The story of The Grim Sleeper is one that I’m not familiar with at all and apparently I’m not the only one.  The serial killer story isn’t even all that familiar throughout the Los Angeles area where the crimes are reported to have taken place and that is one of the things explored in the new documentary from filmmaker Nick Broomfield.  For those like me not familiar with the story The Grim Sleeper is the moniker given to a suspected serial killer whose crimes span from 1985 to 2007.  In 2010 a man named Lonnie David Franklin Jr. was arrested and charged with 10 counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and other crimes.  It’s thought the The Grim Sleeper could be responsible for upwards of 100 murders over the time and yet not much was ever reported or released from the police and even those within Franklin’s community were shocked and surprised when he was arrested for these crimes.  One view held is that because all of his victims, save one, were black prostitutes that the LAPD never took interest in the crimes or put forth great effort in solving the crimes.  The documentary investigates this and many other aspects of the crime and the arrest and who Lonnie David Franklin Jr. is.

I’ve seen a few documentaries by Nick Broomfield but none were all that memorable and in the end I’m not sure that this one will stand the test of time either because even though the subject is fascinating, the way that Broomfield puts it together really isn’t.  The filming is subpar and Broomfield’s narration is basic and boring.  The film shines with great investigation and by immersing itself int he streets and alleys where these crimes took place and in the characters that Broomfield finds to aid him.  Three of Franklin’s friends first take offense to Broomfield’s presence in their neighborhood but soon start to slowly reveal things about their friend and about themselves.  The real star of the film is an ex-prostitute named Pam who agrees to help Broomfield locate some information and maybe even some former victims of The Grim Sleeper and before they know it is essentially running their production.  Pam is abrasive, honest and does not mince words.  She relates her times on her streets and gives the crew access to people and places they never could’ve gone without her help including an interview with Franklin’s son, Chris.  Throughout the film Chris is mentioned, talked about and even seen from a distance but it’s understood that he is dangerous and does not appreciate the crew or anyone for that matter eluding to his father’s guilt.  The interview is so strange and I was never sure whether Chris was ashamed or almost proud of his father’s alleged crimes.

Lonnie David Franklin Jr. is still in jail and has been for 4 years since his arrest.  Little of the documentary is spent on the courtroom and obviously without a trial there is no concrete resolution to the story,  but Broomfield lays out the information that he has on both sides and allows the viewer to draw their own conclusion, not just about Franklin’s innocence or guilt but also about the LAPD’s lack of action.  As one person asks, “What if this happened in Beverly Hills?” It’s a question to ponder and one that anyone who watches this film can ever get away from.

Recommend? Though the Doc is not all that well made the subject needs attention.