The true crime documentary series from Netflix are usually pretty good, but this one is a bit dull and drags after the first episode. One problem is that there's no mystery about the case, no 'whodunit' factor. Bernard Wesphael killed his wife, that's revealed convincingly in the first episode. The forensic evidence overwhelmingly opposes his version of her death. Even if it was an accident, he was involved. Quite a lot of the interview time went to him. He repeats himself a lot, and seems to be practiced and extremely comfortable lying. Politician, after all.
13 Reviews
Politician kills wife
kenaustin-7196423 March 2021
The Accused man is a politician, which is a job for trained and experienced people who spin the truth to suit their cause.
The evidence that he had a hand in the death of his tragic wife seems to prove this in my eyes.
He was jealous, proud of his standing in the eyes of the public, and I believe his ultimate frustration with her decision to have chosen another man drove him to act in a state of rage.
Probably a case of manslaughter.
Decent true crime doc
Calicodreamin17 March 2021
A decent true crime doc about the death of Veronique under strange circumstances in the hotel she was sharing with her husband. The documentary had good flow, relevant interviews, and a good amount of archival footage. The pace was slow throughout and some topics were touched on more than once.
Watchable
naomithornton-047384 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I love true crime documentaries. This one once again shows with enough financial impetus you can pay for your freedom from justice. The lead lawyer he hires is top notch and is the reason he's not locked up - where he belongs for killing his wife in rage. In the time he claims to be asleep, he is preparing the scene and getting his story straight. The facts of 38 contusions on her body, suffocated signs - pathologist, make up trail from bed to dragged to bathroom, empty pill packets yet none in her stomach, plastic 'suicide' suffocation bag - no deceased breath, previous reports of intense aggression from defendant with ex partner - anger control issues, motive - voice call from other lover to hotel room. It's a shame the top lawyers are never the state prosecution - he'd be locked up for 30yrs.
Intellingent man and unstable wife.. not a very good cocktail.
Guanche4816 September 2021
I like the documentary a lot, okay maybe a little too long and repetitive, but stil very entertaining. Didn't bother me.
When they started to talk about his wife, the politician wife, I started to understand her personality a little bit more, a veeery unstable woman with a lot of father isssues. I didn't like her sister at all, ... see for yourself.
Too often they use the power of politicians to blame them inmmediatley, it doens't have to be like that all the times.
For me the reasonable doubt is really there, with the facts they reported in this documentary.
A must see for fans of crime documentary.
When they started to talk about his wife, the politician wife, I started to understand her personality a little bit more, a veeery unstable woman with a lot of father isssues. I didn't like her sister at all, ... see for yourself.
Too often they use the power of politicians to blame them inmmediatley, it doens't have to be like that all the times.
For me the reasonable doubt is really there, with the facts they reported in this documentary.
A must see for fans of crime documentary.
7
Edvis-199726 March 2021
A tricky treat
lucifer_over_tinseltown22 March 2021
Pay close attention to Wesphael's hand signs and gestures during his self-indulgent, long-winded interview. He smoothly transitions from the triple 6 OK sign to another Luciferian sign, namely the baphomet. Shortly after that, he flashes the Masonic distress sign twice for emphasis. All the while babbling incessantly...he is a politician after all. I fully expected his head to roll off of his shoulders. That would have surely broken the monotony and tediousness of his monologue(s). I bring the hand signs up because Veronique died on Halloween -- a major occult holiday. I reckon she was a sacrifice. Wesphael claims to be atheist, but that's a common cover. Many of these high powered politicians have made dark pacts. Look no further than Bohemian Grove. Liars tend to say too much and this cad never shuts up. He also has a habit of saying things twice. The age old adage, "born in vice, say it twice," comes to mind. I'd rate this three 6s if IMDB would let me. It is engaging in an eerie kind of way in those rare moments when Wesphael isn't yapping about how handsome he is (cool sinister eyebrows for sure! He kind of looks like American Bandstand's Dick Clark's evil twin!). Impossible humor abounds and illustrates how the truth is often stranger than fiction when we learn that Wesphael was being cuckolded by a gent with the actual surname De Cock!? The real treat here is Wesphael's stunning daughter Saphia, who is a stone fox. Sadly she sees scant camera time, as her father hogs up most of the close-ups. The security cam footage is quite chilling and probably the best part. Seeing Veronique all beautiful and bubbling over with life mere hours before her untimely death. Tragic stuff. I don't remember if it was Nietzsche or Camus who said this, and I paraphrase, speaking much about one's self can be a way of concealing one's self.
Unlikable subjects and too long and drawn out
mjanssens2624 March 2021
Netflix needs to stop with these excessively lengthy docuseries. First Elisa Lam, and now this mess. The creators of this show should have made it an hour to an hour and a half in length, tops. It's hard to have sympathy for any of the subjects involved. The murder victim, I reluctantly say, was deeply troubled and exhaustingly over-dramatic and made terrible life decisions including cheating on multiple partners. The accused husband seems worse. He's clearly a delusional narcissist who portrays himself as a victim and the way he speaks of his deceased wife is troubling. The most annoying, is the dozens of unnecessary and time-consuming interviews of arm chair wannabe psychiatrists who provide patronizing theories on what happened when the show's producers should have just stuck to the facts. I was in disbelief when I saw that producers could have easily stopped the show at four episodes (after already well-overstaying its welcome) but no, they had to drag it out for yet another pointless and tedious episode. I'm also not sure if Netflix had an agenda and edited these people to seem so terrible for dramatic effect, but everyone from the victim to the husband to the lover seem completely unlikable. It's hard to be invested in people who are portrayed like this and hopefully Netflix cuts these stories down in time as a crime series is never supposed to be boring. Unfortunately, this series should have ended by episode three.
Fascinating
nikoberghmans20 March 2021
A BIOGRAPHY OF A MURDERER
syzygaki22 April 2021
Fantastic insight into a real murder case
lucienm-6032121 March 2021
What's great about this series is the real people telling their viewpoints:
From the lawyers, forensic experts, witnesses, friends and relatives and journalists.
Really captivating to watch how people evolved over time. Number of episodes was just the right length.
Really captivating to watch how people evolved over time. Number of episodes was just the right length.
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