The Wrong Crowd.

Narrated from a first person perspective, The Wrong Crowd is a thought provoking documentary about police brutality and corruption in Queensland. I feel that the style of the documentary is performative and partly poetic. The world is seen through the eyes of a woman whose father and uncle was a Policeman and her inner conflict of feelings about the men she knew as safe and righteous, and the place she knows as home. Her mother’s first husband was a victim of police brutality, being beaten to death. Tales of policemen participating in illegal drinking and prostitution and how witnesses were threatened are told along with mysterious deaths of prostitutes and how allegations against them were always unfounded. The use of photos together with audio reenactments and narration really set the mood and draws viewers into her world. I think the photos were really beautiful and she shares her emotions and thoughts honestly and you really feel as if you know her and follow her change through the different years.

The documentary includes notes and more related articles about each scene together with a world events timeline which adds more depth to the documentary. You really get a feel of what life was like during those times where there was rebellion and a new generation of people fighting for what they believe in. (This was particularly interesting to me because I’m currently watching Mad Men, a tv series about an advertising agency during the 1950s – 1970s)

I feel that the documentary states the facts as she knows it and her opinions and views are expressed. However, I feel that she isn’t forcing her opinions onto viewers, therefore allowing for a diversity of viewpoints. She leaves the conclusion up to facts she presents. I felt that she managed to capture my imagination and evoke indignant feelings at the hypocrisy of the system, feelings of nostalgia and innocence, with a somewhat dark mood to it all. It was one of those things where my first impression of it isn’t that great, but I found myself being really interested in it without even realising. I didn’t feel manipulated and I liked it a lot.