Nearly 20 years after her journey began with the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher,Amanda Knox’s incarcerationand public scrutiny remain one of the most-discussed events of the century. In the years since, she’s been the subject of numerous documentaries and even a TV film led by Hayden Panettiere, which was met with backlash from the real figure’s family.
Now, with the help ofThis is Usvet K.J. Steinbergand a directorial team headed by Michael Uppendahl, the acquitted journalist is getting to tell her story onscreen withThe Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox. The eight-episode miniseries chronicles her time from becoming a student abroad in Italy through Kercher’s murder, the investigation resulting in Knox’s arrest, and her subsequent trials and release.
To the show’s credit, it takes a somewhat balanced approach to depicting both sides of the case, with the Italian investigators getting just as much screentime, if not more, in the first half of the series. However, they’re painted in a mixed light compared to Knox. But even as we’re given a pretty direct look at the events, some were bizarrely compressed.
The Show’s Pacing Is Occasionally An Odd Jumble
As is so often the case with miniseries adapting true events, Steinberg and theTwisted Tale of Amanda Knox’s writers room struggle to find an appropriate rhythm in the opening episodes. Aiming to jump right into Kercher’s murder, we’re given a dizzying montage of Knox’s life leading up to July 21, 2025, complete with a familiar narration lamenting the change in life to come.
This opening has an in-universe reason for existing, as Knox’s love forthe French romantic comedyAméliemakes this a sweet ode to its central figure. However, with how quickly the show’s tone turns dramatic, and rarely delivers any levity thereafter, the sequence stands out in the wrong kind of way.
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knoxmoves at an odd pace through its subsequent seven episodes. We keep getting flashes to a 2022 setting in which she, her mother and husband, Christopher, traveled back to Perugia to meet with her prosecutor, Giuliano Mignini, while the majority of the show’s time is spent in the past.
Those familiar with the entirety of Knox’s journey, particularly her memoirs, know there’s a very good reason why this meeting needed to be included in the show, and I certainly think it’s important. The problem, though, is that the build-up to the meeting comes off as unnecessary padding considering the approach to its story structure.
The Plot Nicely Immerses Us In The Confusion Of The Investigation
Though its actual pacing may occasionally lose its flow, one thing Steinberg and Co. excel at is making us feel just as mixed up as Knox herself. From her return home to a mostly cleaned crime scene, her numerous conversations with police, and her trial and fallout with the public, it’s mostly easy to sympathize.
One of the best ways the series puts us in Amanda’s shoes is during her interrogations with the case’s primary detectives. The series really spotlights the missteps taken throughout the investigation, particularly regarding the language barrier, as Amanda wasn’t fluent in Italian and the detectives frequently tried to interrogate her without a translator. It leads to a number of appropriately frustrating moments in which we’re left in awe of how poorly it was handled.
But again, to the show’s credit, it doesn’t solely paint Amanda as a misunderstood victim in the whole thing.
The best, and most heartbreaking, example of this is the scene in which she gives an incorrect confession. Between the visual direction of the scene, the overlapping dialogue and toxic people in the room, it proves an absolutely suffocating moment that feels authentic to Knox’s experience.
But again, to the show’s credit, it doesn’t solely paint Knox as a misunderstood victim in the whole thing. We are still shown the somewhat unusual behavior she exhibited during the investigation, including her overly affectionate relationship with then-boyfriend and fellow suspect, Raffaele Sollecito, and her apparent cold behavior, explained as her being in shock and exhausted.
Grace Van Patten Powerfully Leads The Ensemble Cast
With so much of the show resting firmly on her shoulders, Grace Van Patten is a solid anchor forThe Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox. TheTell Me Liesvetmarvelously captures all the heartbreak and confusion to come from the real-life figure, while also embodying the heart and perseverance that led her to where she is today.
The supporting cast is just as engaging to watch.Fargoalum Francesco Acquaroli truly dominates the majority of his scenes as Mignini, a prosecutor driven by a genuine sense of justice, even if it leads him down a long and frustrating path of incorrect decisions on his and his investigative team’s part.
Another standout isfour-time Emmy nominee Sharon Horganas Knox’s mother, Edda. The Irish star masterfully embodies all the rage, confusion and heartbreak of the real-life figure watching as everyone turns on her daughter, and when Amanda begins to lose hope in herself.
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knoxis certainly not the most flawless dive into the infamous event. It’s occasionally overstuffed, and only offers a little extra insight that keeps it from being a complete rehash of what we already know. But, thanks to some excellent performances, appropriately atmospheric direction and a mostly balanced take on the subject, it’s still a gripping watch.
The first two episodes ofThe Twisted Tale of Amanda Knoxpremiere August 20 on Hulu, followed by new episodes every Wednesday.
