The Menendez brothers were found guilty in 1995 of brutally killing their parents in their Beverly Hills home. The circumstances leading up to the Menendez murder and the potential reasons the brothers had for killing José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menéndez are featured in the new limited series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story.”
The Menendez brothers gained attention in American homes due to the severity of their crime and their legal defense that they had suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of their father. On Rotten Tomatoes it got a fifty-five percent rating. A viewer of the documentary stated, “Very disappointed in Murphy; the story was terribly slow and sometimes hard to watch, even though it has great acting. The direction, writing and perspective were the worst.”
This program extends the Netflix anthology series that Ryan Murphy and frequent partner Ian Brennan started with 2022’s in-depth examination of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer’s psyche. This second season explores riches, privilege, attractiveness, and the effects of abuse via the characters in a hugely popular real-life drama from the early 1990s.
Even with the 1994 Northridge earthquake thrown into the equation, the series does a fantastic job of reflecting on the bond between Lyle and Erik while never weakening their remorse. Leslie Grossman, an actress in the series, came forth with knowledge about the murder, leading to their final arrest. It reflects a time when handsomeness was draped in Beverly Hills.
However, the project’s outstanding cast gives it heart. Chloë Sevigny plays Kitty, Oscar winner Javier Bardem plays their father José, and actors Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch play Lyle and Erik Menendez. “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story” gives its viewers grounds to question the guilty decision, even though all the information is revealed, the brothers are found guilty, and they will be imprisoned in California for the rest of their life. Although it is undeniable that these two committed the crime, questions will always remain about their motivations.