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An American Crime
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An American Crime

2007
Drama, Crime
1h 38m
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Avg Percentile 54.48% from 567 total ratings

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(566)
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Rated 27 Sep 2009
85
88th
As much as you want to you will not be able to forget this movie
Rated 08 Nov 2010
0
0th
"If Eli Roth were to direct a Lifetime movie, it might look something like An American Crime." - Matt Noller
Rated 09 Dec 2008
85
46th
Beautifully acted, and who doesn't love Ellen Page? But now I better understand those who condemn movies about the underbelly of life. Yes, it's a true story; no, this is not life as most of us experience it. What does it teach us? Nothing, other than what we already knew: the most depraved thing you can imagine, there are folks out there more depraved than that. Is there a name for this genre? If not, may I suggest one? Depravity porn.
Rated 27 Dec 2012
70
70th
Great cast and excellent acting. Horrifying story, but I feel this movie fails to capture the true essence of the people. This feels like a white wash. They portray Sylvia as almost saintly, but making her a real person would have served quite well enough. Also Gertrude was most certainly much more evil. So, writer/director, shame on you for letting her (and the others) off the hook so easily. This story deserves more accurate and authentic characters. It also has a shameful stupid twist ending.
Rated 20 Apr 2009
90
56th
One of those "based on a true story" films that astounds. The screenwriter mostly succeeds in portraying seriously evil people thinking they're doing the right thing.
Rated 03 Jul 2010
70
51st
Director Tommy O'Haver does a fantastic job at thoroughly disturbing the audience, while always leaving enough room to never take them over the edge. Catherine Keener is great, and its obvious why Ellen Page was O'Haver's first choice right from the start. Tried and true filmmaking methods make this work, but it never really tries anything new. It also tries to get inside the heads of a few too many characters and has trouble maintaining a focused narrative.
Rated 31 Jan 2009
60
41st
Maybe some deepness in characters' stories should be fine. Depressing with it's real story.
Rated 07 Apr 2008
85
77th
07 Nisan 08, fitas1 siraL koltuk8, 13:30, yonetmenin katilimi ile, 27.ist. film fest. & SPOILER** ellen page mukemmel oynamis.film gercek bir hikayeyi anlattigi icin daha sarsici geliyor.yonetmenin sonunda sag gosterip, sol vurmasi gercekten zekiceydi.film mutlu sonla bitti diye dusunurken -ki oyle olsa film hakkinda bu kadar iyi oldugunu dusunmezdim- "gercek bu degil, gercekte hollywood filmlerinn sonu yok" diyor. film, her bunyeye gore degil.
Rated 23 Feb 2022
70
48th
This movie 
(To my understanding)
 Is much closer to the actual events of what happened to 
Sylvia Likens 
I believe this movie was originally made for tv
 So it’s not as violent or disturbing to watch 
But the few scenes of violence are very disturbing and effective 
Definitely another emotional  “gut punch”
Rated 02 Mar 2009
75
71st
A sick and shocking real story, with good performances here. It has an interesting structure, which gives sense to the plot. The facts and courthouse were well alternated and the characterization of each character too, especially Catherine Keener, that grows, little by little.
Rated 30 Nov 2012
3
1st
Horrible story, and an object lesson in what happens when you don't play Good Samaritan. The attempt to attach its occurrence to the Vietnam War or as something that can justify questioning belief in God are both sadly misplaced.
Rated 02 Mar 2014
79
83rd
Extremely disturbing film. I don't ever want to see it again but thought Catherine Keener was excellent in her role.
Rated 05 Jun 2009
85
68th
Horrific
Rated 17 Nov 2011
55
31st
A little too fond of waving its "true story" status around as an excuse to show torture (been watching The Passion of the Christ, have we?) but... interesting.
Rated 16 May 2011
70
58th
I had already seen The Girl Next Door so soon realised that this was a film on the same case. It is just as sad as The Girl Next Door but less brutal, a quick read on IMDB and it appears that some of the events in TGND didn't actually happen so perhaps this version is a more realistic account and TGND is a 'gorified' take on it.
Rated 17 May 2010
45
31st
It could have been an interesting movie about social psychology. Instead, director Tommy O'Haver chose to rely on shock value. There are better torture movies than this.
Rated 10 Jun 2011
25
12th
Compared to the fictionalized The Girl Next Door, based on the same true events, An American Crime is more loyal to the real details. For that very reason, it is jarring that so much was ommitted from the portrayal of Sylvia's atrocious treatment, to the extent that it is unclear why she dies. And while TGND also had credibility issues, An American Crime is considerably less realistic. It is a slick, beautified film that consistently fails to capture the grit of real life.
Rated 30 Jan 2011
82
89th
Sylvia Marie Likens, iskence, psikopat aile, psikopat kadin, psikopat cocuklar, dedikodu, kiskanclik, yoksulluk (üzücü hikaynin mahkeme kayitlarina dayanan birebir filmi, benzeri the girl next door (2007) uyarlamaydi bu film ise hikayenin kendisine yer veriyor)
Rated 25 Aug 2014
100
60th
I do not know why law allows such people to be released later on and why even after such a heinous crime death penalty was not given.Maybe Indiana might have abolished death penalty that's why but then also why was parole given to her.In any case once complete guilt is proven i do not think any such criminal should be allowed to live.
Rated 17 Dec 2011
77
63rd
This is a very unpleasant film to watch because of the subject matter. However the performances of Ellen Page and Catherine Keener are outstanding. If you are in the mood for a dark film with two great performances then definitely check this film out.
Rated 26 Feb 2012
60
62nd
An American Crime is a good film about a real life case that was horrific. It feels real, whether or not many liberties were taken in its creation. The acting is fantastic, the characters are empathetic, and even though it's an unpleasant viewing experience, it's still not one that you should necessarily avoid. This is a well-made film that managed to get me emotionally invested in its story. It even through in a cheeky little twist that gave me a nice surprise.
Rated 18 Feb 2009
70
60th
It was an ok movie, but Ellen Page, I have to admit.. you're the first girl I'm in love with
Rated 06 Feb 2011
70
44th
A dark and disturbing movie based on true events that is horrifying to watch.While I can't say I enjoyed this movie I think this movie did exactly what it set out do.The acting by all is good.
Rated 25 Dec 2009
70
29th
A sugar-coated, watered down version of what really happened. The Girl Next Door is far superior.
Rated 12 Oct 2012
60
29th
After BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, I could only picture Catherine Keener in bitch roles. After WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, I could only picture her in Mom roles. She combines both personas here. Alas, it's a good performance in a film that doesn't benefit from it. THE GIRL NEXT DOOR tells this same story more broadly as an exploitation film and somehow has more to say. Told with taste and sensitivity, AN AMERICAN CRIME kind of just seems pointless.
Rated 29 Mar 2012
10
0th
There's no perspective, which makes it just graphic for its own sake. That wouldn't bother me except that it's using a real name and a real event, reveling in someone's horrible death.
Rated 19 Jun 2011
76
70th
movie is not that good but story has deep emotions. it breaks out your feelings.
Rated 20 Jul 2010
76
59th
The director struggles a bit but the true story is touching and both Page and Keener do a terrific job.
Rated 30 Jun 2008
65
73rd
A good film with great acting and story.
Rated 21 Oct 2009
71
66th
Emotionally attached story, but actually some of kid actors manage to survive with a decent roles. Story also did good observation on mother's environment and place as a single parent with six kids in those times. Not a black and white storytelling at all. The touch was lost towards the end and director leaned more on emotions.
Rated 27 Dec 2008
64
63rd
** S L E E P E R * A L E R T **
Rated 11 Jul 2008
50
51st
Okay
Rated 31 Dec 2015
80
49th
It's hard not to compare this film to "The Girl Next Door," another adaptation of the Sylvia Likens story. They play very differently. TGND is a much more explicit and grueling viewing experience and the characters are much more cold, whereas "An American Crime" is more suggestive with its horrific scenes, has characters with more depth, and is closer to the true story of Sylvia. Elliot Page and Catherine Keener are fantastic and are able to say so much with just their faces.
Rated 13 Feb 2009
96
99th
I seriously couldn't breath, WTF. One of the strongest emotional experiences ever, totally unexpected.
Rated 21 Jul 2008
46
27th
Keener and Page bring conviction to their roles, but the very structure of the story makes it difficult to develop the characters. O'Haver handles the toughest elements quite well. In depicting the abuses heaped on Page's character, he's brutally honest while showing restraint that prevents the film from becoming exploitative. While he deserves credit for that, he's culpable for the film's most egregious misstep, a third act narrative trick that delivers a sucker punch to the audience.
Rated 08 Oct 2010
1
3rd
Even seeing Ellen Page nearly beaten to death doesn't make it worth watching an Ellen Page movie. Rot in hell, Juno.
Rated 04 Dec 2018
94
74th
This is the second movie I've seen now portraying this true story. Great performances but a haunting and disturbing story. The Girl Next Door is the other and is more graphic and disturbing, so if need to be decide between the two, take that into consideration.
Rated 10 Mar 2019
80
77th
have to rewatch
Rated 23 Apr 2020
60
38th
starring ellen page as the chained heat
Rated 11 Jan 2022
73
41st
Catherine Keener gives a tremendous performance in a brutal, very depressing portrayal of a crime that was 10x worse in real life.
Rated 13 Jun 2023
34
2nd
Did not finish it, it's terrible. When the rapist torturer isn't raping and torturing, she seems to be portrayed in a sympathetic light. I would not recommend this to anyone.

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