The Execution of Wanda Jean

Play trailer

The Execution of Wanda Jean

Released Jan 15, 2002

1h 27m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

"The Execution of Wanda Jean" chronicles the life-and-death battle of Wanda Jean Allen. By telling one woman's story, the film becomes an unforgettable exploration into one of America's most controversial moral and political dilemmas: the death penalty. "The Execution of Wanda Jean" is an unflinching investigation of the role that poverty, mental health, race, and sexuality play within the criminal justice system.

Jonathan Foreman

New York Post

Compelling but self-undermining documentary.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 12, 2002

Full Review

Julie Salamon

New York Times

Offers an unusual opportunity to observe the inequities in the death penalty, not just the inherent immorality but also the haphazard administration of it and public misperception of how the whole thing works.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 5, 2002

Full Review

Michael Miller

Village Voice

As Allen's execution date closes in, the documentary gives an especially poignant portrait of her friendship with the never flagging legal investigator David Presson.

Sep 3, 2002

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 3/5

Dec 6, 2005

Full Review

Apollo Guide

Rated: 60/100

May 13, 2005

Full Review

Joshua Tanzer

Offoffoff

You will emerge with a clearer view of how the gears of justice grind on and the death report comes to share airtime alongside the farm report.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 10, 2003

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

Compelling story told in a very raw way!!! It was very disturbing to see the death penalty being carried out even though Wanda did do some very bad things to get into the situation she was in, but it was very strange to see it take place!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/19

Full Review

Audience Member

A very good documentary (other than one sequence that they obviously couldn't film but handled in kind of a cheesy way that undermined the incredibly grim subject matter). Harsh.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Liz Garbus

Director

Wanda Jean Allen

Self

Nancy Abraham

Supervising Producer

Liz Garbus

Producer

Rory Kennedy

Producer

Sheila Nevins

Executive Producer

The Nazi Officer's Wife

85%

92%

The Nazi Officer's Wife

Watchlist

Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton

74%

78%

Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton

Family Fundamentals

78%

%

Family Fundamentals

Watchlist

Ethel

89%

81%

Ethel

Watchlist

Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony

83%

88%

Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

"The Execution of Wanda Jean" chronicles the life-and-death battle of Wanda Jean Allen. By telling one woman's story, the film becomes an unforgettable exploration into one of America's most controversial moral and political dilemmas: the death penalty. "The Execution of Wanda Jean" is an unflinching investigation of the role that poverty, mental health, race, and sexuality play within the criminal justice system.

Director: Liz Garbus
Producer: Liz Garbus, Rory Kennedy
Production Co: Moxie Firecracker Films
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 15, 2002, Original
Release Date (DVD): Nov 29, 2005
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.4K
Runtime: 1h 27m