"Lifetime... television for idiots." - Family Guy
Not quite. While my experiences with the Lifetime channel have been limited, what few products did cross my way were definitely low-grade dramas that failed to impress time and time again. Yes, Lifetime does cater unabashedly to a specific [read: female] audience but with The Capture Of The Green River Killer “original miniseries”, the network takes slow, limp but occasionally confident steps in the right direction. Unfortunately for director Norma Bailey and screenwriter John Pielmeier, whatever tension is injected occasionally into the framework is deflated by the gargantuan and wholly unnecessary running time. At 180 minutes, Green River Killer begs the question of “why?”
A serial killer haunts Seattle – and one man finds himself inextricably drawn into the case, unable to stop crusading for the killer’s identity while hunting for a faceless evil. He gets calls at home, fears for his family’s safety and occasionally lets the sheer emotional weight of the case settle down on his shoulders. If you haven’t seen David Fincher’s Zodiac, please don’t hesitate to order it online or on demand. I can’t say with certainty that Green River Killer cribs from Zodiac but certain similarities were a little discomforting – the selective light that seemingly masks the killer until it is opportune to reveal him, the ironic pop tunes that overtake the soundtrack at tense moments, clinical attention in close-up afforded to the remains discovered, and of course the slow unraveling of Sheriff Dave Reichert (Tom Cavanagh). Reichert is placed on the case and we spend most of the narrative traveling alongside this wearied soul, as body after body is unraveled.
Perhaps the best touch of Green River Killer comes early on, in a brief montage of Reichert setting up a very old-school computer at his work desk – remember, this is the early 1980s and the thought of a police force not having the modern investigative tools that are paramount paradigms driving shows like CSI is…well, unthinkable. But then its back to the grind and is as if Ms. Bailey and Mr. Pielmeier are consciously striving to instill in the film the same workmanlike conduct that Sheriff Reichert employs in his investigation.
The result is a muted and often curious film, with an intro that genuinely tests your patience by introducing Helen "Hel" Remus (Amy Davidson), a young woman whose difficult home life drives her into a dangerous direction. Ms. Davidson gives a fine performance but like the rest of the film, the drama plays out in a suppressed manner, neutering most if not all emotion to be mined from Helen’s demise.
If you’re curious how Helen and Reichert’s lives intersect, see the film – you’ll get more than enough information out of it, I’m sure. I will say that Hel’s narration acts as a Greek chorus of sorts, and inexplicably poses questions to a higher power throughout the film – in particular during the second half. The message is clear since we know the Sheriff is a religious man, but it’s a theme shoehorned into a story that desperately needs a pacing adjustment.
The Green River Killer was unfamiliar to me prior to the film, and it is a sad fact that so many lives were cut short in the hands of one despicable human being. There’s little doubt that the investigation was a grueling affair, considering that it lasted from 1982 to 1998 (according to Wikipedia). The film, on the other hand, aspires to illuminate facts but never stops to consider the tediousness of the way it’s going about it. It’s a history lesson and a tooth-less drama all in one and it’s a wonder that The Capture Of The Green River Killer works more than it doesn’t. Yes, despite all my criticisms, it is watchable, even engaging, assuming you get past the slog of the first half-hour or so and stick with it, forgiving the contrivances and seeing the bright spots. But then again, with so many quality films on the subject (may I suggest revisiting The Silence Of The Lambs again?), why would you bother?
DVD Bonus Features
A true life featurette on the real Reichert would have been a nice addition, but alas, we get nothing.
"The Capture Of The Green River Killer" is on sale March 29, 2011 and is not rated. Drama, Television, Thriller. Directed by Norma Bailey. Written by David Reichert (book), John Pielmeier (screenplay). Starring Amy Davidson, James Marsters, Tom Cavanagh.
