Capturing the Friedmans
93
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A seemingly normal suburban family is torn apart when the father and youngest son are accused of child molestation — and the family's own home videos capture the disintegration.
Why watch: Jarecki set out to film birthday clowns and stumbled into a family's disintegration. Oscar-nominated.
No streaming options available yet.
Cast
Arnold Friedman as Self (archive footage)
Elaine Friedman as Self
David Friedman as Self
Jesse Friedman as Self
Seth Friedman as Self (archive footage)
John McDermott as Self - Postal Inspector
Frances Galasso as Self - Ret. Director, Sex Crimes Unit
Anthony Sgueglia as Self - Detective, Sex Crimes Unit
Joseph Onorato as Self - Asst. District Attorney
Judd Martin as Self - Jesse's Best Friend in High School
Howard Friedman as Self - Arnold's Brother
Ron Georgalis as Self - Former Computer Student
Scott Banks as Self - Judge's Legal Secretary
Abbey Boklan as Self - Judge
Debbie Nathan as Self - Investigative Journalist
Crew
Andrew Jarecki — Director
Marc Smerling — Producer
Andrew Jarecki — Producer
Richard Hankin — Co-Producer
Adolfo Doring — Director of Photography
Richard Hankin — Editor
Community Reviews
Sep 23, 2026
Love this director. I think THE JINX may be my favorite docuseries of all time and THE ALABAMA SOLUTION is the most shocking exposé of the ongoing, mass human rights abuses in the United Sates that I have ever seen. CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS was the film that first gained Jarecki the spotlight many years ago, and it is decidedly lower stakes than his more recent work, but still very entertaining and provocative. One takeaway of watching this film for the first time just recently: capturing strange family dynamics in all their glory and at close range can make for truly riveting entertainment.