The Menendez Brothers – Review | Netflix

THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS Netflix documentary is out now. With its solid production and very sober approach to the subject, it’s an important extension of the Monsters series. Read our full The Menendez Brothers documentary review here!

THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS is a new Netflix documentary that tells the story of several first-hand accounts. This includes telephone interviews made over several years with both Lyle Menendez and Erik Menendez.

For me, this is a must-watch if you’ve already watched Ryan Murphy’s true-crime miniseries Monsters. It’s a very important addition (or extension, if you will), as we hear from both the brothers themselves and the prosecutor in that first trial. She does not come across well!

Continue reading our The Menendez Brothers documentary review below. Find it on Netflix from October 7, 2024.

In their own words…

While this new The Menendez Brothers documentary is billed with the tagline “Tells the True Story in Their Own Words”, there is more to this documentary approach. Fortunately!

We also hear from several other parties, who are able to give first-hand accounts. Both those who have known the brothers since they were children and those who only know them from the trial.

The person, who has known Lyle and Erik since they were children, is their cousin. She continues to confirm their story of a very abusive household. Just as she did during that first trial that ended with a hung jury.

Still, I found it very important to hear the story from the two brothers now. Having served more than three decades of their life sentence already, their story hasn’t changed.

The deputy district attorney

If there is one thing everyone seems to agree on, it’s that José Menendez was a monster. Even deputy district attorney Pamela Bozanich (Pamela Ferrero, at the time of the trial) plainly states this during her interview.

Of course, this is not an excuse to murder him, and therein lies the conundrum. I have to mention that the one person who doesn’t look good in this documentary is Pamela Bozanich. Through no one’s fault except her own, I might add.

She comes across as incredibly bitter that the trial she was a part of did not end in the conviction. Also, she wastes no time making threats to anyone who would even consider approaching her with a different opinion.

I’m sure she’s been having a rough time as well, but she’s still in a much better place than Lyle and Erik. She should be pleased with the result. However, not being the one who delivered this outcome, makes her feel cheated somehow.

It’s sad to watch her appear so bitter and stuck in the past.

Watch The Menendez Brothers documentary on Netflix

This new documentary comes from acclaimed Argentinian director Alejandro Hartmann (Carmel: Who Killed Maria Marta?, The Photographer: Murder in Pinamar) and it does a good job. Delivering both new insight and a fresh perspective.

Watching old clips of how much the brothers were ridiculed for showing emotions when talking about being abused is brutal. It’s disgusting to watch today, after what we have all (hopefully) learned in the decades since.

And, in a world where everything from “stand your ground” and “the gay panic defense” enabled people to get away with murder, it seems very unfair that they are still behind bars. Not that they were sent to prison for their actions, but that they are still there!

That’s also focused on in this Netflix documentary as younger generations are looking at the case differently. Whether this will help Erik and Lyle Menedez remains to be seen. They did kill their parents and should absolutely serve time, but is a life sentence justifiable?!

The Menendez Brothers is out on Netflix on October 7, 2024.