Depp v Heard Netflix Review Rating: ⭐ | 1/5
Depp v Heard Netflix Review
Emma Cooper’s three-part Netflix series, “Depp v Heard,” attempts to encapsulate the tumultuous aftermath of Johnny Depp’s defamation trial against Amber Heard. Arriving over a year after the trial’s conclusion, the documentary aspires to be an observational look at the court of public opinion, highlighting the biased sentiments of online discourse. By utilizing social media responses from the trial and courtroom footage, Cooper endeavors to provide an overview of what has been dubbed the first “TikTok trial,” capturing both the messiness of the legal process and the glaring biases of public sentiment.
The series seems tailored for audiences who might not be well-versed in the specifics of the trial, offering an introduction to the case’s key moments and controversies. However, beyond serving as a rudimentary primer for those who have been out of touch for a decade, “Depp v Heard” struggles to find its target audience. The documentary’s reliance on aggregated social media responses and courtroom footage creates a surface-level examination that might resonate with the most vocal Johnny Depp supporters, yet fails to provide deeper analysis.
While the documentary does attempt some semblance of balance, it largely perpetuates the very biases it seeks to examine. By putting Depp’s and Heard’s testimonies side by side and intercutting them with the opinions of online pundits, the documentary reveals little beyond the fact that the trial was a “he said/she said” situation. The film’s approach doesn’t add anything new to the discourse and, instead, mainly reiterates what was already known, causing it to feel rather redundant.
Cooper’s decision to focus on the court-of-public-opinion aspect of the trial yields few insights. While there are moments that acknowledge the toxic nature of online conversations surrounding the case, this revelation is hardly groundbreaking, as these dynamics were well-established even during the trial. The documentary’s attempt to shed light on the imbalance between pro-Depp and anti-Heard sentiments ends up perpetuating the very same imbalance it aims to critique.
While “Depp v Heard” may be intriguing for those who were completely unaware of the trial’s events, it lacks the depth and introspection needed to truly make an impact. The documentary’s structure, relying heavily on trial footage without providing fresh analysis or context, hinders its ability to provide insight into the broader implications of the case. Ultimately, “Depp v Heard” fails to go beyond being a cursory glance at a topic that deserves more substantial examination.
