Shadows on the Wall | Arthouse Films

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On this page: MY MOM JAYNE | THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR

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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL | Last update 7.Jan.26

My Mom Jayne
Review by Rich Cline | 4/5

dir Mariska Hargitay
prd Mariska Hargitay, Trish Adlesic
with Jayne Mansfield, Mariska Hargitay, Zoltan Hargitay, Mickey Hargitay Jr, Jayne Marie Mansfield, Ellen Hargitay, Raymond Strait, Tony Cimber, Nelson Sardelli, Giovanna Sardelli, Pietra Sardelli, Peter Hermann
release US 27.Jun.25,
UK 12.Jul.25
25/US HBO 1h45

CANNES FILM FEST

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After her own robust acting career, Mariska Hargitay turns documentarian for this deeply personal exploration of her connection with her screen-icon mother Jayne Mansfield, who died in an accident when she was only 3 years old. Opening up to her own cameras, Mariska reveals complex feelings and a desire to more fully understand her mythical mom. This makes the film strongly involving, with several moving moments along the way.

After a life distancing herself from Jayne's sexpot image, Mariska now wants to understand her better. So she digs into Jayne's story: a gifted actor who a Hollywood studio turned into a dumb blonde to compete with Marilyn Monroe. But Jayne was both a linguist and an accomplished musician, and she hated that she wasn't given serious roles. Her romance with Mickey Hargitay provided a big family, but took a messy turn later on. And Mariska is finally ready to reveal the family's big secret: her biological father is actually Italian performer Nelson Sardelli.

It's beautiful to watch how Mariska reaches out to her siblings (both the Hargitays and the Sardellis) to tell this story in open-handed interviews, thanking them for living with this secret for her sake. These scenes are beautifully shot and edited together with an amazing range of archival footage, from film clips and newsreels to an extensive library of home movies and snapshots that were discovered when Mariska finally opened the storage unit that was locked shortly after Jayne's death in 1967.

All of this creates a lovely picture of the Jayne Mansfield that Mariska always wanted to know, making sense of the divorces and marriages, alcohol and pill abuse, and most of all why her family dynamic always felt a bit odd (she was 25 when she learned about Nelson). Most moving is how she begins to discover herself through her mother's life. Because making this film is so cathartic for her, it feels unusually personal for us as well. And most of us can identify with the idea of keeping a secret in an attempt to honour the dead. But hiding the truth doesn't honour anyone.

themes, language 11.Dec.25

The Perfect Neighbor
Review by Rich Cline | 4/5

dir Geeta Gandbhir
prd Sam Bisbee, Geeta Gandbhir, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne
with Susan Lorincz, Ajike Owens, Pamela Dias, Billy Woods, Ryan Stith, Israel Owens, Isaac Owens, Afrika Owens, Phyllis Wills, Lauren Smith, Bill Gladsen, Al Sharpton
release US 10.Oct.25,
UK 17.Oct.25
25/US 1h36

SUNDANCE FILM FEST

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Using two years of police camera footage and phone recordings, this documentary forensically assembles a series of shocking events in a quiet neighbourhood. And it's staggeringly involving, as director Geeta Gandbhir takes a bold narrative approach, never flinching from the harsh realities while adding crisp scene-setting camerawork to ground the rough-and-ready archival material. This helps balance the official point of view with earthy realism, focussing on the human angle.

In a rural Florida community, police officers respond to reports of an abusive neighbour. But then Susan calls them almost every day, complaining about kids playing too close to her home. Speaking to their parents, the cops learn that Susan is constantly baiting and attacking the children, specifically targeting Black families. She moans about being "just a poor, single lady, the perfect neighbour". But the people living nearby call her a "psycho Karen", especially when she waves a gun at the kids. And things take a tragic turn when Ajike stands up for her children.

The key element here is Florida's "stand your ground" law, which allows a person to use deadly force if they fear for their safety. Susan says that she panicked when Ajike knocked on her door, and now Sheriff Woods and Detective Stith must work out whether she set all of this up, intentionally or not. Watching this situation evolve through real found footage is fascinating, because it strips away dramatic exaggeration. But the drama is still very intense, sometimes overwhelmingly so.

This is a fascinating film that digs into a complex, messy case with honesty. It's also deeply chilling to watch it unfold in such an unwashed format, slowly filling in the tale with a range of telling details that resonate strongly. Most intriguing is the way Susan claims "fear" as her defence, echoing the way people find ways to excuse their most disturbing behaviour. And the community response is even more powerful, demanding justice against the odds.

themes, language 19.Dec.25

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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL