'The Menendez Brothers' Divides Critics

         On October 7, 2024, Netflix released 'The Menendez Brothers', which has received a mixed reception from critics. "In 1996, Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted for the murders of their parents in what became one of the most famous criminal cases of the late 20th century. For the first time in 30 years, and in their own words, both brothers revisit the trial that shocked the nation" Read the full review round-up below.

       John Serba of Decider notes, "Let’s be honest here: The Menendez Brothers almost certainly doesn’t land its interviews with Erik and Lyle if it doesn’t advocate for them. For what it’s worth, they seem earnest and sympathetic in their audio-calls from prison, although Hartmann never seems to have asked them a difficult question. The director includes one key dissenting voice in Bozanich, who’s so convinced the brothers are lying, she seems astonished that anyone would even make such a documentary. The majority of talking heads seem, well, showboaty, many carrying an air of self-promotion for their writings on the topic, almost relishing the salaciousness of a story that consumed a lot of cultural bandwidth three decades ago. Notably, one juror interviewed here provides insider commentary on the hung jury that resulted in a mistrial; not surprisingly, she wrote a book about her experience. Another juror received a painting from Lyle, which he sent her from prison. As I see it, such commentary functions in two ways: One, the air of sensationalism undermines the doc’s credibility. It also paints a portrait of a toxic culture where others capitalize in the wake of ugly misdeeds and the suffering of others."

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

       Nick Schager of The Daily Beast says, "It’s quite a shortcoming when a documentary avoids so many elements of its own story that it proves less comprehensive and compelling than a Ryan Murphy drama." Continuing, "The Menendez Brothers dutifully recaps this tabloid saga and yet those who’ve recently binged Murphy’s series will immediately recognize the many damning facts about Lyle and Erik that—because they might complicate a pro-Menendez stance—are not cited here. Those include Lyle returning to his car to reload his shotgun in order to finish off Kitty; Menendez lawyer Lisa Abramson’s use of the same abuse defense in a prior trial; Lyle and Erik never mentioning abuse to anyone before their incarceration (including the therapist, Dr. Jerome Oziel, to whom they confessed the killings); and the fact that José had cut his sons out of his will—the last of which contradicts Erik’s assertion that they couldn’t have murdered for money because they were destined to inherit it."