The Fire that Took Her

Play trailer

The Fire that Took Her

Released Oct 21, 2022

1h 34m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

An exploration of the murder trial for Judy Malinowski.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Natalia Winkelman

New York Times

This true story’s themes of domestic violence, traumatic injury and addiction are unpacked in the straightforward documentary “The Fire That Took Her.”

Oct 20, 2022

Full Review

Drew Tinnin

Dread Central

It would be a disservice to Judy and her family to warn viewers about just how graphic some scenes are in The Fire That Took Her. That’s the point. Facing that pain is just one small way that we, the audience, can pay our respects.

Feb 17, 2024

Full Review

Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

Although she was murdered, Malinowski’s story is not that of a victim, but of a woman who fought for justice — not just towards the man who murdered her, but also unfair laws in the state of Ohio — until the bitter end.

Feb 13, 2024

Full Review

Erik Childress

Movie Madness Podcast

A genuinely harrowing but also hopeful true crime tale that is a cautionary tale both of domestic abuse as well as the opioid crisis that reminds us how much women's voices matter and that justice occasionally shines through the darkness.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 29, 2023

Full Review

Steven Prokopy

Third Coast Review

The Fire That Took Her is a tough but necessary viewing experience that is meant to both enrage and inspire those watching, and it does both with unblinking courage on both sides of the camera.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 25, 2023

Full Review

Jared Mobarak

The Film Stage

While it would be easy to dismiss the package in which these interviews and recordings arrive as conventional, the subject matter can't help but elevate the material beyond our objectivity too.

Rated: B

Oct 18, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Jen

Absolutely incredible and powerful film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/23/22

Full Review

EH

It is nearly statistically impossible for you to not know someone who has experienced domestic abuse. This film takes a firm grip on the subject as the truth of Judy's heroic story unfolds. Director Patricia Gillespie created an unlinching film that is a must see for all audiences. A truthful documentary about a crime in an era of "true crime" that speaks to your soul rather than intoxicate your brain with sadistic entertainment. Spread the word.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/22/22

Full Review

na n

It is very, very rarely I am for the death penalty. But in this case, the perpetrator in this documentary; he's basically the personification of evil! I won't say much more, in order to spoil the film, but mein Got; this guy is definitely not a person I would've liked to piss off, unless I would've been carrying a very reliable nine (or perhaps a larger cal.), b/c this guy will kill you in a real bad way and then think absolutely nothing of it. If it were up to me, IMHO: Experiment on him - for the good of humanity, then give him the death penalty.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/10/24

Full Review

Kenneth H

Infuriating and overwhelmingly heartbreaking.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/08/24

Full Review

Phoebe O

I think this is such an important movie, for women and men alike. The scourge of domestic violence and the effects of the opioid crisis are brilliantly portrayed in this film. To me, seeing Judy's story was one exceptional opportunity to see how a victim fights to become a hero, but also, to understand how the aftermath of the barbaric acts she experienced has affected her own family. A tough, but a most watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/09/23

Full Review

Carlos P

This is a very important film, using the codes of true crime we are witnessing a true social justice piece, and at the center Judy, a hero. Gillespie shows an excellent directorial capacity by mixing archival, verite and interviews, giving the film a true sense of continuity. A most see

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/06/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Patricia Gillespie

Director

Judy Malinowski

Self

Patricia Gillespie

Producer

Julie Goldman

Producer

Christopher Clements

Producer

Carolyn Hepburn

Producer

Victim/Suspect

79%

74%

Victim/Suspect

Watchlist

Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn

74%

67%

Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn

Watchlist

One Child Nation

98%

86%

One Child Nation

Watchlist

TRAILER

for One Child Nation

Love, Gilda

89%

81%

Love, Gilda

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Love, Gilda

The Family I Had

100%

70%

The Family I Had

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

An exploration of the murder trial for Judy Malinowski.

Director: Patricia Gillespie
Producer: Patricia Gillespie, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Carolyn Hepburn, Kristi Jacobson, Tracy Elizabeth Jarrett
Distributor: MTV Documentary Films
Production Co: Motto Pictures, Yellowbelly Films, Goldcrest Features
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 21, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2023
Runtime: 1h 34m

Most Popular at Home Now