The Family I Had

2017

1h 17m

Documentary

List

100%

5 Reviews

Tomatometer

80%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

A mother recounts how her seemingly ideal family was shattered after her brilliant son committed a violent act.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Jan 07

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Watch The Family I Had with a subscription on Prime Video, rent on Fandango at Home, or buy on Fandango at Home.

Brian Tallerico

RogerEbert.com

The filmmakers never lose sight of the human beings looking for answers to impossible questions.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 20, 2017

Full Review

Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

The Family I Had sensitively and emotionally engages with the enormity and complexity of this situation, which transcends true crime and approaches Greek tragedy, and it just plain knocks the wind out of you.

May 5, 2017

Full Review

Chuck Bowen

Slant Magazine

Katie Green and Carlye Rubin's film documents the transferrable perversities inherent in familial life.

Apr 23, 2017

Full Review

Alan Ng

Film Threat

The Family I Had makes no attempt to be political or force an issue down your throat. It simply presents the facts and feelings as they are. You decide right and wrong, good and evil, justice and forgiveness.

Rated: 3.5/5

Mar 20, 2018

Full Review

Nathanael Hood

The Young Folks

By the end I was consumed with an aching love and sorrow for this family; I wanted to bring wholeness to their brokenness.

Rated: 8/10

Apr 28, 2017

Full Review

Read all reviews

Kerry S

A family and son who did nothing to prevent this murder. The movie tries to make the viewer empathize with them when they are to blame. Poor Ella.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

08/21/23

Full Review

blue c

A third of the way through the tears came and didn't stop. This is a profoundly sad story about people surviving an unbearable tragedy and trying to keep loving the perpetrator.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/12/23

Full Review

Adam L

Bad Mom. Sad story all around.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Family I Had (2017), a documentary film by Katie Green and Carlye Rubin, explores a true crime story and its profound implications for the victim, the victim's family, and the perpetrator. It shines a light on the juvenile justice system, and mental illness. Green and Rubin have woven together many visual elements to create a compelling film where murder meets misery, anguish, heartbreak, and redemption. The documentary is well-crafted making use of diverse angle shots, editing techniques, first person interviews, third-person interviews, archival footage, archival news footage, still photography, animated stills, voice-over, and incorporates footage shot over several years to create a compelling and powerful film about the loss of family due to an egregious crime, and recounts the suffering and pain of a brave, courageous, candid and grieving mother. Green and Rubin have juxtaposed the narrative of the crime with its aftermath of destruction against the backstory of the victim, the perpetrator, and mother of the victim creating dramatic tension that moves the film. Some scenes were not only difficult to watch but heart wrenching including the recreation of the crime itself, and the mother of the victim listening to the 911 call. It's a balanced documentary for the filmmakers explore the crime from the perspective of the mother of the victim, the grandmother of the victim, and the perpetrator, and how it has affected and shaped their lives. The documentary resonated with me on many levels. I could relate to the anguish when I learned on two separate occasions that a former classmate and a work colleague were brutally murdered. The documentary reminded me of the impermanence of life and how acting on a bad thought can lead to irreparable harm and personal devastation. The film raises many interesting questions about the juvenile justice system. Did the reprehensible nature of the crime create undue bias and influence the judge and jury in the sentencing? The sentence appears excessive given that the perpetrator was a teen when he committed the egregious act. Most importantly, is the perpetrator best served without proper emotional and mental health counselling and rehabilitation? The directors have succeeded in creating an intimate portrait of a family torn asunder by murder and depicted its aftermath of destruction. It is well-written, edited and directed and deserving of your attention. The documentary has tremendous educational value and in my opinion, can serve as a vehicle to promote social change and understanding.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Powerful and sad.Throughout the film you are searching for where it all went wrong and boom you are introduced to the grandmother.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This movie and story will stay with you long after it is over. I found my self thinking of this poor mother and her last surviving child..What is even more sad to me is that things like this happen to families all the time ..All I can say is live each day like it is your last

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

98%

85%

One Child Nation

TRAILER

for One Child Nation

95%

84%

The Mole Agent

79%

74%

Victim/Suspect

90%

89%

Buck

90%

85%

The Raft

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

A mother recounts how her seemingly ideal family was shattered after her brilliant son committed a violent act.

Director: Katie Green, Carlye Rubin
Producer: Christopher Clements, Anna Godas, Julie Goldman, Carolyn Hepburn
Production Co: Motto Pictures
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 21, 2018
Runtime: 1h 17m

Most Popular at Home Now