Product: Family Affair (2010)
Rating: 5.0
Very powerful documentary on family dynamics after abuse
We watched this last night and it was one of the most powerful and authentic documentaries that I've ever seen. We stayed up talking after it ended because it got our memories and minds going so much. It is about the family dynamics after extreme sexual and physical abuse and it shows the sickness of not only the abuser but the twisted/wrecked mental state of the adult women as a result of being abused. The obvious question after learning how they were abused is how can they have anything to do with him after that and this documentary really dives into that. It was shocking how they made accommodations and excuses for him. There is no justification for doing what he did, none at all...but they made them in their minds and kept a relationship with him, even calling him Daddy and becoming jealous when he'd give one daughter more attention than another. This guy abused his daughters in absolutely horrific ways, but the family protected him and sold out anyone who wasn't willing to protect, excuse and cover up. I was almost as horrified by their behavior as I was his. Not a moment of it felt manufactured, it was like you were a fly on the wall during the actual discussions.