REVIEW: Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story
Written by Rubie McKeever-Smith on 15th October 2024
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story was recently released on Netflix, retelling the infamous case of two brothers who killed their parents 35 years ago. Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the series has sparked significant backlash and controversy.
The series opens with Erik Menendez (Cooper Koch) and Lyle Menendez (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) killing their parents, Kitty Menendez (Chloë Sevigny) and Jose Menendez (Javier Bardem). Armed, the brothers are shown storming into the living room, where their parents are watching TV. The real-life case unfolds over nine episodes, following the brothers’ arrest, their multiple trials, and eventual sentencing.
The Menendez Brothers Documentary Netflix Billboard on Sunset Blvd on November 2, 2024 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Photo by Barry King/Alamy Stock Photo
The story itself is, in its entirety, gut-wrenching.
The show is dramatised. It’s made for entertainment. However, this is two men’s lives, which is where the controversy becomes clear.
Ryan Murphy has crafted this series with different theories in mind. Although the series focuses on the brothers’ story, we also get input from prosecutors, defence lawyers, jurors, journalists, Erik’s therapist, family and friends of the brothers, and even the therapist’s mistress. This is supposed to give a more well-rounded opinion on the case. Supposed to…
Without any other information on the murder trial, the actors playing Erik and Lyle, especially, give a very emotional, heart-wrenching performance. One episode in particular stands out called The Hurt Man. This is solely Erik replaying to his lawyer everything his dad had ever done to him. He would’ve only been around 19-years-old. Just a young man retelling his life as if it was to you directly, and it was so powerful. Cooper Koch actually spoke to Erik Menendez the day before the show premiered, and met the brothers multiple times in prison.
The series is captivating, raw and compelling. It leaves you speechless. Ryan Murphy has crafted a highly engaging and fixating show that keeps you constantly wondering what will happen next.
However, the different perspectives in the show can be confusing, blurring the line between interpretation and fact. This creates a completely different narrative. For viewers unfamiliar with the case, the show presents events in a way that seems truthful but may not be entirely accurate. This can shift the portrayal of the brothers, casting them in an entirely different light.
For pure entertainment, the show delivers and then some. However, for those seeking factual information or a genuine exploration of the case, it takes liberties that may lead to misconceptions.
