Murder on Middle Beach (2020) User Reviews

Dark opening episode promises tough territory ahead

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 16 November 2020]

"Murder on Middle Beach" (2020 release; 4 episodes of about 55 min. each) is a TV documentary mini-series regarding the murder of Barbara Hamburg. As Episode 1 "Mom's Dead" opens, it is "March 3, 2010", and the local TV reporter informs the viewers that a body was found on Middle Beach Rd., in Madison, CT. The body is of a 48 yr. old woman, Barbara Hamburg. We briefly hear of Barbara's mother, sister, and her son Madison (who wrote, produced and directed this mini-series). We then go to "2013 Three Years After the Murder" and Madison is talking to his dad (Barbara's ex-husband), who confesses that "She had a life I had no idea she had"... At this point we are 10 min. into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: Madison Hamburg makes his feature length debut with this very personal look back to his mom's life and times, and yes, murder. While Episode 1 contains the usual "happy" memories of the couple's early years including the birth of their 2 children, it becomes also clear that several things just feel off (check the ex-husband's 2013 comment I mentioned, for starters). The opening episode is not only surprisingly plot-heavy almost from the get-go, but it also feels very dark, as if a lot more bad stuff is going to be revealed to us the viewers. Of course I'm not going to spoil anything, just watch! This feels like a labor of love from the son, who has spent years (literally) on this project. I must say that this opening episode drew me in almost immediately, and I can't wait to see how it's all going to play out in the remaining three episodes. Must-see true crime TV!

"Murder on Middle Beach" premiered this weekend on HBO and Episode 1 is now available on HBO On Demand and other streaming services. New episodes air Sunday evenings at 10 pm Eastern. If you are a fan of true crime or simply love a documentary well made, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

From amateur to HBO

[turtlebay-94983 · 8/10 · 17 December 2020]

You must appreciate this young man's efforts to document his moms murder and yes, it's an academic documentary at first. Keep watching! Once HBO gets hold of this, the production moves to another level of intrigue and mystery. Sure hope the murder gets solved.

The courage and utter perseverance for Madison to pursue his mother's murder is beyond heroic. My only light at the end of this dark tunnel is that Madison Hamburg is going to make it. Well done

Don't listen to the haters

[catherinepageellwood · 8/10 · 26 November 2020]

I felt compelled to step in after reading some of these other reviews, which just seem needlessly harsh because they can't look past this kid's background and evaluate the storytelling.

To be fair, I agree with what some have said about the first episode being a bit slow. It hits many story beats that are now well worn territory in the true crime genre.

It definitely picked up a lot in the second episode for me though and I'm hoping the momentum continues. Other than the murder mystery (which I get the sense is unlikely to be solved by the end but who knows), what is mainly keeping me interested is the family dynamics that were kept secret from the filmmaker for most of his life, that he is now slowly uncovering. It definitely provoked a feeling I would bet that most people can relate to - how you can come to see your family in a different light once you have some distance from the innocence of your youth, for better or for worse.

At the end of episode 2, I went to play the next episode and was disappointed to find out that it hadn't been released yet. Overall, I'm excited to watch more and see where this is all going!

STOP MAKING REVIEWS AFTER ONLY WATCHING 15 MINUTES

[chrnic · 9/10 · 28 November 2020]

I had to step in here because people make garbage reviews based off watching only a few minutes. Episode 1 does start slow but there's a reason for that and if you watch the 2nd episode you understand why. We don't choose our parents y'all. It's kinda unfair to say "I can't watch this because he grew up privileged". It's actually a refreshing twist on most true crime doc's with the son of the murder victim being the one asking all the questions, and half the time, it's the first time anyone has asked them these questions (Police really seemed to have dropped the ball on this investigation) while also learning things about his mother and his family that he never knew growing up. The pilot was enough for me to want to know a little more and EP.2 has really gripped me in and gave me more than I expected after the pilot. Don't be turned off by weird reviews. In the pilot you kinda think you already know who committed the murder but that quickly changes. I'm very interested to see how the rest of this doc plays out.

(I hate leaving reviews for an entire series before the series is finished but I had to with some of the things I was reading. I will come back after the series is over to leave a proper review. So far 8/10 but I'll leave a 9 to balance out some of weird reviews)

Been there

[mbrevels11 · 10/10 · 24 November 2020]

My mother was the victim of a homicide. I think this is one of the most authentic and unique looks at the aftermath of murder that I've ever witnessed. Bravo.

Brilliant and compelling documentary

[jpgr1 · 13 December 2020]

I'm sitting here at a loss trying to put into words how much this documentary series has impacted me. I don't know that I can adequately describe it. I have never seen anything like this series. I had to write a review to let others know to watch this masterful piece of work. There is such an emotional payoff but it will wreck you at the same time. At this point, I will watch anything that Madison Hamburg makes in the future. He is so gifted and talented and I'm astounded at how intimately he conveyed his pain and loss and brought the viewers into his family. The level of vulnerability and courage that took just astounded me. I can't wait to see what he does next.

Concentrate on your own Review

[FilmMcCool · 7/10 · 7 December 2020]

This is not really a review of Murder on Middle Beach only to say it is worth a watch. I am more concerned with the breed of reviewer that has emerged on IMDB and feels the need to tell people to ignore others opinions and he or she has the correct review, ala catherinepageellwood but certainly not only that member. The idea of a review is to get that persons take on the movie/series. If one does not agree with the reviewer then write your own review and let others decide for themselves. Trashing other people's reviews is just plain ignorant and a bit egotistical to say the least plus they can be a bit suspect.. I know there are sometimes when a review beggars belief and one thinks that maybe the reviewer was involved in the project but for the most part I think the vast majority of reviewers are honest people giving their honest opinion, that it differs from your experience makes it no less valid than the opinion of others. Have some Respect.

Watching a student filmmaker grow into a master

[Michael Fargo · 9/10 · 3 December 2020]

The opening episode is, perhaps deliberately, misleading. We have a young filmmaker (whose talent becomes evident as the film stretches over several years) making a movie--perhaps a class assignment--about his family. A family where his mother was brutally murdered when he was 18 years old. It's understandable that a young filmmaker would focus on what is most important to him. It is unusual that it turns out that his mother's unsolved murder would be his choice. Few families have such material at hand. And slowly, and cunningly, as details of what appears to be a family living the American dream of privilege despite a divorce, there's a dark center that's revealed more and more with each episode. The construction of the film is masterful. It would be interesting to know why the filming stops from time to time. Is it too painful? Are the revelations that are uncovered (for the audience) too threatening? But we're lucky Madison Hamburg returns to his camera and the story. He's made a sensational documentary about some very "layered" individuals who just happen to be his relatives.

It's not important that the audience shifts (often quickly) about who might be murderer. The crime scene indicates "passion" and "shame" over the killing. But when a close family member reveals she's sought out a "hitman" as well as other sensational facts that shift suspicion--convincingly and dramatically--propelling the film to its next even more sensational episode.

HIs mother is not simply a "lady who lunches." Although she does but with a very sinister twist. Yet all those interviewed seem to be making an effort to be sincere due to their love for the victim and the filmmaker. The veneer everyone presents is very convincing. Then that's exploded by the next interview. The police (surreptitiously taped) become frustrating in the casual pursuit of the solving the crime. It all puts the viewer in a state of conflict since we're used to looking for the one "bad guy" who committed the crime. We're given a very clear picture of some very flawed people who are trying their best to move on.

Unfinish buisness

[moshevieux · 6/10 · 7 December 2020]

Touching story, well made doc, but no closing even for the familly. I hope they find the answer they are looking for.

Loved... here's hoping for an update!!!

[iluvmygrandma · 9/10 · 17 December 2020]

I loved this documentary. So engaging and twist-turning. I am hoping for a follow-up at some point in the future!

Painful journey - wonderfully executed

[brookethomson-53236 · 6/10 · 10 December 2020]

The creator/writer/son of the murder victim does great job of telling his story from an objective view - even when uncovering some unsavory elements of his family. You can definitely see how he has grown as an artist since he began this journey, and what a cathartic (and painful) journey it must have been. However the ending is disappointing as you are no closer to the "whodunit" than you were in the first episode. I understand that no closure for viewers is insignificant compared to what no closure means for the family, however it seems like answers are close based on some final notes, and the release should have been delayed - unless it is a marketing angle for a second season. I hope the answers are found soon so the family can find some peace.

Cant get enough

[rmeadowsrm · 10/10 · 17 November 2020]

I love this documentary so far. I'm hoping for a "the jinx" like ending, but so far it is amazing and I wish I could watch it all right now.

American Tangle

[owen-watts · 7/10 · 10 December 2020]

An intriguing and intensely personal documentary series chronicling a documentary film-maker's obsessive struggle with chasing the truth of his mother's brutal murder in a quiet and relatively affluent town in America. What hooked me in is the same thing that alienated me about the project ultimately - and that is - WHO IS MADISON HAMBURG?

We're dunked in cold, there's no real context for the investigation and it leaves the viewer having to piece together not just the narrative of the murder or the fragments of the backstory but the intent and nature of the project. Sometimes it even drifts from one "phase" of filming to another and then back again without making it clear that time has passed. In its well-worn twisting investigative narratives and occasional awkward lurches into heavy-handed melodrama it reminded me far too much of the gloriously underrated mockumentary series "American Vandal" but it really failed to hold a mirror up to the author which even the satirical Vandal knew was a vital part of the format.

The more we looked at his sister, his aunts, his grandmother even his evasive and distant father - the less we seemed to see of Madison - or his team. They seemed to be in this production office, and once, a girlfriend drifts in at night to sit with him - but his desperate desire and expectation of honesty from his father, from the local police, doesn't extend to him at all. There are throwaway references to him having been a serious drug user, that he was living away from his mum at the time of her murder, and very occasionally he might look at the camera and say things like "wait, is what I'm doing really just all for this doc? Do I even care about these people at all?" and the unseen producers brush it off. No, you're just a selfless son who loved his mother. This is for her, it's not about you. It is about him though - almost as much if not more about him than it is about her and it's a very strange thing to deny it.

Truthfully I think it does cross some lines - and with a lack of insight into the behind-the-scenes (or the funding) makes it seem more of a cynical project than perhaps it means to be. A solid start for a first-time filmmaker but as a narrative it needs structure more than it does closure.

Not a complete waste of time but pretty close

[randymcbeast · 2/10 · 16 January 2022]

Spoiler alert. They don't even come close to solving this murder so get that completely out of your head. This is about a guy doing a documentary about his mother's murder by interviewing family and friends about it. I feel for the guy but that it doesn't deliver what you would normally expect out of a true crime documentary. There is nothing wrong with that but maybe they should warn us about this or label it differently?

I was waiting and waiting in that final episode for some kind of smoking gun but got more of the same ridiculous speculation and hearsay. There is a science to murder investigation that people enjoy insight into and certainly some kind of conclusion to those efforts. I understand 'Unsolved Mysteries' but typically you go through a rigorous process and see why it is still unsolved. Here, you are just dragged through hours of family videos/interviews and some amateur hack sleuth work. The whole thing seemed put together with duct tape with a bunch of fake Aha! Moments that kept fizzling out.

In the end, you are sitting there with nothing to show for the 4 episodes of enduring through this. The thing is, if they had waited until there was a real break in the case or even an arrest, this could have been something special and unique. Instead, it seems that they needed to get paid for years of footage so put this out. HBO should have said to come back when it is finished. If there is a season two I will first read about it to see if there is an actual resolution, otherwise no way I will put myself through this again.

One of the best documentaries I've seen

[roesch25 · 10/10 · 1 December 2020]

Very well done with so many different points of views, which is so important with a case like this. I pray they find the killer and I pray to god it isn't who I think it is.

So good, so addicting!

[deenotary · 10/10 · 7 December 2020]

I can't not understand the bad reviews on this. When it starts, I was just wondering who would want to kill a mom in such a way. Cut to...there was a lot going on. Another example of a seemingly idyllic family that is not what it appears. The family relationships were so interesting to observe. Get to episode 2 before you make a ruling on it. Great series! I hope there is more to come!

Falls Short Of Asking The Right Questions

[noonieblount · 7/10 · 28 December 2020]

Although I found the documentary intriguing, I really think that Madison could have worked WITH the police more on the investigation. Or maybe he is and it's not mentioned in the documentary. Did the police check the timelines for both Madison's sister and aunt that discovered the body? Any polygraphs conducted (yes I know they can't be used in court)? Was his mom's money missing from the safe? Did the police investigate the report of the guy wearing the ski mask?

exceptionally well made

[phillip-ayscue-135-643247 · 8/10 · 7 December 2020]

Madison Hamburg and his crew did an incredible job documenting his extensive investigation on the MOST difficult of subjects. Well worth the five hour watch

Not classic true crime

[Orca2469 · 7/10 · 4 January 2021]

Depends on what you're looking for. As a true crime lover, I tend to want answers of substantial investigation. This doc doesn't provide either. However, I still found it an interesting watch. It left me with more questions than answers, but the exploration of self by the creator was intriguing and emotional.

A masterpiece

[drahmedabdelfattah · 10/10 · 22 December 2020]

This is how true crime documentaries should be, the best one in 2020.

Heartbreaking

[frogcilfruit · 7/10 · 21 February 2022]

I am appalled at how many inhumane reviewers there are, at their lack of empathy for this young man who has had his life completely turned around by this tragedy. His whole family was ripped appart and he is looking for meaning where people are not in a state to give it.

Some said that it lacks truthfulness from him, but I think the most beautiful thing about this documentary is exposing how lost he is.

Of course, we would have loved a resolution, but this is not Hollywood, this is real life, and all these people will have to go on with their lifes with this heartbreaking lack of closure. I hope for their sake the final elements will give them some measure of it.

In the end, it is a very good first documentary about a very personal subject matter, and I think he gave an honest depiction of the desperate search for meaning he led.

very good...

[ops-52535 · 9/10 · 2 December 2020]

Documentary about a murder, about a very hardtried family, and a son that has one great goal in life, to find his mums killer, and making a documentary about it.

this is made by very young people in the documentary film business, and what really impress is the sturdiness to push that gas pedal for over a decade. they must also have dove deep into the material, almost like an investigation itself, and how theyve collaged together history and old american public information films by using its audio when explaining the typical american family half a century ago is just a sign of over the top oversight to the whole case. ' the only thing i can find as a flaw is that its maybe too detailed and hangs at that glitcha bit too long.

having seen 3 eps its one to go, look forward to that, but overall it a suspenseful and revealing documentary thinks the grumpy old man

Disappointing Ending

[jsheluk · 6/10 · 14 December 2020]

I was riveted by this documentary for the first episodes, but the last one, Reasonable Doubts, was just a rehash of the episodes before, dragged out to an anticlimactic ending.

Good leadup to nothing. Again.

[Opinate · 4/10 · 8 December 2020]

I watched all four eps hoping against hope there would be some answer, some conclusion to this mystery, but there is none, so I was left feeling as if my time was once again wasted by a true crime mini series. The filmmaker is a bright, nice guy with a strange and somewhat alarming family, he manages to create mystery throughout the series but in the end there is no answer so the viewer is left feeling cheated.

Amazing documentary!

[drumin-83238 · 10/10 · 3 December 2020]

Don't read into the poor ratings that some other folks gave. This man does more investigating than the actual cops do. Can't wait for Sunday!