What would lead a group of young people to commit one of the most heinous crimes of the 20th century? Well, the charisma and madness of Charles Manson, apparently. At least, that’s the premise of the upcoming IFC Films release, “Charlie Says.”
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As seen in the trailer, the film tells the story of the Manson Family and the terrible murder of Sharon Tate from the point of view of the women at the center of the crime, Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Susan Atkins. “Charlie Says” follows their story as the women recount their crimes and what led to them for a specialist assigned by the penitentiary they find themselves in.
“Charlie Says” stars Matt Smith as the titular man, Charles Manson, as well as, Hannah Murray, Sosie Bacon, Marianne Rendón, and Merritt Wever. The film is written and directed by Mary Harron, who is probably best known for her work on the film “American Psycho.”
“Charlie Says” hits theaters on May 10.
Here’s the synopsis:
Years after the shocking murders that made the name Charles Manson synonymous with pure evil, the three women who killed for him—Leslie Van Houten (Hannah Murray), Patricia Krenwinkel (Sosie Bacon), and Susan Atkins (Marianne Rendón)—remain under the spell of the infamous cult leader (Matt Smith). Confined to an isolated cellblock in a California penitentiary, the trio seem destined to live out the rest of their lives under the delusion that their crimes were part of a cosmic plan—until empathetic graduate student Karlene Faith (Merritt Wever) is enlisted to rehabilitate them. Convinced the prisoners are not the inhuman monsters the world believes them to be, Karlene begins the arduous process of breaking down the psychological barriers erected by Manson. But are the women ready to confront the horror of what they did? Boundary pushing auteur Mary Harron (AMERICAN PSYCHO, I SHOT ANDY WARHOL) presents a provocative new perspective on one of the most notorious crimes of the 20th century.