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It has been a little over thirty years since the retrial convictions of Erik and Lyle Menendez. In the sensational trial, the siblings, who were convicted of parricide, were sentenced to life in prison. According to the new Netflix documentary,The Menendez Brothers, they deserve to be released from jail.
The film offers very little reasoning as to why the brothers deserve this sentence for murdering their parents. The main point is that they point to the mistrial, where evidence of sexual and physical abuse at the hands of José and Kitty Menendez was not allowed during the prosecution’s second attempt.
The filmmakers want to put the parents on trial, not the assailants. This is fine, only if you offer the same type of microscope on those convicted of the crime as well.
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However, instead of crafting an intelligent and compelling argument by taking an honest look at both sides, we are presented with pandering to a younger generation’s passions rather than anything pragmatic. I doubt this is the first documentary to cash in on TikTokers’ fixations. However,The Menendez Brothersseems more blatant than most.
The murders happened on the eve of July 16, 2025, in Beverly Hills. Just like a Hollywood cliché, this family had the perfect life. José was a successful businessman, and Kitty was a loving and adoring wife and mother. Erik was an aspiring tennis star, while Lyle graduated from Princeton.
The Menendez Brothersis a documentary about public debate. In turn, Alejandro Hartmann’s take is essentially one where they wear public bias on their sleeves. This is Hartmann’s third documentary film/series for the streaming giant Netflix.
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Those includeThe Photographer: Murder in Pinamar and Carmel: Who Killed Maria Marta?Unlike those efforts, his latest knows the outcome but tries to stir up ambiguity in the accused’s mindset. Did they do it for the money, or did they kill their parents because they thought there was a reasonable determination that their parents would kill them?
However, that is how the documentary should have been structured. Instead, besides the former prosecutor Pamela Bozanich stating that the brothers’ story was fabricated entirely, the film gives little wiggle room for impartiality.
Netflix’sThe Menendez Brothersdocumentary is not worth watching. For one, the film offers nothing new on the subject matter. For instance, interviewing behavioral analysts to judge the brothers’ testimony would have been beneficial here.
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How about a close look at this being one of the first murder trials by media, even before the O.J. Simpson prosecution? Why wasn’t something like this done? This would only strengthen the case Hartmann is trying to make. This film was made to fan the flames of young protesters and support the mega-hit Netflix seriesMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
The film does an admirable job of telling the story with verve and compassion, shining a light on sexual abuse.Oprah Winfreyeven changed her stance, once having an episode ripping apart the siblings and then, later, after the narrative changed in the media, dedicating a show to young boys’ sexual victimization.
You wishThe Menendez Brothersdocumentary offered a more compelling argument. At the very least, you’d hope for an objective companion to theRyan Murphyseries.
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You can stream the Netflix documentaryThe Menendez Brothers October 7.
The Menendez Brothers Review — A Film That Blatantly Wears Its Bias on Its Sleeves
M.N. Miller
Film & Television Critic
Articles Published :336
M.N. Miller is a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Mansfield University and a Master’s from Chamberlain University. However, he still puts on his pants one leg at a time, and that’s when he usually stumbles over. When not writing about film or television, he patiently waits for the next Pearl Jam album and chooses to pass the time by scratching his wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. M.N. Miller was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs but chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. you’re able to also find his work on Hidden Remote, InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Geek Vibes Nation, and Nerd Alert.
