Here is one of the most horrendous stories of child abuse ever put on film. "David" chronicles the horrific case of David Rothenberg, who's father Charles set him on fire in a California motel and was later sentenced to 13 years in prison (only to be released after 7). Few stories truly show the dark heart of people, especially someone cold enough to burn their child simply as a way of getting back at their spouse. The movie is unrestrained and shows us in clear detail the suffering and treatment David went through, in one heartbreaking scene the doctors show him a mirror to look at his face and he breaks down. First shown on TV in 1988, "David" has no doubt affected many. I was about 6 or 7 at the time and I remember the movie deeply affected me, to the point where I had nightmares. Be warned, this is strong material and not for the faint of heart. But these kinds of stories need to be told, because these are the kinds of movies and books that wake people up and maybe help new laws to be passed so men like Charles Rothenberg can face true justice for their hideous crimes. The performances in this film are excellent, they stick in the memory in a movie that is hard to shake away. Few TV movies have displayed such grim realism, but this is a disturbing story, and it deserves to be told without restraint. Maybe someday it will be made more widely available on DVD.
