2020·Documentary·1h 57m
7.1
★
Fascinated by the human brain and its capacity for ruthlessness, psychiatrist Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis has spent her life investigating the interior lives of violent people. With each case, she came closer to developing a unified field theory of what makes a killer. Along the way - steering away from the conventional wisdom of her colleagues - she explored the world of multiple personality disorder.
Directed by Alex Gibney
serial killer
murderer
psychiatrist
dissociative identity disorder
traumatized child
dissociative identities
dissociative amnesia
dissociation
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Laura Dern
Literary Voice of Dorothy Lewis (voice)
Park Dietz
Self - Forensic Psychiatrist
Diane Sawyer
Self (archive footage)
Bill O'Reilly
Self (archive footage)
Martin Scorsese
Self (archive footage)
Robert De Niro
Self (archive footage)
Bill Clinton
Self (archive footage)
Hillary Clinton
Self (archive footage)
Joe Biden
Self (archive footage)
Ted Bundy
Self (archive footage)
Adolf Hitler
Self (archive footage)
James C. Dobson
Self - Evangelical Author (archive footage)
Crew
Alex Gibney
Director
Alex Gibney
Writer
Will Bates
Original Music Composer
Joey Marra
Producer
Ophelia Harutyunyan
Producer
Alex Gibney
Producer
Lisa Heller
Executive Producer
Maiken Baird
Executive Producer
Nancy Abraham
Executive Producer
Ophelia Harutyunyan
Additional Camera
Popular Reviews
26 reviews
Sub Bot
10.0★ · 05/04/26
Love psychology docs
Love psychology docs
Aether Quinn
5.0★ · 02/09/26
i have mixed feeling abt this. love the overall style, editing and the aesthetic of the film.. love how the documentary was presented and how it discusses the psyche of serial killers.. hate some of the theories on how humans aren't born evil and some of the fucked up ones that murdered people were driven by a bad childhood, brain damage and a dissociative disorder.. HATE that they portrayed the DID disorder being one of the leading cause, the fact that each killer that's mentioned in the film were in most cases, are suffered with dissociative disorder, it gives a bad rep and kinda feels "ableist" most of the time.. and I HATEE the way they try to humanized with some of the serial killers, and making it seems like the people who wants them to be executed to be the villain, duh? most of these killers have murdered a father, a mother, a child, someone's family member or someone's closest friend.. mental illnesses or not, while it could be the reason for the murder, shouldn't be an excuse, especially in this case where it happens multiple time, hence why they're "serial" killers.. those people don't want a redemption or change.. but overall this movie is not bad, and I absolutely love the poster for the documentary, it's visually striking and very artsy!
i have mixed feeling abt this. love the overall style, editing and the aesthetic of the film.. love how the documentary was presented and how it discusses the psyche of serial killers.. hate some of the theories on how humans aren't born evil and some of the fucked up ones that murdered people were driven by a bad childhood, brain damage and a dissociative disorder.. HATE that they portrayed the DID disorder being one of the leading cause, the fact that each killer that's mentioned in the film were in most cases, are suffered with dissociative disorder, it gives a bad rep and kinda feels "ableist" most of the time.. and I HATEE the way they try to humanized with some of the serial killers, and making it seems like the people who wants them to be executed to be the villain, duh? most of these killers have murdered a father, a mother, a child, someone's family member or someone's closest friend.. mental illnesses or not, while it could be the reason for the murder, shouldn't be an excuse, especially in this case where it happens multiple time, hence why they're "serial" killers.. those people don't want a redemption or change.. but overall this movie is not bad, and I absolutely love the poster for the documentary, it's visually striking and very artsy!
Mirriau
7.0★ · 12/29/25
Incredible work from Dr. Dorothy Lewis. The doc teases a moral debate about politics, laws, and religion layered upon the Dr.'s belief and scientific evidence. Wish they would have expendanded more showcasing the other side of the coin, but I do understand that's not the purpose of the documentary; it would also put way too many minutes on its runtime. Alas, politics and religion will always be the counterweight of science.
Incredible work from Dr. Dorothy Lewis. The doc teases a moral debate about politics, laws, and religion layered upon the Dr.'s belief and scientific evidence. Wish they would have expendanded more showcasing the other side of the coin, but I do understand that's not the purpose of the documentary; it would also put way too many minutes on its runtime. Alas, politics and religion will always be the counterweight of science.
ManuPRO
Seen in criminal psychology class.
A documentary that addresses the question of what triggers the violence that characterizes many crimes. The answer, although somewhat open, points to childhood abuse, mental disorders or brain problems (internal bleeding). It also tries to prove the existence of personality disorders through the first-person narration of the greatest exponent and defender of said disorder.
An interesting fact is that this doctor worked with De Niro to help him inspire his character in Cape Fear, a blockbuster film.
A documentary that addresses the question of what triggers the violence that characterizes many crimes. The answer, although somewhat open, points to childhood abuse, mental disorders or brain problems (internal bleeding). It also tries to prove the existence of personality disorders through the first-person narration of the greatest exponent and defender of said disorder.
An interesting fact is that this doctor worked with De Niro to help him inspire his character in Cape Fear, a blockbuster film.
Seen in criminal psychology class.
A documentary that addresses the question of what triggers the violence that characterizes many crimes. The answer, although somewhat open, points to childhood abuse, mental disorders or brain problems (internal bleeding). It also tries to prove the existence of personality disorders through the first-person narration of the greatest exponent and defender of said disorder.
An interesting fact is that this doctor worked with De Niro to help him inspire his character in Cape Fear, a blockbuster film.
A documentary that addresses the question of what triggers the violence that characterizes many crimes. The answer, although somewhat open, points to childhood abuse, mental disorders or brain problems (internal bleeding). It also tries to prove the existence of personality disorders through the first-person narration of the greatest exponent and defender of said disorder.
An interesting fact is that this doctor worked with De Niro to help him inspire his character in Cape Fear, a blockbuster film.
jo
6.0★ · 06/11/23
and I miss mindhunter everyday 😢
and I miss mindhunter everyday 😢