Plot: This film is based on a true story. This film takes place in 1966. Gertrude (Catherine Keener) is on trial for the murder of Sylvia Likens (Ellen Page). Gertrude, a single mother of six children, agrees to take in Sylvia and her sister Jenny (Hayley MacFarland). The Likens are carnival workers who constantly travel and leave their daughters with Gertrude and give her twenty dollars every week as payment for the care of their daughters. Sylvia, who is accused of stealing and spreading rumors that one of Gertrude's daughters is pregnant, is burned with cigarettes and eventually forced to stay in the basement. Gertrude's children and neighborhood kids repeatedly torture Sylvia, which ultimately leads to her death. The film alternates between the trial and the flashbacks that are being described by the witnesses.
Review: This is a TV movie and honestly probably one of the most difficult films I've ever had to watch. I heard about this film from an interview with Ellen Page and I was intrigued. When I heard about the story and everything, I decided to watch it. And I was shocked and disturbed. The fact that this happened in the United States not even fifty years ago shacks me to my core. You watch this movie and you see what this 16-year-old girl went through at the hands of others honestly makes you question their humanity. And they did have to leave certain aspects of the abuse out of the film because it was too graphic to show on television.
The acting is simply amazing. Catherine Keener is brilliant in this. Despite the fact that her character is completely a mess and probably mentally unstable, she gives a powerful performance of a woman who was not in touch with this reality (this is just my own perspective from I watched on-screen). The supporting cast, which consist of many relatively unknown actors, do a good job of portraying people who have no sympathy and just believe what they're doing is normal and not completely wrong. James Franco has a brief supporting role as the father of Gertrude's youngest child. He is a completely vile human being in this, but still plays the part well. Hayley MacFarland is simply incredible as Jenny. You see her fear and anxiety from what she's going through and witnessing what's happening to her sister. But the real star of the movie for me is Ellen Page. Her performance is beyond amazing. Her facial expressions as she's going what she's going through. The only characters I had sympathy for throughout the film were Sylvia, Jenny and their parents. All of the other characters in the film were completely unlikable and inhuman to me.
As I said before, this is a disturbing film and very uneasy to watch. Is it the greatest film I've ever seen? No. But why do I give such praise? Because the topics that we see in this film, child abuse, is an endless topic in our society. We're afraid to confront it and talk about it. Child abuse led to the death of a 16-year-old girl. We even had a scene where Sylvia is being abused and we see neighbors outside who hear it, but say "better to stay out of it I think". It's very sad to think that happened then and the reality is that that possibly still happens today.
I've only watched this film three times because I cannot bear to see the horror and torture this young woman went through. It's so uncomfortable to see everything unfolding in front of you. But this film shows you what can happen behind closed doors and what could happen if no one does anything to stop it.
Rating: 4/5
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