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Menendez: Blood Brothers

  • TV Movie
  • 2017
  • TV-14
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
603
YOUR RATING
Courtney Love, Nico Tortorella, and Myko Olivier in Menendez: Blood Brothers (2017)
True CrimeBiographyCrimeDrama

This film explores the inner lives and motivation behind the murders of entertainment executive Jose Menendez and his wife Kitty at the hands of their sons Lyle and Erik in 1989.This film explores the inner lives and motivation behind the murders of entertainment executive Jose Menendez and his wife Kitty at the hands of their sons Lyle and Erik in 1989.This film explores the inner lives and motivation behind the murders of entertainment executive Jose Menendez and his wife Kitty at the hands of their sons Lyle and Erik in 1989.

  • Directors
    • Fenton Bailey
    • Randy Barbato
  • Writer
    • Abdi Nazemian
  • Stars
    • Nico Tortorella
    • Benito Martinez
    • Meredith Scott Lynn
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    603
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Fenton Bailey
      • Randy Barbato
    • Writer
      • Abdi Nazemian
    • Stars
      • Nico Tortorella
      • Benito Martinez
      • Meredith Scott Lynn
    • 15User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos11

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    Top cast31

    Edit
    Nico Tortorella
    Nico Tortorella
    • Lyle Menendez
    Benito Martinez
    Benito Martinez
    • Jose Menendez
    Meredith Scott Lynn
    Meredith Scott Lynn
    • Defense Attorney Leslie Abramson
    Courtney Love
    Courtney Love
    • Kitty Menendez
    Artine Tony Browne
    Artine Tony Browne
    • Det. Leslie Zoeller
    • (as Artine Brown)
    Laura Mitchell
    Laura Mitchell
    • Oziel's Mistress
    Aliyah O'Brien
    Aliyah O'Brien
    • Woman at Tennis Match
    Kai Bradbury
    Kai Bradbury
    • Glenn Stevens
    Myko Olivier
    Myko Olivier
    • Erik Menendez
    Alison Wandzura
    Alison Wandzura
    • Jill Lansing
    Blair Penner
    Blair Penner
    • Andy
    Tina Grimm
    Tina Grimm
    • Reporter
    Arianna McGregor
    Arianna McGregor
    • Female Juror
    Mar Andersons
    Mar Andersons
    • Detective Linehan
    Ash Lee
    Ash Lee
    • Deputy D.A. Lester Kuriyama
    Andy Rukes
    Andy Rukes
    • Businessman
    • (as Angelo Renai)
    Jennifer-Juniper Angeli
    • Deputy D.A. Pamela Bozanich
    Kate Gajdosik
    • Female Reporter
    • Directors
      • Fenton Bailey
      • Randy Barbato
    • Writer
      • Abdi Nazemian
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews15

    5.8603
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    Featured reviews

    7deem_bastille

    Did Tom Hanks 'arrest them'?

    I swear to god I heard Tom Hank's voice (only) read them their Miranda Rights.
    10Jennifer_Elia

    I could have watched 4 more hours! Superb!

    This is an excellent film w seamless writing, directing & acting work that allows for the viewer to become engrossed in the story and life of these boys in this situation. What is so compelling about this film is that it makes you question whether justice was served or denied. It introduces an element of doubt. If this trial were today, would the outcome have been different? This angle, perspective of the story, is original. Personally, I left feeling that these young men deserve another trial, which I know is not possible under our justice system. The film examines possible abuse that could have provoked such a situation, which, albeit, is horrific- but through the vision of writer Abdi Nazemian and Directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, we are offered the option of asking why. The acting, particularly Myko Olivier is very strong. He is the real deal and carries the film's heart. Nazemian pens nuanced, honest dialogue combined with heart, sincerity and emotion. Bailey and Barbato examine a case that we might have viewed one way and have now, successfully gotten us to consider another option. Not to mention the beautiful shots, symbolism and parallels BTW the brothers and their parents and the art of capturing LA so well. And then we are blessed with Courtney Love. You can feel her struggle and pain. Love is a great actress & we need to see more of her. Film is beyond entertaining!
    10jonathona

    Brilliant!

    Loved this film so much. The writing and directing were truly powerful. I was both entertained and educated, this film brought a depth of perspective about the murder that was truly enlightening. It's the best TV movie I've ever seen. And Courtney Love and Myko Olivier were exceptional actors. Bravo Lifetime!
    4Ed-Shullivan

    This TV version relied heavily on "Eric Menendez's dream sequences" but I saw this as a nightmare version

    Lifetime films can sometimes be good but this one was a real stinker. The entire film relied on the younger brothers' Eric Menendez dreams in the form of flashbacks to tell a one sided version of what may have caused Eric and his older brother Lyle Menendez to kill both of their parents with multiple rounds from two (2) shotguns.

    In this TV version of the murders of Kitty and Jose Menendez, the younger son Eric continually dreams that he is speaking with his dead mother while trying to figure out why his mother allowed his father to continually sexually abuse him, and he is torn between his guilt for aiding his brother Lyle in murdering their parents in cold blood, and his undying love for his dead parents.

    After watching this version of the film one can only come to the conclusion that Eric and Lyle Menendez murdered their parents to end years of sexual abuse by both of their parents. The court documents are factual and the brothers first trial ended in a mistrial. The second trial the judge restricted both the evidence and the witnesses that could be presented which was Eric's lawyers entire defense and as a result both brothers were sentenced to life sentences without a chance for parole.

    This certainly was an abbreviated version of the two trials and one would also think that the brothers were railroaded and that no one believed in their sexual abuse defense. Nothing could be further from the truth. The prosecutors proved beyond a shadow of any doubt that Eric and Lyle planned the murders (purchasing their shotguns weeks in advance using a friends stolen ID card without his prior knowledge) and tried to hide their sloppy crime of pure greed for their parents wealth.

    This version was far too much "dream sequence" and simply just ignored the magnitude of facts for fictional dream sequences that painted a distinct visual picture of sexual abuse which purportedly justified the murders. If you want to see a better version(s) of the film see either the 1994 version Menendez: A Killing In Beverly Hills, and/or the 2017 eight (8) part mini series titled: Law & Order True Crime.
    2kaleapratt

    VERY inaccurate and Terrible acting

    This movie is horribly inaccurate, has bad acting and feels very rushed. This has a lot of misinformation they would add things or not include important things they said. They also had horrible interpretation of the characters. They made the parents seem nicer than they were. They also made it seem like the mom was just being treated horribly and like she was so kind to them. They even made Lyle seem like a bad guy who initiated the murder and for no reason. Erik was also made out to be this amazing person who did nothing, I love and support the brothers but Erik did play his part in killing the parents and everything after that and they tend to just blame Lyle in this movie. I would not recommend wasting your time. If you want to learn about the case it's on YouTube.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Courtney Love and Nico Tortorella later guest-judged together on Tap That App (2018).
    • Goofs
      Jose and Kitty Menendez were murdered in 1989, but a close-up of the bookshelf when they were shot in this film reveals book titles and editions of titles that were published after their deaths.
    • Quotes

      Erik Menendez: [lying on a bench in the prison workout arena, lifting a weighted bar over his head; puts it down] I wanna tell Leslie.

      Lyle Menendez: [looking elsewhere] About what?

      Erik Menendez: Dad.

      [sits up]

      Erik Menendez: About what he did to us.

      Lyle Menendez: [walks past him] Are you nuts?

      Erik Menendez: We don't have a case. And they have those tapes.

      Lyle Menendez: [hushed] Do you know what they'll do to us in here if they find out our dad molested us?

      Erik Menendez: [stands] I'm tired of keeping secrets.

      Lyle Menendez: [goes on the bench to lift] I'll tell you what. You can tell her he beat you up, okay? Leave out the rest. The last time you told anyone else the truth, you put us in prison.

      [weights clang and two prisoners look at them]

      Erik Menendez: [leans over to Lyle] I'm not the one who confessed on tape. That was you.

      [Lyle unaffectedly begins lifting arduously as Erik walks away]

    • Connections
      Referenced in American Housewife: Family Secrets (2017)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 11, 2017 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Menendez: Kan Kardeşler
    • Filming locations
      • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Lifetime Television
      • Lighthouse Pictures
      • World of Wonder Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 27 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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