Awful Normal

I hope that was cathartic for them. That was basically my reaction as I watched this. This follows film-maker Celesta Davis, her sister Karen and her mother Ellen as they prepare to confront the family friend who molested the two girls when they were very young. To be honest I expected something different in this; something much more emotional; something much more powerful - and yet in most ways it wasn't. The account of the preparations for the confrontation was very clinical, straightforward and to the point. We learn a little bit about the girls' background and family. Their own family life was apparently strange enough, as evidenced by some memories both have of their own father, although - for reasons I never understood - neither woman seemed to have anger for their father, even though - to put this discreetly - the father apparently invited them to play with him. I found that strange. Still, though, the preparations weren't especially interesting. Then I was expecting the actual confrontation to offer something more than it did - but everyone seemed to get along fine. I wouldn't say that any old friendships were re-established, or even that any old wounds were obviously healed, but they all seemed to get along. Alan (the molester) tried to honestly explain what drove him to do what he did (and his explanation did come across as that, and not as an excuse.) The only real moment of emotion was after the fact, after the three women left Alan and Celesta broke down in sobs. That's where I'm hoping the catharsis came for them.

It's a courageous project, putting your life and deep, dark, buried secrets on display for the world to see, but I didn't find it to be especially interesting or powerful. You just end it hoping that it helped Celesta and Karen. (4/10)