The defence The Auteur Devotee
“Form is the argument.”
Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.
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An Open Secret
Documentary · Crime · 2014
An investigation into accusations of teenagers being sexually abused within the film industry.
Movie details
An Open Secret
“Be courageous. Report it. Life gets better.”
2014 Documentary · Crime 1h 39m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.9 / 10
Community rating
An investigation into accusations of teenagers being sexually abused within the film industry.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over An Open Secret?
For the defence
The Auteur Devotee
“You watch the director, not the movie.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
The Crash
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Maternal Instinct
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Police pull over a woman who claims she just gave birth. But the baby — and the blood — aren't hers. Twisted lies unravel in this true-crime documentary.
Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers
Documentary · 2025
Aileen Wuornos remains a rarity: a female serial killer. From childhood abuse to death-row revelations, this documentary revisits her life and crimes.
Capturing the Friedmans
Documentary · 2003
An Oscar nominated documentary about a middle-class American family who is torn apart when the father Arnold and son Jesse are accused of sexually abusing numerous children. Director Jarecki interviews people from different sides of this tragic story and raises the question of whether they were rightfully tried when they claim they were innocent and there was never any evidence against them.
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
Documentary · 2003
British documentarian Nick Broomfield creates a follow-up piece to his 1992 documentary of the serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a highway prostitute who was convicted of killing six men in Florida between 1989 and 1990. Interviewing an increasingly mentally unstable Wuornos, Broomfield captures the distorted mind of a murderer whom the state of Florida deems of sound mind -- and therefore fit to execute. Throughout the film, Broomfield includes footage of his testimony at Wuornos' trial.
Abducted in Plain Sight
Documentary · 2017
A family falls prey to the manipulative charms of a neighbor, who abducts their adolescent daughter. Twice.
Bitconned
Documentary · 2024
In this true-crime documentary, three guys exploit the freewheeling cryptocurrency market to scam millions from investors and bankroll lavish lifestyles.
X-Rated 2: The Greatest Adult Stars of All Time
Documentary · 2016
Documentary sequel that offers a close-up look into the personal lives of the legendary porn stars who've survived the test of time and influenced popular culture. Blends rare interviews with erotic clips and additional appearances by Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Soderbergh and a host of adult stars, directors and trendsetters.
78/52
Documentary · 2017
The most famous murder scene in movie history comprises 78 camera settings and 52 cuts: the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. 78/52 tells the story of the man behind the curtain and his greatest obsession.
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
Documentary · 2014
A documentary about the rise and fall of the Cannon Film Group, the legendary independent film company helmed by Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Amy J. Berg
Written by
Billy McMillin · Lorien Haynes · Amy J. Berg
Evan Henzi
Self
Michael Egan III
Self
Todd Bridges
Self - Actor, Diff'rent Strokes
J
Joey Coleman
Self
N
Nicholas Stojanovich
Self
M
Michael Harrah
Self - Child Talent Manager
J
John Connolly
Self - Investigative Journalist
Court is in session
Put An Open Secret on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Technique in search of a pulse.”
Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.