(I am back! The Menendez brothers case and this new series have been on my mind A LOT this past week. So here is a review of everything I can think of about it. Expect more to come.)
SPOILERS AHEAD
Another true crime instalment to Ryan Murphy’s ‘Monster’ anthology has hit Netflix with another record viewership. Based on the real-life case, it follows Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch) Menendez, who murdered their parents, Jose (Javier Bardem) and Kitty (Chloe Sevigny) as the series takes the audience for a dive into what happened and why.
As a Gen-Z girl born a couple of years after the case concluded, the information I had of the Menendez brothers was minimal. I was aware that they killed their parents and there was a debate as to whether it was justified or not. Beyond that, I never took personal time to thoroughly research the case. Upon seeing that this was now on Netflix, I became more intrigued. So I’ve been educating myself as much as I can about the real case (and still am).
While suddenly ill and in bed, I watched through ‘Dahmer’, the anthology’s first season, and found that quite *sickening*. Immediately after, I began the new season cautiously as many on social media noted the series’ inaccuracy to the real events. The result is a partly compelling, partly messy narrative that has even received criticism from Erik Menendez, dividing critics and audiences alike.
A Broken Carousel of Stories
From reading up on and watching real clips of the case, I understand the reality of Lyle and Erik having murdered their parents as a result of years of abuse and fear for their lives. The title of ‘Monsters’ is perhaps the first glaring flaw. Even the poster (see header), suggests the brothers as dark and sinister. I guess it’s to keep up with the series as an anthology, given the predecessor ‘Dahmer’. However, Lyle and Erik Menendez are not serial killers by definition. There are far more nuances around their circumstances to make them victims than ‘monsters’. Browsing social media, a comment by someone left an impression on me regarding the label: ‘monsters’ is probably more appropriate for Jose and Kitty. However, the series’ approach is clearly intended to represent multiple points of view.
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The episodes are a carousel of ideas on the possibilities of the brothers’ intentions, motives and actions before, during and after the killings. In the words of Ryan Murphy, it employs the ‘Rashomon effect’ of multiple, varying perspectives. I won’t lie, I haven’t seen ‘Rashomon’ myself but know of this film technique. Unfortunately, this carousel is clunky because sometimes, it spins too fast and can be confusing. Additionally, some elements are altered for dramatic effect and that is a risky move for biopics. Murphy justifies the series as allowing the audience to come to their own conclusions. But this has proven to be problematic.
Why?
One of the more notable perspectives presented and has (rightly) received much backlash is a possible incestuous relationship between the brothers (see header again). In one scene, Kitty’s perspective shows her walking in on them showering together. Despite this being represented as a point-of-view, an earlier depiction of the brothers shows them with potentially homoerotic undertones, with surrounding characters reacting in confusion. If this was supposed to be another perspective, it wasn’t highlighted very well. After the killings, it serves as part of a sequence of the brothers going on a spending spree. The series let itself fall into this controversy of depicting abused, traumatised brothers as potentially being in a relationship. I’ve learnt that Ryan Murphy is often accused of sexualising men, which is definitely shady.
Erik Menendez released his criticism of the show, especially regarding the portrayal of Lyle. The latter is presented as loud, sometimes angry and even self-centred in some perspectives. Switching between perspectives does not do justice to Lyle as coming away from the series, I was unsure who he really was. Lyle’s exchange with a woman named Norma while incarcerated was recorded and published as a book, seemingly damning his earlier court testimony. Another example is Lyle telling his friends and girlfriend to fabricate an alibi for him. I’m still reading some of these points to check the facts vs. fiction. For example, the recordings were not used as evidence because Lyle vented frustration with the presiding judge. Pairing the show’s depictions with the fragmented perspectives doesn’t paint Lyle honestly; I didn’t get to know him through the series.
At times, the series seemed to switch to a humorous tone to become a comedy than a crime drama. The spending spree and imagined escape sequences are guilty of this. The latter even involves showing the brothers in disguise as women to live in secrecy. This would’ve been fine had the show been purely fiction. But since it’s a true and serious case, it can be jarring. The inconsistency in tone makes the series feel confused by itself.
Ultimately, the evidence supporting Lyle and Erik’s stories is much more revealing than how the show presents it. There were multiple testimonies from extended family members which corroborated the claims of abuse by Jose and Kitty, along with the latter’s cruel apathy. The real testimonies by the brothers on the stand also exhibit pure, raw emotion on how the years of abuse affected them. I’m no behavioural expert, but I thought it would be difficult to fake such responses to such extreme trauma. After watching Dr. G and Observe‘s analyses on YouTube, the reality became more clear.
The series’ reliance on multiple perspectives diminishes the facts. It doesn’t approach the case as the brothers resorting to an extreme decision after years of abuse and fear and being unfairly sentenced to life without parole. Instead, ‘Monsters’ unnecessarily plays with different theories to suggest that the case is inherently open-ended for the public to decide, including if they are indeed ‘monsters’.
The final scene was confusing to watch as, in my opinion, it seems to cement that theory.
The Hum and The Performance
While there are numerous criticisms of ‘Monsters’, the series did achieve some merits. The production value and cinematography were visually nice. The late 80’s/early 90’s mise-en-scene of Beverly Hills, California is inviting but juxtaposes the darkness behind closed doors.
Songs from Milli Vanilli and other 90’s artists would fill some sequences, some fitting choices for the zeitgeist. But the music by Thomas and Julie Newman was also fantastic. I always noticed the score ‘Hum’ as a recurring motif every time it played. The vocalisation is laced with a warm but tense melody, creating a paradox of feelings as the events unfold.
The highlight, though, is the cast’s performances. I’m very familiar with Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny, who were fantastic as Jose and Kitty Menendez, respectively. Yet, the standouts were Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch as Lyle and Erik.
Unbeknownst to me, I saw Cooper Koch in ‘Power Book II: Ghost’. He had a small role in two episodes in season one. Nicholas, on the other hand, had been completely off my radar until now. As the formal introduction to me of their acting capabilities, I was thoroughly impressed with their emotional range and realism. They are incredibly talented.
Episode 5: ‘The Hurt Man’, is considered the standout episode for a reason. The one-take episode of Leslie speaking to Erik in prison as he recounts his childhood sexual abuse is phenomenal. Some moments had me genuinely tearing up hearing the harrowing details and Cooper’s acting really sold the entirety of it. His own meeting with the brothers in person, and wholeheartedly believing and supporting them, shows how much the role was carefully portrayed by him.
The courtroom scene of Lyle on the stand, also recounting his sexual abuse as a child, was also a profound display of emotion from Nicholas. From the tremble in his voice to the sheer pain of looking at his brother, I found myself feeling a deep sadness again. Nicholas also portrayed the anger and frustration of Lyle (despite its criticism for authenticity) very convincingly, especially in scenes where he confronts his parents. He was a strong performer throughout.
Shout out to Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson and Nathan Lane as Dominic Dunne too.
But alas, it’s a shame that such fantastic acting was marred by the inaccuracies of the case.
Conclusions
Overall, the series has been rightfully criticised. It’s a fragmented narrative of the real Menendez brothers which fails to be objective by (oddly) trying to be objective. I wish if a dramatised series was necessary, it was handled with more care based on thorough research and permission from the Menendez brothers themselves. I appreciate all the hard work the cast put into their respective performances. The series has sparked renewed interest in the case, including myself. However, it should be a disclaimer that this version is not the ultimate explanation of the events.
Go ahead and catch up on the real case. The new documentary ‘The Menendez Brothers’ dropped on Netflix while writing this review. I’d recommend watching that to hear Lyle and Erik’s own words. You can also watch the YouTube channel Justice Watchdog, run by Erik’s wife Tammi and admins to hear more from Erik.
On a slight tangent, I’ve seen plenty of edits of Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch being made on TikTok. A lot comes with disclaimers about editing the actors and not the characters. Admittedly, they are very handsome men. But I wonder if this will open any debate into how such pop cultural phenomena occur. I know I will be watching the lead actors’ careers with much more interest and I hope to see them in more projects soon.
As for the real Lyle and Erik Menendez, I’ve joined so many others in supporting them. It’s heartbreaking to hear what they went through and they deserve so much better. Imagine a life gone because the people who were supposed to love and care for you, hurt you instead and you were stuck in a ‘kill or be killed’ situation. I don’t condone murder, but the circumstances surrounding the Menendez brothers make it all understandable. They could’ve served time and then be released. Instead, they’ve been in prison for 35 years. I hope with recent developments, they can get a retrial and be freed soon!
#FreeTheMenendezBrothers
cinem(a)shika. 