Ellen Page and Catherine Keener in "An American Crime"
courtesy of Showtime
“An American Crime” (SHOWTIME)

SHOWTIME has one of the most intense dramas of the season in the original film “An American Crime” which airs on the pay cable this month. The film which is based on a true story stars Ellen Page, Catherine Keener, James Franco and Bradley Whitford. They are all excellent but it is Page whose performance will linger with you for days to come.

The story takes place in 1965 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Sylvia Likens (Page) and her sister Jennie (Hayley McFarland) are left in the care of a complete stranger when their parents, who are carnival workers, go on the road. They are given over to single mother Gertie Baniszewski (Keener) who has several children of her own.

Once the two teen-age girls move into the house problems begin. The oldest Baniszewski girl, Paula (Ari Graynor) befriends Sylvia but later turns on her. She tells her mother Sylvia has been spreading lies about her. As her punishment Gertie whips Sylvia with a belt. From that day on things get worse and worse.

The movie does not linger on the punishment/torture inflicted on Sylvia but it is defined enough to make you flinch in anticipation of the next indignity to come. Sylvia keeps apologizing for these made up errors of hers but nothing seems to calm Gertie down. She becomes obsessed with punishing Sylvia.

Ellen Page is amazing as the abused and maligned Sylvia. Her pain is seen in her physical responses as well as in the heartbreak in her eyes. It is not a hysterical performance but a controlled one which makes it even more effective. Based on her roles in “Juno,” “Smart People” and now this one, Ellen Page is fast building a reputation as the brightest and most talented young actress in Hollywood today. She is phenomenal!

Keener is another solid actress. She has been the queen of independent movies for some time but now is moving slowly into the mainstream. As Gertie she has an insane quality about her that is also shown in her eyes. You always feel Gertie is just one step away from being a raving lunatic. Keener keeps the madness tapped down for most of the film, and the struggle is a wonder to behold.

Whitford and Franco have small but important roles in the movie. Whitford is the prosecuting attorney against Gertie, and Franco plays her much younger boyfriend and father of her infant son. Evan Peters is more of a standout in the film as Ricky, a boy with a crush on Sylvia.

The situations described in the movie are most disturbing. Why would the Likens leave their two children with a stranger? Why is Gertie so determined to “punish” Sylvia? Why did Paula turn against Sylvia? And why did the neighborhood kids as well as Gertie’s children join in on Sylvia’s torture?

This is a dark episode in our country’s judicial history. Watching it play out on screen makes for a fascinating but totally disturbing movie. Kudos to Page and Keener for their acting skills but their believability in the roles makes the movie even harder to watch.

“An American Crime” premieres Saturday, May 10 at 9PM on SHOWTIME. 
 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Jackie K. Cooper

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