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Indictment: The McMartin Trial

Indictment: The McMartin Trial

TV Movie · Drama · 1995

The McMartin family's lives are turned upside down when they are accused of serious child molestation. The family run a school for infants. An unqualified child cruelty "expert" videotapes the children describing outrageous stories of abuse. One of the most expensive and long running trials in US legal history, exposes the lack of evidence and unprofessional attitudes of the finger pointers which kept one of the accused in jail for over 5 years without bail.

Movie details

Indictment: The McMartin Trial

1995 TV Movie · Drama 2h 15m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

The McMartin family's lives are turned upside down when they are accused of serious child molestation. The family run a school for infants. An unqualified child cruelty "expert" videotapes the children describing outrageous stories of abuse. One of the most expensive and long running trials in US legal history, exposes the lack of evidence and unprofessional attitudes of the finger pointers which kept one of the accused in jail for over 5 years without bail.

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 Indictment: The McMartin Trial?

The 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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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Mick Jackson

Written by

Abby Mann · Myra Mann

James Woods

James Woods

Danny Davis

Mercedes Ruehl

Mercedes Ruehl

Lael Rubin

Lolita Davidovich

Lolita Davidovich

Kee McFarlane

Sada Thompson

Sada Thompson

Virginia McMartin

Henry Thomas

Henry Thomas

Ray Buckey

Shirley Knight

Shirley Knight

Peggy Buckey

Mark Blum

Mark Blum

Wayne Satz

Court is in session

Put Indictment: The McMartin Trial on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.