Vera Farmiga’s When They See Us Is Based on a Devastating True Crime Story
It proves life is a skilled yet cruel author.
We bet that when you think of Vera Farmiga, you think of The Conjuring franchise. It may come as a surprise, but the actress also starred in a much more terrifying title, yet not a horror one.
Back in 2019, Netflix released the crime drama miniseries When They See Us, and we guess you still haven’t seen it. It’s a hard watch, yet a vital one, especially if we recall that it’s based on real-life events.
The Shocking Story Behind When They See Us
The four-episode series starts with a female jogger being assaulted and raped in Central Park, New York. The police charges five black teenagers with this crime and sentences them to several years in prison.
However, the more time they spend imprisoned, the more details about the case emerge, and the guardians of the law start questioning whether their conviction was right or not.
Actually, the same chilling story really happened in 1989, when the so-called Central Park jogger case concerning the assault and rape of Trisha Meili started.
Back in that time, six black teenagers were accused of assaulting Meili, with charges against one of them being dropped after he confessed to another assault. Still, other boys, later known as the Central Park Five, were falsely accused of the crime.
The truth is that more than a decade after the attack, the imprisoned serial rapist pleaded guilty to the Meili assault, and only then the convictions against the Five were finally vacated.
Why Is When They See Us Worth Watching?
The show explores racial discrimination and inequality in the legal system and the media of those years (and not just those, unfortunately), and does it impeccably.
Extremely convincing performances of the leading cast add to the impression of the series and make us fully immerse into this horrifying story and the inner dramas of the falsely convicted.
“When They See Us is the hardest thing I’ve ever watched,” admits Redditor @CorRock314. Yes, it’s an emotional roller coaster of a miniseries, but it will certainly teach you profound humanism and justice.
You should check out this must-see title, as When They See Us is now available to stream on Netflix.