He just said it to get her to slow down. In fact, the onscreen ending is closer to the initial conclusion of the story when he first submitted his manuscript as he told Bomback. What I was really interested in trying to create for the viewer was this very subjective experience of what his parents are going through. Jacob's fatherlied about his past to Laurie, and then became too self-righteous to accept any help fromhis father. The story shows how both parents lives are unraveling due to the pressures of not knowing whether their child is guilty or innocent. Dockery says that its clear Laurie is in a fog of her own trauma, and the ambiguity about her decision took a lot of work to calibrate correctly. The tragic irony is, he didnt have to, and Hope is found.. Andy is at a crossroads where he can do the right thing and come forward with this information, which will mean his sons arrest again, or he can swallow it, says series writer and creator Mark Bomback. All Rights Reserved. Jacob Owen "Jake" Barber is the titular character of the Apple TV+ limited series, Defending Jacob. Andy knows how tensed Laurie has been earlier, so he decides not to tell her anything. I felt like the ending was really interesting largely because I thought the show was highlighting her ability to see Jacob's darkness because of some darkness within herself. Set in a small town, the show has a rather atmospheric feel to it. Ultimately, however, Andy learns that Patz's confession was coerced, and Andy's father (J.K. Simmons)who himself is incarcerated for a decades-old murderordered an accomplice to frame and murder Patz, all to protect the youngest Barber. Laurie is now convinced that her son is responsible for both murders, and purposefully crashes her car while Jacob's in the passenger seat to alleviate her guilt. WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED DEFENDING JACOB!!! The police pull Jacob in for questioning, and Jacobs parents are again filled with confusion about whether their son is a serial killer. She is the one who helped Andy and Laurie stay calm throughout the process, by giving them tips to avoid the media and attention. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. In Defending Jacob, based on the book by William Landay, creator Mark Bomback takes on the murder gene. We looked into the science behind it. At this point, she just wants a definitive answer, and then asks her son if he killed Ben. It shows the negative impact of wrongful accusations. Laurie, in the hospital, tells Andy that she wants her family back. In case you are wondering who killed Ben, we are sorry to disappoint you because theres no evidence presented in the show as to whether Jacob is the killer or not. Of course, not everyone is convinced. At first, it looks like the trial is moving along swimmingly like maybe the defense team will win. The last episode of Defending Jacob starts with the Assistant District Attorney and Jacob's father Andy Barber getting a phone call from their family lawyer, Joanna Klein, that Leonard Patz had left a note moments before he had committed suicide. From there, the book becomes even darker:Laurie's crash results in Jacob's death, and she barely survives. Laurie is now convinced that Jacob had killed Benand possibly Hope as well. Copyright 2023 Distractify. The show never explicitly states whether Jacob (Jaeden Martell) committed murder. If he killed somebody, she believes shes guilty as well for letting it happen. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action, premise seems like a simple murder investigation, Mark Ruffalo didn't warn Chris Evans about, Chris Evans on why taking the Buzz Lightyear role was similar to playing Captain America. With the amount of context involving what Jacob said regarding the murder, it does not persuade me to believe that he did actually kill him. You probably are pretty sure he did it, but theres no real way of knowing, and its possible he didnt. While that is completely understandable as a parent, that is the turning point.. The possibility of the murder gene is floated. Your next true crime obsession has arrived! That is what leads her to distrust her own son and crash the car. The Barbers' trip to Mexico creates various forms of conflict in the Defending Jacob season finale. One similarity between the book and the series that remains intact is how its never explicitly stated whether Jacob really did kill Ben. Driving at full speed on a wet road, she crashes the car into the wall of a tunnel entrance, seemingly killing them both. The kid that ran away. He's also the founding editor at Vague Visages, and has contributed to RogerEbert.com and Fandor. She is currently working remotely alongside her dog, Oliver. Andy admits that his father is a murderer named Billy who is in prison. She freaks out because she is becoming more and more paranoid that someone will find out she killed Ben. Laurie becomes convinced again that Jacob killed Ben, even though Hope turns up alive the following day. I thought it was true to this idea that parenting goes on after the end of the book and the end of childhood.. We did that scene quite a lot in the car because if it was too on the nose, it was too obvious that she was doing something that she thought through. ALSO READ | Disappearance At Clifton Hill Ending Explained: How Does Abby Solve The Kidnapping Case? However, the tight focus of the shot means that its not possible to see if anyone else is in the room coercing him. And yet hes living with this one massive lie, which is, we are indirectly responsible for the murder of another human being, and everything you thought at the end of episode seven about our son is back on the table., Says Evans, I think in our version, everyone copes with shame and guilt differently and I dont think Laurie has any of the coping mechanisms necessary to process a life of, once she understands that Father OLeary killed Patz, shes a part of the lies now. Bomback says. When the ending rolls around, Jacob's mother has become convinced of his guilt and attempts to get . Onscreen, Hope turns up alive. Surely Patz would have struggled, or left other evidence, something in the note perhaps to suggest he was being coerced? 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. He possessed a knife very similar to the one that killed Ben Rifkin. Plus, aside from the girl on vacation, theres another major change: that Andy tells Laurie about his fathers involvement in framing the other suspect. This was one of the most critical scenes because you have to believe that a mother is able to kill herself and her own son, that the uncertainty and the guilt becomes too much, said Tyldum. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. The new Apple TV+ miniseries, Defending Jacob, is sure to suck you in if its anything like the book its based on. She was speeding. He chooses to lie again. The 14-year-old, upper-class student has led a seemingly ordinary life, but all of that changes when his classmate is found stabbed to death. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. He could have lived with this burden of guilt in the same way that he's lived with this other lie for so long and gone on to live a more or less contented life, but he doesn't.". Jacobs parents, Laurie and Andy, try to help get him out. The lack of confidence in Jacob shatters both parents; they can't know for sure if their son is innocent. But I think if you read the book and you like the book, hopefully youll be a little sideswiped by this in a good way., Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day, Inside the business of TV with breaking news, expert analysis and showrunner interviews. Related:Defending Jacob Cast Guide: Where You've Seen The Actors Before. Laurie decides to take matters in her own hands. This conclusion gives the audience a climax and a satisfying sense of finality, while also being true to the idea that, as parents, you cant divorce your own child, author William Landay explained. The following story contains spoilers from the eighth and final episode of "Defending Jacob," "After." . Yes, she did. Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, and director Rob Marshall share the tale behind making their underwater musical with a groundbreaking Disney princess. Jacob meets a 16 year old girl called Hope. Jacob reveals that he found Ben's body and didn't tell anyone. AppleTV+s new crime drama Defending Jacob is a twisty turny tale which focuses on a father (Chris Evans) whose 14-year-old son Jacob (Jaeden Martell) is accused of murdering one of his classmates. The series consists of eight episodes. I felt bad for the mom, and Andy, besides being a stick in the mud, had his head buried in the sand at anything to do with his family. Not only does he now know that his mother doesnt believe him, he also knows she tried to kill him which no one in the world will believe. Billy confesses to Andy that he hired a hitman to force Patz to confess then kill him. After that, all evidence already points towards Jacob so she decides to convince Andy that he is the murderer, since she already has a plan to make sure hes found innocent. She embraces this lie, you know, it must have been an accident. Did Jacob kill Ben? Laurie gets distant from Andy and Jacob and goes to Rifkin's'to confess about Jacob. Just like Andy, as a viewer of Defending Jacob, we start to doubt again whether Jacob really killed Ben or not. While driving Jacob to get his haircut, Laurie asks him if he killed Ben. Lastly, it can also be presumed that Andy is thinking about Jacob. Defending Jacob ending has posed a lot of questions about the show and the plot in the minds of the audience. After that is revealed, Laurie starts to think that Jacob might have murderous traits as well. It is based on a book with the same name byWilliam Landay. Its told through Andys eyes and its not clear whether the crash is an accident or not, though Andy refuses to incriminate Laurie at all. We dont know But we can guess. And no one dies in the crash as Laurie recovers in the hospital, with Jacob in a coma, Andy has been on the witness stand, asserting that Lauries sudden swerve was an accident. The big reveal is foreshadowed by various meetings between Andy and Billy, with the latter refusing to offer any help. 4. A distraught Sarah confided in Derek, who took a dark turn and said he'd fix the problem. The family goes home immediately. And what I was interested in is, how do you go forward from there when you know that your son potentially could come out of this thing? The ending of AppleTV+'s 'Defending Jacob' series diverts from William Landay's 2012 novel in two key ways. Convinced that her son killed both teens, she ultimately sacrifices herself in order to save her sons future victims. Is Bomback open to a Defending Jacob followup? Defending Jacob Cast Guide: Where You've Seen The Actors Before, Is Defending Jacob A True Story? Even thoughJacob didn't killHope in Mexico, Laurie becomes more suspicious than ever about the Rifkin murder. Jacob dies instantly in the car crash. Warning: This article contains major spoilers for the final episode of Defending Jacob. Andy decides not to tell Laurie and Jacob. Chris Evans character Andy learns to own up to everything that hes been trying to conceal, said Defending Jacob creator Mark Bomback. However, towards the end, the pressure gets to them. An area sex offender who was always the obvious suspect, according to Jacobs father, Andy (Chris Evans) has hanged himself, and left behind a written confession: He was the one who killed Jacobs classmate, Ben. Jacob's parents defend him but struggle to ascertain whether their son is actually guilty. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, James Corden gets a star-studded send-off on his final Late Late Show, Kim Kardashian is catching shade from Patti LuPone and Sharon Stone for AHS casting, Jonathan Majors accuser gets full temporary protection order ahead of court date, Review: The Russo brothers spy thriller Citadel has plenty of action and little else, Former Springer bouncer Steve Wilkos pays tribute to TV mentor Jerry Springer. Later when the family are in Mexico Andy drunkenly tells Laurie he thinks his dad was responsible. And as the final episode reveals, Defending Jacob never definitively weighs in on Jacob's guilt or innocence. He confessed that he was the one who killed Ben. Now that the explosive and heart wrenching eighth episode has aired, we have the answers some of them, at least. Laurie - also hospitalised with various injuries - is told by Andy that the jury voted in favour of a car accident, and he heads home to sit quietly in Jacobs room as the credits roll. Or are the family just the victims of circumstance? The bleaker ending is that hell know what she did, shell know he knows, and Andy will continue to willfully refuse that it was anything but an accident. Jacobs behaviour and Hopes disappearance convinces Laurie. ALSO READ | 'Raktanchal' ending explained: A final face off between Waseem Khan and Vijay Singh. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Offers may be subject to change without notice. "What I was most interested in, just as someone doing the writing, was really creating this subjective experience on the viewers' part with the parents. During one last prison chat, Billy admits that he orchestrated thePatz murder, and just so that hisgrandson couldlive a relatively normal life. Andy tells his father Billy over the phone that he thinks Patz did it. ProsecutorNeal Logiudice (Pablo Schreiber) finds a way to connect Andy's father being in prison with Jacob's trial. I think thats far more interesting and leaves a lot more to examine in terms of how we are able to survive when we learn harsh realities. He uses Apple products. As it turns out, the henchman - Father OLeary (William Xifaras) - was instructed by Andys father and convicted murderer Billy (J. K. Simmons) to protect them. Taylor was a 26-year-old emergency room technician and aspiring . But will Laurie ever be forgiven by Jacob, who clings to life in a separate hospital room? Though, the book does lean towards suggesting that Jacob might be the actual killer. The following story contains . An alum of the Eugene ONeill Theater Centers National Critics Institute and Poynters Power of Diverse Voices, she leads workshops on arts journalism at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. In the book Hope the girl Jacob meets in Mexico (Jamaica in the novel) washes up dead on the beach. Not Quite, Apple TV+ Is Most Divisive Streaming Service. Not Quite. Jacob is set free. Since the Apple TV+ series strays from the source material and doesn't provide absolute clarity, viewers may be wondering what it all means, and whether the titular character is indeed a cold-blooded killer. Reply. Its ultimately left up to the viewer to decide, however frustrating it may be that we dont get the closure we feel we deserve. For Bomback, he says he wanted to write Jacob as a far more sympathetic, normal teen and as less of a psychopath-in-waiting, so he chose to focus the show primarily on Ben Rifkin's murder instead of Hope's. Its perhaps not surprising but also not indicative of veracity that it would only be after the trial, when Jacob isnt at risk of going to prison and Andy is fully smashed, that hed drop his guard. Anyways, Bye. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The suicide, confession, and photographs of Ben that Patz deleted from his phone - in episode two - all point towards him murdering Ben. The car crashes. And is Jacob alive? OLeary is his right hand man on the outside and we know hes been tasked with looking out for the Barber family but that does not mean he murdered Patz. Jacob is in a coma. In the novel, youre a little more sure Jacob did do it, because of the disappearance of Hope, said Bomback. One could argue that Jacob'sodd behaviorimplies that he did indeed kill his classmate, Ben. Retiring to their room after a romantic meal, Andy and Laurie find Jacob back earlier than expected - without Hope or the white shirt hed worn. How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! Despite Jacobs protestations that he didnt, Laurie refuses to believe him. While driving, she asks her son to tell her the truth. Who killed Ben rifkins? Andy gets drunk and revealshis fathers involvement with Laurie. In both the Defending Jacob show and book, the Barber family takes a vacation after the trail ends. Sad times, we dont know! Apple TV+ From left, Chris Evans stars as Andy Barber, Michelle Dockery as Laurie Barber and Jaeden Martell as Jacob Barber in the miniseries "Defending Jacob," streaming on Apple TV+. During the trial, she is shocked to hear the story because she didnt know about Jacob seeing her there. Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) co-stars as Andy's wife, Laurie, and Jaeden Martell (IT) rounds out the main cast as the couple's 14-year-old son, Jacob. He may have told local bad boy Matt McGrath (Hale Lytle) that he was interested in someone called Ben while he was propositioning Matt but Matts hardly a reliable witness having already lied to the police once, and he doesnt turn up for Jacobs trial. The Defending Jacob ending reveals that Billy Barber orchestrated Patz's murder.Specifically, he enlisted a long-time friend known as "Father O'Leary" (William Xifaras) to frame and kill the pedophile, which would allow his grandson, Jacob, to receive legal "proof of innocence." The big reveal is foreshadowed by various meetings between Andy and Billy, with the latter refusing to offer any help. The open-ended show leaves it to the viewers to decide on it. I would rather leave that to your imagination. Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery and creator Mark Bomback explain what happens and why the series ends on a more ambiguous note than the book. When Jacob is officially exonerated, Father O'Learyprotects the Barbers from a still-angry Dan Rifkin (Patrick Fischler),the father of the teenage murder victim, Ben. He was initially spotted by the couple in town, leaving them unsure about his motivations. The book version: The Barbers head off to the Caribbean and Jacob . Will he think that I tried to kill him or not?'" Was it a split-second decision, or did she plan it? I like that its ambiguous, that it could have been premeditated or that shes trying to put them both out of their misery, Dockery says. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action Little Mermaid with a new generation's Ariel. But it was interesting playing something that is ambiguous, because as actors, sometimes I feel like I like that certainty. At the age of fourteen, he blackmailed Sarah Grohl. In an attempt to put this whole ordeal behind them, the family heads to Mexico for a quiet vacation. The last episode of Defending Jacob starts with the Assistant District Attorney and Jacob's father Andy Barber getting a phone call from their family lawyer, Joanna Klein, that Leonard Patz had left a note moments before he had committed suicide. Its the result of such a frayed, eroded sense of youre just at your wits end.. Is Defending Jacob Based on a True Story. Perhaps, Andy starts to feel that it could be his fault. The 50 greatest TV and movie detectives of all time. Jacob may not have inherited the murder gene from his fathers line, but he may have inherited traits from his mother it may be the case that both he and Laurie are capable of murder. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. At a party on New Years Eve, Hope goes missing and Jacob leaves his shirt at the beach. Im more attempting to explore the subjective experience you have of seeing this situation through Andy and Lauries eyes and creating the sensation that they have, which is that you will never know. Andy goes back home and drinks alone. Jacob is targetedbecause he's a social outcastwith obvious communication issues. Could Patz really have been forced to write that suicide note without more pleading, or force on screen? The next day Laurie drives Jacob to get a hair cut. Apple has a policy that villians in tv shows or movies can't use Apple Products. Instead, the show leaves it maddeningly ambiguous all the way until the final frameand that, series writer Mark Bomback tells EW, is the point. But when Laurie asks him who else knows he says nobody knows. Whether Laurie remembers her own motivation for the crash is also up in the air, but creator Bomback says its much more likely shes decided to go along with Andys version of events that it was a horrible accident than the truth that its something she purposefully (though potentially subconsciously) did. In Defending Jacob Episode 7, the trial begins, and the prosecution does not hold back. Laurie starts to believe that Jacob might have killed Ben after Andy tells her about his finding. Landay never had a problem with the idea of making changes from the novel. As a character,Billy underlines Andy's life-long guilt. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Father OLeary, the henchman, was asked to protect the family by Andys father and convicted murderer Billy. Wes Anderson Directing Star Wars? And I think for each of them, theyre going to always have a lingering doubt.. As the Barbers prepare for a vacation to Mexico, Andy is told by District Attorney Lynn Canavan (Sakina Jeffrey) that the Patzs case had some inconsistencies. The show starsChris Evans,Michelle Dockery,Jaeden Martell,Cherry Jones,Pablo Schreiber,Betty Gabriel,Sakina JaffreyandJ.K. Simmons. Jacob is initially surprised, and then frightened as his mother drives erratically. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Andy then admits to his wife, Laurie (Dockery), that the evidence letting Jacob off the hook for murder was fabricated. Its almost a fitting punishment shared secrets between Jacob and his mother that they both know the other is a killer and neither will ever be believed. She offers to pay him even more money if he calls Andy and tells him about this without saying. She decides to go to Billy saying she did it and needs him to help her defend Jacob and they made a plan: If Jacob is found guilty, they get someone to kill and frame Patz. At the end of the day, Im not super interested in this binary thing of did he do it or didnt he do it? In an effort to put that whole nightmare behind them, the Barber family goes on vacation to Jamaica, where Jacob hits it off with a girl named Hope. The Defending Jacobending reveals that Billy Barber orchestrated Patz's murder. His father, Andy, and mother, Laurie, do everything in their power to prove his . A.I. Distractify is a registered trademark. Defending Jacob is an American crime drama web television miniseries, based on the novel of the same name by William Landay, produced by Apple TV+. But it wasnt written with that intention, and its not really something Im actively working on right now.. Derek yoo and sara because of the blackmail, Scan this QR code to download the app now. If the central question of Defending Jacob is what happens when your child is accused of a horrific crime, the natural follow-up lingering in the background of every episode is potentially even more important: Did he do it? Jacob, in the book, dies. In telling her this, he knows hes potentially destroying his entire [life], says Bomback. Billy sent Father OLeary to force Patz to confess to Bens murder, before strangling him to death and making it look like suicide, to prevent Jacob ending up in prison like him. And what do I believe? The Apple TV+ crime drama web series - based on Willian Landays novel - has had viewers wondering whether Jacob Barber (Jaeden Martell) killed Ben Rifkin or not. The eighth episode, which premiered Friday, begins with a big development: The murder charges that troubled teen Jacob (Jaeden Martell) had been facing all season are suddenly dropped. The final scene of the show sees Andy drinking alone in his house while You Were a Kindness by The National plays in the background. I dont think that our ending is any less bleak than the ending of the book, Bomback added. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The final scene signifies how the accusation against Jacob eventually made Andy alone. What Actually Happened: Laurie goes for her morning run and sees Ben. His father, Andy, and mother, Laurie, do everything in their power to prove his innocence. Jacob told his parents that Ben bullied him, and he did own a knife that he took to school. Here's how the TV show differs from the book ending. Her body turns up several weeks later, and an autopsy discovers that her windpipe had been crushed.

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