The People v. O.J. Simpson

One of the most famous criminal cases of the 20^th century, almost everyone is aware of the OJ Simpson murder trial. But some twenty years on, why are we still interested in whether or not he did it? And why do we now need to see what went on behind the scenes of the trial, considering millions of people watched it when it was controversially aired on TV at the time?

Such is the question American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson begs. Is it just that we can’t look away from a train wreck? The opening shots of The People reflect a current issue in the United States: flashing footage of riots and police brutality towards African Americans.

The first character the audience sees after this is O.J. Simpson (Cuba Gooding Jr.), and from there, its 54 minutes of major and minor players flashing in and out, occasionally dropping a line about racial tensions. Actress of the moment Sarah Paulson plays the central female prosecutor Marcia Clark, David Schwimmer looks like a fish out of water as the perpetually perplexed Robert Kardashian, and John Travolta is creepy as ever as Robert Shapiro. The raft of supporting characters flick in and out, more so to set up future story arcs than to add much to the current episode.

If you can move past the revolving door of characters, you can appreciate the camerawork. As if to place the viewer in the action, shots dart quickly from character to character as they talk. The camera bobs around, mimicking a handheld effect. There’s a cool green filter over the frames, adding an air of unease and rendering the viewer unsure of the trustworthiness of both the characters and the plot.

Based on a book by CNN and The New Yorker legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, there is a real sense that even what is being portrayed to the viewer is not the real deal. The aura of ambiguity is hard to get away from, whether it be Gooding Jr. sashaying between childlike and sociopath personas, or the evidence stacking up against Simpson only minutes into the episode. It’s an easy watch, since any assumed knowledge is thrown out with characters offering backstory and character history as way of dialogue.

Tune into the next episode if you’re interested in watching the characters’ stories play out, but this reviewer won’t tell you to expect anything new. It’s been twenty years, and there’s nothing particularly revelatory about The People v. O.J. Nevertheless, people will still watch, because a train wreck’s still a train wreck, even if it’s happened before.