Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: JonBenét and the City of Boulder

I have read the book, "Perfect Murder, Perfect Town" which is excellent; the movie, however, is terrible. The movie begins with the morning of the kidnapping, which is the first mistake. The audience is never given a chance to know JonBenet thus, when she is found murdered, we feel nothing for it. We don't know the victim, not to mention the body in the film is beyond fake. Look closely and you will see it rocking back and forth briefly after it has been touched by a mourner.

Secondly, all the pivital information is thrown in the viewer's face all at once. People who have not read the book or followed the case will be confused. Within 3 minutes, 7 characters are introduced, either in person or by mention of their name.

Thirdly, like the lack of characterization of JonBenet, we know nothing of the family. All that we know is what we are told which is the number one mistake of story-telling...telling and not showing.

What makes the movie so bad is the fact that it could have been so good. What is so odd, is that 7 years ago, when I was a freshman in high school, I wrote a script based on the crime (I am a film major) and oddly enough, i truly believe that my version was MUCH more emotionally charged, as it should be, after all, a 6 year old girl was murdered. And ironically enough, many of the scenes that are in this film , were actually in my script. My point: this movie seems like a 14 year old wrote it.

Read the book, don't watch the movie.

This year, sad to reflect on this.

This film is convoluted and protracted, as a few other critics have mentioned. While a few good performances are presented (Ann-Margret, as Nedra, Patsy Ramsey's mother) and Marge Helgenberger as narcissistic and erratic Patsy Ramsey. Also Kris Kristoffersen is interesting, but portrays detective Lou Smit, who has sided with the Ramseys and offered no other possible explanations, and there were many.

So many people had keys to that house. A Christmas party in 1996 with over 50 people in their Colorado home.

I wanted to like this film as the case even today is intriguing and labyrinthine. But the film diverges onto sub-plots (some unnecessary, the audience knows tabloid reporters will sell their own grandmother for a headline). Ken Howard portrays the D.A., Alex Hunter and yet we do not see Harold Haddon, the defense attorney and the defense side here, and the machinations of the American legal system, the control over Bolder Police Department, and the possible obstructions to justice and obfuscations created by the defense.

By now we in the U.S. have seen many bungled and sad cases like this with "baffled" police and powerful District Attorneys, as well as corrupt defense attorneys. Sad that JonBenet herself may never see justice (the parents motives have been questionable), and new facts may not come to light.

A highly recommended book on this case is recommended: Steve Thomas wrote a few investigative theories, and also Jeffrey Scott Shapiro. Worth looking into for those interested in facts and true crime investigations. A curiosity piece as a movie, but in my opinion the audience today is more savvy and deserves some answers. 5/10.

This movie premiered through FOXTEL and my whole family had remembered this tragic event taking place. Now I have a very good memory an I must say with all honesty I cannot remember this!!!

All the actors did a great job especially Marg who delivers great scenes when Patsy is in shock etc. Outlining every little thing in this case in 4 hours was well done although i hope oneday someone will make a hollywood version of the parents doing it or an intruder.

Chilling murder ever since i watched this ive become rather drawn to this case, I cant understand how The police stuffed up so bad. I reccommend this to anyone that enjoys a good story.

At the beginning of this, with the obtrusive music and interminable opening, I groaned "oh no, this is gonna suck." Yet it quickly righted itself and established a good pace, the music backed off, and the director found a good way to reach a dramatic ending despite the case never being solved. Yes, we get an avalanche of characters at the beginning, and yes, that doll was absolutely ridiculous, and the constant "let us pray" scenes were a drag--but none of this seriously detracted from the movie (I'm calling it a movie because on the DVD it's a continuous 3hrs).

Does it answer the question "who killed JonBenet?" No. And more importantly, it doesn't try to do so. It presents the two main theories: parents did it vs. intruder did it, and shows us how and to some extent why each of the characters supports the theory that they do. The infighting between the Boulder Police and the DA's office is brought to life (best part of the movie), Danny Shapiro's role is clarified (very muddled in the book), and we're shown exactly how the case was screwed up almost from the very beginning, by detectives that were in over their heads. Thankfully, the director also edited this down to be a tight 3hrs as opposed to Schiller's sprawling, poorly written 800pgs.

High points:

The autopsy: as fake as the doll was, the girl on the table looked real and gave you an idea of just how badly JonBenet had been tortured before being killed. DA Alex Hunter: we get to watch him go from hip, experienced, Boulder DA to a frazzled, hard-drinking, Boulder politician whose career is going up in smoke because the police department can't bring him an actual case. Steve Thomas/Danny Shapiro: this whole bizarre game between the BPD and the Globe's reporter on the scence is fascinating. Who's playing whom here? The detectives make fun of Shapiro, while Shapiro plays all sides against the middle. Scene editing: the scenes go on just long enough to give you a sense of why they're there, but not so long as to make you twiddle your thumbs in irritation. Lou Smit in the Ramsey House: a great presentation of the key points of the intruder theory. Location: the film was shot on the actual Boulder locations for the most part, giving it a boost of realism.

LowLights: Music is annoying at the beginning: all that soppy piano stuff lends an unwanted covering of daytime soap to the early part of the film. Too many closeups: if Linda Arndt's (character, not actress) face came billowing into the screen one more time, I was going to hit FF. The director finally got out of that "dramatic closeup" mode by the last 2/3, but for a while, it was too much. "Let us pray" While I appreciate that the Ramseys may be deeply religious, 5min scenes in a church listening to a 2nd rate church choir can be yawn-inducing. There are a few too many long "let us rely on our faith" scenes.



All in all, very much worth seeing.



RstJ

This movie was very well done. I enjoy watching it. The little girl who plays JonBenet is a splitting image of the real JonBenet. Both the actors who played the parents look very much like the real thing. Even though in the pictures that the parents look through are obviously not JonBenet, if you didn't know better, you would think it was really her. And the dummy that was in the casket was very life-like. As you watch this, you start to get a hint on whodunnit. It was very well-acted. Does anyone know if the real house was used in the film?? It look so much like the real 755 15th Street. I love the line "I need an ambulance, I need back-up. I have a dead little girl." And the music played when the dad finds her is quite eerie making it even more shivery than it already is. It's a great movie, especially one when you are in the crime-solving mood.