Looking Back at 2010s Films: West of Memphis (2012)

By Tanner Smith

If there’s one film that needs to be seen about the well-known West Memphis Three, Amy Berg’s documentary “West of Memphis” would be the best bet because it tells the whole story.

The trilogy of “Paradise Lost” documentaries chronicle the actual events as they go along. And even from the first chronicle, it became clear that these kids did not commit this sick murder of three little boys and that the town was so blinded by hatred and sadness that they had to blame somebody. A trio of teenage boys who wore black and listened to heavy metal were the perfect targets for them, and they spent 18 years in prison as a result. They were only freed as part of a plea bargain.

“West of Memphis” has the advantage of hindsight. It draws a more investigative, closely-examined portrayal of the case, the place, the people involved, the pains, the evidence (or lack thereof), and even how the convicted three men, after spending 18 years in prison, attempt to go on with their lives after finally being released.

This is a deep, sometimes painful examination of a failure in justice that is by far the superior film about the WM3. Seek it out if you haven’t already.