sabbag

Writing has been my passion since I was 11 years old. I love creating stories from fiction, poetry, fanfiction. I enjoy writing movie reviews. I would love to become a creative writing teacher and leave the world inspiring minds.

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