Suman Roberson
It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.
Hattie
I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.
Logan
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
petarmatic
Pedophilia! Shining legal star of our times! I think it is worse to be a pedophile in the anglo-saxon world then a murderer. Hack, murderers are wanted and desired to be sent to the wars in the Middle East these days, ah, well since they are the good guys, like an American Sniper, let us make pedophiles real monsters! Sufficient to say that those people receive harsh sentences and they are well mistreated in jails all over the world both by jailers and the inmates.Ms. Zenovich explores probably one of the most known cases in the world as far as pedophilia goes. Her documentary is a masterpiece, by all means, but as I understand it had Roman Polanski arrested in Switzerland, and even now if I understand he is under investigation in Poland as he is making his newest film. I am not sure did she intended for him to be hunted again? It is for her to answer.The whole case was ridiculous, by the twist of fate, if he stayed in the USA and got sentenced, he could of been sent to the same prison where murderers of his pregnant wife are serving their life sentences. I am glad that he escaped and I scream from the top of my lungs LEAVE HIM ALONE! Didn*t he suffer enough? He is a survivor of Auschwitz for Gods sake! All in all I recommend this film strongly since pedophilia is getting such attention these days, and documentary is very well done albeit I think it hurted Mr. Polanski.
blanche-2
There's no point arguing about this blight on the life of Roman Polanski. People's opinions are strong on both sides. He is a controversial figure and that will never change."Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired" takes a biased look at the child molester case against the director. The interesting part is what went on behind the scenes with Judge Rittenband, the Judge ultimately removed from the case.Frankly, if all of that is true, which I guess it is since the Judge was removed, I can't blame Roman Polanski for running. Even the District Attorney assigned to the case said the same thing.The documentary points up the difference between the European and American cultures, and a psychiatrist who examined Polanski speaks of what may have caused his interest in young girls. I'm not sure if he still has such interests, but he has been married now for 24 years to actress Emmanuelle Seigner, and they have two children.The victim was a very pretty young girl with show business ambitions. She developed into a lovely woman and went on to marry and have a family. She was interviewed and it was pretty obvious in this documentary that she's sick of the whole thing and people's opinions about it. She feels her mother was unjustly criticized for allowing her to spend time with Polanski.I haven't walked in her shoes, which must have been pretty uncomfortable, so I am in no position to judge. I thankfully was never in her situation as a teenager, never went through schoolmates knowing what happened, never went through the European press publishing my name and having reporters looking for me. The fact that she went on to build a gratifying life is a remarkable achievement.And I haven't walked in Polanski's shoes, also I'm sure very uncomfortable. I can't pretend to judge a man who lost his parents in a concentration camp and his wife and baby in a brutal, sadistic murder. I didn't have to put up with horrendous things being written about me and his wife in the press after the murders. That he has been able to make any contribution at all to his art form is remarkable.So I don't come down on either side. As far as the documentary, I found what the attorneys had to say fascinating. If you have any interest in the law, you will find it interesting.
gavin6942
Examines the public scandal and private tragedy which led to legendary filmmaker Roman Polanski's sudden flight from the United States.I was rather impressed with this documentary. I thought it would offer a broad overview of Polanski's life, and it did not. It had just enough to give you a feel for the man and then focused on the different aspects of the criminal trial against him.Polanski fled this country before I was born, so I certainly did not hear about his crimes from the newspaper or television at the time they happened. I was under the impression he was charged and then immediately ran away. The film shows that is not entirely accurate, that he actually spent a little time in prison and even after leaving once, he came back. This cleared up a lot of misconceptions I had.Having read a biography on him and having seen all his movies (yes, even the weaker ones -- though not his short films), I was pleased that something new could still be learned.
tex-29
To those who comment that Polanski was convicted or pleaded guilty of rape, please go back and watch the movie. No rape. The judge simply tried to screw him on a plea bargain on a lower charge (both the defense and prosecution agree on this as does the lawyer for the woman. Please stick to the facts when making your arguments. The film, itself, was intriguing, well-edited, concise, historically enlightening and contained many clips of Polanski's great films (knife on the water, chinatown, rosemary's baby...) along with interesting historical news footage of courtroom action and now-and-then interviews with key figures.
