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Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.
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Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
Documentary · Crime · 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.
Movie details
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
“The 2002 Interviews.”
2003 Documentary · Crime 1h 29m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.7 / 10
Community rating
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.
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 Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer?
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.
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A family falls prey to the manipulative charms of a neighbor, who abducts their adolescent daughter. Twice.
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X-Rated 2: The Greatest Adult Stars of All-Time
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Nick Broomfield · Joan Churchill
Aileen Wuornos
Self (archive footage)
Nick Broomfield
Self
D
Diane Wuornos
Self
A
Arlene Pralle
Self (archive footage)
Tyria Moore
Self (archive footage)
D
Dawn Botkins
Self
M
Michelle Chauvin
Self
Court is in session
Put Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer 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.