Truth is often more harrowing than fiction, but it is a deeply elusive entity; even in this disturbing but riveting documentary, first-time filmmaker Andrew Jarecki ) takes a remarkable approach to his subject. Even Jarecki, who persuaded Arnold, who was accused of child molestation, to work with Jesse Friedman’s family, couldn’t determine if the pair were guilty, and his film raises as many questions as it answers.
In 1987, middle-class Long Island families were torn apart by child molestation allegations after police raids uncovered child pornography believed to belong to respected high school science teacher Papa Arnold. He and his 18-year-old son, Jesse, were later accused of molesting dozens of boys, and their troubles are detailed in this video compilation, which even includes home videos of Friedman’s other son, David.
We see strategic meetings between Arnold and his lawyers, conflicting statements from alleged victims, gestures by police investigators and legal teams, and even the heartbreaking family farewell recorded that night…
