Search - The Jaundiced Eye on DVD

"Jaundiced Eye" never blinks

Ethan | San Fransico Ca | 03/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Twisted and Truthful

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 05/29/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""The Jaundiced Eye"

Twisted and Truthful

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

"The Jaundiced Eye" is a documentary about a gay man and his father from Monroe, Michigan.
The two are falsely accused of sexual abuse of the 6 year old son by the younger man's ex-wife by her homophobic new husband. The isolation that the case caused is shown. The entire movie has the feel of the old witch hunts. The lawyer for the accused in incompetent and has no care as to what will happen to the two men. In fact, he is completely ill at ease in defending a gay person. The movie shows both sides of the issue but is basically favorable to the gay side. We know that an accusation of sexual molestation, whether true or not, can change a person's life forever. Since documentaries are based upon real life, what we get here is real life.
This is a twisted tale and I found it to be completely amazing to see how easy it s to be accused of such a crime in modern America. The movie shows the cost of true freedom and Amy Sommer, the director, raises the level of documentary filmmaking with this effort. She gives us the ever searching unblinking eye and through it we learn how dear justice really is.
To see two men arrested and wrongly accused of child molestation is frightening. It also shows the devastating effect of homophobia--the way it affects our justice system and our lives and the bias felt in the United States.
Stephen Matthews and Melvin Matthews each were sentenced to 35 years in prison because Stephen's ex-wife and boyfriend convinced the boy to claim that he had been molested by the two. There was no physical evidence and the men's attorney could not be bothered with the case.
The film also looks at the subsequent appeal and finally the men's return to society--a society that, despite their innocence, wanted no part of them.
Many of us think that we live in a world that forgives but this movie proves the opposite. We see a system more concerned with handing out punitive sentences rather than searching for the truth. This is what makes this film both difficult and impossible to ignore. The plight of these tow men is so awful that it is impossible to watch a movie like this with dry eyes.
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Keeps your attention

J. Robinson | Austin,Tx | 11/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is just an amazing story and one I think everyone should see no matter whether they are gay or straight. The idea that one can be imprisoned on such flemsey evidence is shocking at best but a let down with the legal system and I guess society in general."