Review

The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (2012)

*** (out of 4)

Good, if at times uneven, documentary taking a look at three people who were close to Jeffrey Dahmer at the time he was arrested for what turned out to be one of the most shocking crimes in American history. This documentary features interviews with the neighbor Pamela Bass, the medical examiner Jeffrey Jentzen and most interesting is Pat Kennedy, the detective who talked with Dahmer after his arrest and got the confession. The film also has actor Andrew Swant playing Dahmer during a few scenes as we see him on a day-to-day basis as he carries out certain acts of his crimes. THE JEFFREY DAHMER FILES isn't your typical documentary and perhaps that's a good thing. I will admit that at first it was a little strange seeing how the film went back and forth between the documentary aspect and the docu-drama but once you got comfortable with it the film flowed much better. At just 76-minutes the thing never wears out its welcome and in fact I think that a longer running time probably would have helped matters as there are all sorts of questions that aren't answered. I think the highlights of the film involve the detective as he gives a first-hand account of how Dahmer was acting after being arrested and what it finally took for him to realize that his days were over as a free man and that he might as well start talking. I thought the relationship the two men formed was quite interesting and these stories are certainly the best in the film. The neighbor aspect wasn't nearly as interesting but she does answer a few good questions like what it was like having someone like this murdering people just feet away from her.