The Jaundiced Eye (1999) User Reviews

Anticlimactic but real

[Schlockmeister · 27 October 2001]

Interesting documentary about a gay man and his father from Monroe, Michigan who are falsely accused of sexual abuse of his 6 year old son by the man's ex and her homophobic new husband. The movie interviews most people involved and portrays well the sense of isolation an accusation will cause, sort of a odd take on the Salem Witch trials. The men are represented by a pretty incompetent lawyer who doesn't really seem to give a darn what happens to these men, he seems uncomfortable even defending this gay man. This is a different viewpoint on the whole molestation issue. Normally on channels like Lifetime Network and their ilk, the accuser's viewpoint is taken with the accused being demonized. There are two sides to every issue of course and this presents that other side. An accusation of sexual impropriety, whether proved to be false later or not, changes the accused's life forever. This being a documentary, it is based on real life, and in real life, as we all know, there are rarely dramatic highs, important events happen that seem everyday but in retrospect are lifechanging. The ending of this film is that way as it builds up to a court decision that has no Perry Mason or LA law courtroom scene, but simply the two men driving down to the courthouse clerk's office to pick up a paper. Recommended highly. In a more enlightened time in the future ( I hope ), people will look back at films like this and shake their heads at how backward we were.

"Jaundiced Eye" never blinks

[Spod74 · 10/10 · 5 March 2003]

I have always felt that the production company of Amy Sommer (Academy Award nominee for Waco; The Rules of Engagement) would be better and more accurately represented if it was called Eternal Vigilance Productions. Because every time I see one of her works I am reminded that that is the price of all freedom, both personal and civil. She, once again, and director Nonny de la Pena, along with the rest of their crew, have raised the form of documentary film from Shark Week on the discovery channel, back to the unblinking eye that should always be searching out the truth, however unpleasant, so that justice and not popular opinion can be seen. `The Jaundiced Eye' is another sterling example of that tradition.

This amazingly shown story of two me, wrongfully imprisoned for child molestation, shows us not only the devastating effect of homophobia on our justice system but also the bias that we as a country still feel toward those of an alternative life style.

Stephen Mathews, a gay man from Michigan, and Melvin Mathews, his straight father, were both sentenced to 35 years in prison when Stephen's ex-wife and, then, live-in boyfriend convinced Stephen's son to claim that he had been molested and tortured by the two men. They were convicted with no physical evidence, represented by an attorney who really didn't seem all that interested in performing his duties and forgotten by the community.

This film follows their later appeal and subsequent reintroduction to a society that, despite their proven innocence, still seemed uninterested or incapable of accepting them back into it.

It is the stark reality of a world that is unforgiving and a system that is more concerned with dispensing punitive sentences rather that looking for the truth that made this film both difficult to watch and at the same time impossible to ignore. It has been a very long time since I was moved to tears by a film, but I suppose that because of its amazing true story and incredible narrative style this one was bound to do it.

Haunting in its twisted truth.

[solrift · 9/10 · 6 March 2003]

I have seen this movie several times. I still can't believe how life can get so twisted. It's a day to day struggle and sadly, the most extreme measures must be taken to avoid having one of those parent's worst nightmares. It's a shame how easy it to be accused in the USA.