A Friend A Murderer review: The brand new true crime docuseries directed by Christian Dyekjær has made the viewers’ mind blow with an extensive storyline that pieces betrayal and trust together. The three episode docuseries focuses on a calm Danish town where a dark past reveals how humans can be fragile and intimidating.
A Friend A Murderer Netflix Cast
Anna, Jane, Amanda, Nichlas, Kiri, Lasse Reimer
A Friend A Murderer Director
Christian Dyekjær
The series has 3 episodes, each with a runtime of around 40 minutes.
A Friend A Murderer Review
The docuseries’ main motive isn’t to show the world about the criminal but about the effect he left on the victims’ families and his close friends. Given the series focuses on the three friends of the criminal, Amanda, Nichlas and Kiri, in each episode we see their horrifying experiences after they discovered that their close friend is the real serial killer. The director doesn’t show the experiences from the victims’ but from the perspectives of those who believed the criminal as a good chap.
With the slow pacing of the docuseries, the tension to know the truth builds really well. We are first introduced to the Danish region where the crimes took place. It’s a nice place, a serene looking one. However with the clips of interviews and photos, we see how even an angel like town can actually have a devil dwelling within it. The docuseries makes one realise that no book shall be judged by its cover.
With the series progressing, the storytelling also becomes tense. In the second episode, the storyline is dug deeper and we see the emotional wreckage of the three main people. Do we really know someone fully even if they’ve been our close friend all these years? This is the question that keeps popping in our heads when we learn the aftermath of the three friends who realised they were near the devil all along.
Amanda, Nichlas and Kiri explain their emotional drain and their reflections on how personally they felt miserable and had/have so much guilt for being with the man that kidnapped, assaulted and murdered people. With their raw and personal reactions, we see each interview have the same amount of energy. It’s terrible, miserable and haunting. How did they even miss the signs of a serial killer? Do we as viewers also know whether the person we think we know is exactly who we think they are?
Something I liked about this docuseries is we see more of a personal connection than investigation. We don’t learn about the crimes of the criminal but we see how it affects people around. This makes it more humane and relatable. Cathartic I’d say. Examining the three friends’ trauma had more ground than actually viewing what happened to the victims, how were they killed and so on. It’s so chilling to know that the person these three people where laughing and socialising with everyday had a whole different dark life locked up.
The visual storytelling has to be appreciated because the interviews had a great clarity and not with some dark filters or something grim. Great setup and simple shots of the town provided with what’s apt for the docuseries. Nothing fancy neither too boring. It was enough. Here and there the Danish landscapes are shown to press the fact that beast is within the beauty.
How about some cons? Yes, this series’ pacing might be really boring to some viewers and moreover it can be repetitive with the same questions being asked around. We know the criminal, we know the crime and trauma he caused. So learning again and again about how miserable the three felt can feel monotonous but it depends on what the viewer wants to know. The truth or the reality? If you want to have some investigation vibes and ultimate truths, this isn’t the docuseries for you. But if you want to hear real experiences and empathise, this is the one.
Regardless, the series did a good job in showing about a true crime and its effects. It isn’t a one time watch because one can definitely go back and re learn about the case. There isn’t any sensational design going on with the series for it is just three main people sharing their experiences and additional people adding their stories to it. It’s plain and pure.
Towards the end of the series, we see how trust has become such a painful word for the three people because they might never see anyone with the same eyes ever after knowing someone close with them did unimaginable things. However, it’s with the same issue we see how the three are growing out of it and trying to rebuild the factor of trust and heal themselves. This is humane. Now this is reflective and a takeaway from this series.
To Wrap Up
With over hundreds of true crime docuseries, A Friend A Murderer stays out with its intimate way of showing the world a crime, a criminal, the victims and the close friends of the criminal. The series isn’t about revealing the truth but is about making us viewers think whether we know about someone fully. The series is human, terrifying and healing at the same time.
A Friend A Murderer is streaming on Netflix.
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