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The Central Park Five

2012 · Movie · NR · 119 min

7.4(121)unSUB Rating

Documentary

In late-1980s New York, five teenagers are swept into a high-profile Central Park case and quickly become the focus of intense police pressure, sensational media coverage, and public outrage. Through interviews and archival material, the film follows how their lives and families are changed by a justice system under strain and a city divided by fear and racial tension.

Where to watch

Streaming on PBS Documentaries.

2 hours to watch.

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Details
Years
2012
Release date
2012-05-24
Language
English
Rated
NR
Runtime
119 min
TMDB rating (input)
7.0/10 (121 votes)
About

You’ll likely connect with this if you want a sobering, conversation-starting true-crime documentary about justice, media pressure, and race in America; Not for you if you avoid distressing real cases or prefer lighter viewing like Wild Wild Country.

Pros: gripping real-life case; powerful emotional impact; strong social context | Cons: grim and heavy; one-sided perspective; can feel repetitive

Themes

  • prison
  • police
  • rapist
  • wrongful arrest
  • serial rapist

Cast & crew

  • Antron McCray

    Antron McCray

    as Self (voice)

  • Kevin Richardson

    Kevin Richardson

    as Self

  • Yusef Salaam

    Yusef Salaam

    as Self

  • Raymond Santana

    Raymond Santana

    as Self

  • Kharey Wise

    Kharey Wise

    as Self

  • Matias Reyes

    Matias Reyes

    as Self (archive footage)

  • Jim Dwyer

    Jim Dwyer

    as Self - New York Times

  • Angela Black

    Angela Black

    as Self - Kevin's Sister

  • Ed Koch

    Ed Koch

    as Self

  • CW

    Craig Steven Wilder

    as Self - Historian

Directed by Ken Burns, David McMahon, Sarah Burns