Crime,Drama
United States of America
An American Crime is a dramatization of the true story of Gertrude Baniszewski, a single mother of seven children who took in two more children, Sylvia and Jenny Likens, for several months in 1965. Baniszewski, a financially struggling woman, agrees to house the girls for a fee from their parents but quickly becomes verbally and physically abusive towards Sylvia, a shy and quiet teenager.
As the abuse escalates, Baniszewski enlists the help of her children and other neighborhood children to torture, humiliate, and degrade Sylvia. The abuse ranges from beatings and burnings to sexual abuse and confinement. The children of the neighborhood are also coerced into participating in the torture of Sylvia, with some even getting emotionally attached to Baniszewski's authority over them.
The film details how the abuse culminated in Sylvia's death from physical abuse and neglect. After her death, Baniszewski and her children continued to abuse Sylvia's corpse for several weeks until her body was discovered by authorities, and they were arrested and charged with her murder.
An American Crime features standout performances from Catherine Keener as Baniszewski, as well as Ellen Page as Sylvia Likens. The movie is a grim depiction of the horrific abuse and murder and a reminder of the dangers of unchecked authority and power dynamics.
