Will the world ever know if Amanda Knox is guilty or innocent? Recently, Netflix aired a documentary about the 2007 case that changed the way that murder was publicized in the media. The documentary tracks the case through the Italian police, detectives, lawyers, international journalists, and Amanda Knox herself. However, all of these stories explain how much the case was pulled apart like reality television.
I know that this review is a little late. I wanted to write it after all of the buzz died down about the documentary. The reason being that its case was thought to reveal the correct answer of if Knox is innocent or guilty. Unlike most reviews, I will not be taking sides, but rather exploring how the media covered the case. The reason being that the media has a bad reputation for turning a case into entertainment, demoralizing the people involved. Was the media demoralizing her, or is Amanda Knox really a psychopath?
The documentary explores all possible avenues of the case from all points of views. It begins with Amanda Knox’s side of the story, explaining that she was with her boyfriend the night of the murder and how she had come home the next day to find her roommate Meredith dead. The story quickly switches to the Italian detectives' point of view, explaining that the force of entry was all set up to look like it was a breaking-and-entering case. They also explained that Knox didn’t feel any sort of remorse when they found the body. By establishing both of these points of views, the documentary constantly throws the audience back and forth between whether or not she is guilty or innocent.
In doing so, the documentary reveals how the case was blown out of proportion as a result of language barriers, DNA, and all aspects of the case. It also showed that murder cases are handled differently in Italy than the U.S. As a result, Knox wasn’t prepared for what was going to happen to her and the other suspects involved. This is the reason that it was necessary the documentary be made. It’s important to note that they weren’t proving Knox’s innocence, but rather the confusion and difficulties of this case, and the reason that it took so long for a verdict be made.
I usually try to stay as far away from these types of documentaries because I didn’t want to be given one side, which is usually the popular side of a case. As much as it can, this documentary tries to give both sides. If you come out of the case thinking that Knox is guilty or innocent, then that is your opinion. At the end of the day, the case will forever be a battle that the world will face, and definitely something that many parents fear when allowing their children to study abroad. Hopefully, the world can learn from this case, and continue to improve their judicial system, media coverage, and make sure that all suspects are seen as human beings whether guilty or innocent.
