Grace Van Patten Stars in the Latest True-Crime Series
The 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher is often overshadowed by the name of her American roommate, Amanda Knox, who, along with her Italian boyfriend, was wrongfully accused of the crime. By 2011, following relentless and sensationalist media scrutiny, their initial guilty verdicts were overturned, and Knox returned to a media circus in Seattle. In 2016, a Netflix documentary explored her time in prison and the egregious handling of her case by the police and Raffaele Sollecito. Earlier this year, Knox’s earlier slander conviction concerning her employer in Perugia was confirmed. She has since written several memoirs, hosted podcasts, and appeared in Peacock’s Laid slated for 2024. Knox has remained a public figure for nearly two decades, with her story now being adapted into a Hulu limited series, for which she served as a producer and actively participated.
The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox might not reveal anything new to those familiar with the case. The series, spanning eight episodes, revisits her ordeal as a 20-year-old maligned by the media, the prosecutor, and public opinion, alongside her struggle for justice and efforts to prove her innocence. While offering limited new insights, the series effectively criticizes the flawed investigation and cultural misunderstandings that led to her imprisonment, as well as the unethical scrutiny of her actions in a rush to find a suspect. It deeply explores the emotional and psychological toll on Knox (played by Grace Van Patten), Sollecito (Giuseppe De Domenico), and their families. Despite its strong lead, Twisted Tale is a narrative with mixed implications.
Knox’s story has captured significant attention, partly because she is a white American woman whose supposed scandalous behavior was sensationalized—earning her the nickname Foxy Knoxy—while the real victim, Meredith Kercher, and the actual perpetrator, Rudy Guede, received far less media coverage. (In the mentioned documentary, The Daily Mail‘s Nick Pisa reflects on Knox’s appeal as a subject, guilty or not.) The Hulu series occasionally addresses these issues but also perpetuates them by focusing largely on previously covered aspects of Knox’s story. Twisted Tale brings up the critical question of why it revisits a well-trodden narrative, especially when many wrongfully imprisoned individuals (disproportionately people of color) receive far less attention, despite ongoing injustice for 18 years and more.
The series does show self-awareness, with creators K.J. Steinberg (This Is Us) and writer Sam Rubinek (Daisy Jones & The Six) addressing these dilemmas—though not extensively enough to fully convey their message. The miniseries also pays homage to Kercher with several voiceovers, although her family has expressed concerns about the purpose of the show, which ultimately centers on Knox. Notably, episodes two, six, and eight feature intense performances by Van Patten, who masterfully portrays Knox’s journey from a naive exchange student to a determined woman fighting for her exoneration.
A particularly tense episode features Knox’s prolonged interrogation, directed by Michael Uppendahl (Mad Men), emphasizing the claustrophobic setting. Lead prosecutor Giuliani Mignini (Francesco Aquaroli) and several officers badger Knox to “recall” events that never occurred, leading to a mental breakdown that upends her life. Significant scenes like this and a final conversation between Knox and Mignini add depth to the series, with Sharon Horgan delivering a strong performance as Knox’s resolute mother, Edda Mellas.
However, the main issue with The Twisted Tale is its dual aims. While it effectively portrays the troubling aspects of media exploitation and police misconduct, it simultaneously indulges in the very true-crime allure that likely inspired its creation.
The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox debuts August 20 on Hulu.
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Avery Sandridge has an unmatched love for storytelling and the screen. From detailed analyses of your favorite shows to behind-the-scenes scoops, Avery offers a fresh and engaging take on everything TV series.