Netflix has become a powerhouse when it comes to the release of their documentary films and series. FYRE, Cheer and Tiger King all successfully grabbed the attention of audiences, their cultural capital valued highly for week long spans. With the success of their own productions, some of the more formative and independent documentaries that had drawn people to the streaming site, including Blackfish and Supersize Me, had their access dropped.
The latest content dump saw a few new documentaries grace the documentary section, interrupting the consistency of the scarlet N. Three Identical Strangers was one of the new additions, with the award winning non-Netflix produced film bringing a heart-warming and heartbreaking story to wider audiences. The documentary launches quickly into an unbelievable and incredible story, explaining the chance reunion of three triplets (who all thought they were singularly adopted children) at the age of 19. The story starts out as an exciting fluff piece, but quickly divulges into a much more complex and dark tale. By involving people so closely tied to the events, including two of the brothers, the filmmakers are able to draw the audience in and generate boundless empathy for these siblings. They linger for long periods of time on the faces of interviewees, allowing viewers to soak in the raw emotional beats of the twisting narrative.
If you liked FYRE, or find yourself entirely attached to Buzzfeed Unsolved, you’ll really like this. It also allows you to imagine the possibility of meeting your clone, which makes for good distraction in the punishing return to long lectures.
9/10: One for the psych majors