American Crime

2015

Seasons & Episodes

  • 3
  • 2
  • 1

7.7| 0h30m| TV-14| en
Synopsis

An anthology drama focusing on all aspects of the U.S. criminal justice system dealing with crimes committed in America.

AD
AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime. Watch Now

Trailers & Clips

Reviews

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film
Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!
InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
Kampaviineri Just watched season 1, and I am blown away. With the characters, their development, the story, the themes of racism, inequality, drugs, the criminal system and the injustice of it all, of life. Strongly recommended!
Aaron Redis This show . . . I have no words. Really. Just no words. I am left speechless every time. I have never in my life experienced such an emotional rollercoaster of a show. John Ridley truly is a genius. His work is impeccable . . . just simply amazing.This series is gritty yet cataclysmic and dark but that is because that is what life is. Life is not pretty. Life is far from perfect. There are times when watching this show where I could not move. I could not breathe. All I could do was cry. This series exposes all that is wrong and shameful in our world. "American Crime" behaves unrestrainedly, holding absolutely nothing back."American Crime," without trouble, is one of the absolute best television shows ever. Intense does not even begin to cover what this show is because it brings it to another level. As I said, gritty and real. I love almost everything about it.One of the most beautiful features of this show is that it peels back the details ever so slowly. This show is not going to give you all the answers. There will be instances where circumstances are left painfully ambiguous. That means that there are circumstances where YOU will have to decide what happens and determine the fate of each of the characters. The reason why I love this so much is because it leaves you only wanting more and more.One thing that sets "American Crime" apart from any other series is that it focuses on the strong, detrimental effects of crime rather than just the crime itself. When I say this, I mean the effects that no one wants to talk about, and that means what happens when we emotionally unravel in the wake of terrible events such as ones on "American Crime." This is especially true when the show chronicles the characters' tipping points - the moments where they feel nothing but pain and conflict. This is not your average hour-long police procedural. Nothing like it, actually. I promise you.The best part of it all is that this show is a network series. I am unbelievably fascinated that ABC took on such a spellbinding drama such as this. Never have I seen a network series that makes its viewers face the reality of racism, sexism, homophobia, prejudice, and religion. "American Crime" raises incredibly intelligent questions that an average audience would not dare contemplate, which is why I am so impressed it aired on network television.This show is incredibly underrated and I think the reason why this is is because it aired on network television. I think it missed a large target audience that would otherwise rightfully rave over this series.One reviewer remarked how unbearable the characters are in this show. They're correct. But that's okay. The show's purpose is not to have glamorous characters, but real ones. The actors do the absolute best of depicting that, too. Each of the characters in this anthology series are beaten and defeated but it's no doubt that the actors are downright phenomenal. They deserve all the praise they have gotten. I almost forget that I am watching a television show at times because it feels so real and raw. I especially love Mickaëlle X. Bizet (season 3), Felicity Huffman (season 2), Regina King (seasons 1-3), Timothy Hutton (season 2), Lili Taylor (season 2), and Connor Jessup (season 2). They are what stand out to me the most (and yes . . . by season).Since this is an anthology series, each season focuses on a different theme but utilizes much of the same cast. I love this concept, although some reviewers have remarked how they dislike that the stories are "dropped" and "restarted" from season to season . . . do they NOT know what an anthology series is? That is the whole purpose.Here is what I think of each of the seasons:Season one was really good, but season two was exceptional. Season two was admittedly one of the best accomplishments in television history. It was unbelievably groundbreaking.Season three was another exceptional season, but with ABC only ordering an eight-episode season dealing with such important subjects like human trafficking and illegal labor was not enough to cover everything. However, the acting, writing, and directing is excellent, as per usual, and the stories are influential. I only wish ABC granted more time to really incorporate the subject matter fully. What bothers me most is how people have negatively reviewed the series for the third season not having a "central focus." It is not at all the showrunners' faults. The unusual structure of the third season, when several regular actors only appeared for half the season, had to be done mainly due to budget cuts. The only reason half of the season dealt with one main storyline and the other half dealt with another was because the network only ordered eight episodes. It was not the show's fault. The writers had their hands tied.On the other hand, I will argue that season three did, in fact, have a central focus. Despite having a varied cast, season three had a strong focus. It chronicled slavery and exploitation in all its forms. I am still outraged that ABC canceled "American Crime." No show can compare. They really had a gem with this show but I must say that I am surprised that it lasted as long as it did. God forbid viewers watch a show where they are taken out of their comfort zone and are forced to think. The show dealt with serious issues. The only reason why someone would not like it is because it makes them uncomfortable and they refuse to even try to understand. I can understand that not everyone can empathize. The capacity to feel what others are feeling is not something everyone is capable of, although sympathy is something that almost anyone has. When someone cannot look beyond their own bias . . . that is when issues arise. This show is not going to dumb it down for people. It gave a voice to people who really, really needed it. A show that makes you think is a good one. I am still praying Netflix or ShowTime will pick it up (although I am aware how unlikely this is considering Netflix has not saved a show in years). ABC grew some balls when they put the series on but they quickly got scared and decided that TV shows that require little to no thought will do better."American Crime" has a score like no other. Mark Isham is a genius. He truly is a musical prodigy, as he is so musically talented. His pieces fit the series so perfectly! I have never loved a show's score more (even though I complement many series for it, "American Crime" has the best). It is almost like a final piece of the puzzle to this show. The score gives me chills. I loved it so much I downloaded it and listen to it on my iPod. A few of them bring me to tears.I can say so much about this show (in fact, could likely talk all day about how much I love it), but I leave off with one final comment: the directing. The directors of this series are just stunning. I love how they bring each of the scripts to life. In this respect, it is unlike any other series and this is yet another feature that sets this series apart from everything else. Watch it and you will see what I mean. It just adds to how compelling this show is!The things about "American Crime" is that it is a pleasant surprise but there is absolutely nothing pleasant about this show. It will leave you feeling empty but will have you thinking of things that you need to think about. When I say that this show is anything but pleasant, I mean this anthology series is unpleasant in all the right ways. It's gritty, it's shocking, and it will make you relive some of the most painful stories in the real world. The writers didn't miss a step. This show feels REAL. And there is a strong urgency about it. I give "American Crime" a 9.7/10.
m-arsic0708 i still don't get the rating, it is one of the best series running. no cheap tricks, no "unexpected but seen a million times" turns and twists. each episode is just another brick in the wall for all the characters. and they are not black or white, they are grey. like everyone in real life. when they move to a darker or lighter shade of grey it is just life as it is. highly recommendable!!!
mg75535 American Crime focuses on the people surrounding a criminal case and the difficulties that they go through rather than the actual crime or criminal investigation itself. While I understand the merits of this and appreciate it the point they're trying to make, the fact of the matter is that I want to know the outcome. I want to know what happened. The acting is great and the series is well written (probably too good for network television though) but it's a let down getting to the end of the season having no idea what actually happened. The series doesn't need to focus on the investigation or be a police procedural to give the viewer a but more payoff at the end. We can struggle with the families of crime victims and ultimately learn the truth/see how things turn out without losing the main message of the show.