Documentary Review | The Thin Blue Line

Errol Morris’ groundbreaking documentary The Thin Blue Line changed what it meant to capture life on film, and is widely considered to be one of the best documentaries ever made. It was set up as a classic who-done-it: a Texas policeman is murdered, his partner on patrol that night has blanked on some very important details, a man is interrogated and convicted by a local law enforcement branch intent on bringing the killer to justice, and a suspicious juvenile is let off scot-free for his help in the trial. On paper this case would have been easily forgotten, the only casualties being an innocent police officer and his depraved killer.

Morris does not let us off so easily. He shows through in-depth interviews with the convicted man, law enforcement officials, and others that some enormous missteps in logic have been taken. The film actually aided in changing the face of the trial, and made us all realize that a brilliantly structured argument in film form can have lasting consequences.

Since it was put to film and released in 1988, Thin Blue Line has enraptured audiences with its broad scope and harrowing attention to every detail. It features candid interviews with all parties involved, realistic reenactments of pivotal moments from the interrogation rooms and the crime scene, and an utterly mesmerizing score from none other than one of the greatest composers of our era, Phillip Glass.

We find ourselves questioning our next moves as we watch this. It stretches deep within our psyches and counts our motives as our minds strain against the difficult images on screen. Errol Morris hit this one out of the park and it can be found on top ten lists all over the internet. If you enjoy true crime or psychological thrills, give this a go with the volume turned up.