The Central Park Five

Ratings & Reviews

Ghostman

An engrossing documentary about the horror of what the Central Park Five went through. Although it is made in a 'by the numbers' way, the film is able to depict the event with honesty & respect to what they went through. Burns is a documentarian I often find to be overrated but is able to bring it together here. It's a good film & is able to bring their story, & the criminal injustice they faced, to the public.

steeeeellaaaaa (Iulia N)

sadly, this type of story is starting to become more and more familiar

Zac Weber

This even-handed, infuriating documentation of injustice begs the question—has anything really changed?

Ayinde Anderson

Fucked up

smndvdcl

Racial profiling is a major issue in the justice system and implicitly right-wing media framing agendas. The police have a difficult job in solving cases of abuse, but this example from 1989 is a cautionary tale in how not to handle a case. It also raises the grey areas of interrogation, how to identify the difference between a false and true confession, and the authentic meaning of a 'right to a fair trial'.

Skinnedteen

To think, the racism depicted in this film is still happening now especially when it comes to the treatment of the police towards Black/Hispanic people. When are we ever gonna learn?

mpho3

Film Comment's Chris Chang writes, "The film, in some ways a primer on the perennial intractability of racial prejudice, clearly intends to be some sort of vindication of its five central figures. It succeeds in the first respect but falls wide of the mark in the second." While those kids were railroaded, they did do a lot of f*cked up stuff that night, victims who victimized others. I'd have liked that addressed.

pieomy

This might be the best documentary i've ever seen. I also liked how at the beginning, a montage of old photographs of NYC was shown; some of my favourite photographers work was displayed here (Bruce Davidson, etc). The justice system is so corrupt- it makes you wonder whether at this point in time, anything will ever change. This is a very well made, heartbreaking and effective documentary.. everyone should see it.

Jim Cee

"What we need to realise is we are not good people".

Kattie Dsouza

I had always wondered that why have been these stories been kept so far away from all of us. last night I happened to click on the link provided below and trust me it turned out to be an eye opener for me..... http://www.moviesmount.com/the-central-park-five-movie Simply copy and paste it to have an amazing screening of the film.

Andre Rehal

A very moving doc that foregrounds the Central Park Five case itself in addition to the the toll taken on the wrongly accused and flagrant ignorance of the NYPD and the DA during the case.

Samuel Andrade

★★★★ utterly discomforting and horrifying. and those are the adequate emotions.

John H. Nomedal

A disturbing, moving and important film! Ken Burns has managed to still create a phenomenal documentary, displaying one of New York Citys darkest piece of history in every honest detail as thinkable. A truly masterful crafted documentary!

Risselada

I just saw this film tonight. It reminded me again of my conviction that if I find myself in a police interrogation room for ANY reason I will take my right to remain silent and my right to an attorney. When they say anything can and WILL be used against you, why would anyone say anything else after that? This is something that all children in the US should be taught.

Matthew_Lucas

Incendiary documentary explores the infamous case of the Central Park Jogger, who was brutally raped in 1989, leading to the arrest and conviction of five innocent African American and Hispanic teenagers. A clear-eyed portrait of racial injustice and police coercion, Ken Burns' powerful film reveals a corrupt NYC justice system that ruined the lives of 5 young men and still refuses to admit its mistake.