Evil Genius

The full title is certainly a mouthful, but this is one of those docu-series that doesn't feel like it's laboring, or forcing the issue, to create compelling drama. And in a genre often steeped in hype, for once even the "diabolical" label doesn't feel like hyperbole.

Family feuds and fractured relationships abound in Schroeder’s portrait, which she lays out lucidly and suspensefully, segueing between the feds’ investigation, the conflicting stories and confessions of her primary suspects, and the backstory particulars that shed light on the motivations--and culpability--of all involved.

In short, Evil Genius is the kind of documentary that lives and dies by its story. Luckily, it’s a compelling one.

Borzillieri's commitment and the access he obtains make these episodes intense and uncomfortable, showcasing a parade of scuzzy and unreliable narrators. Borzillieri's crusading intensity is also the most frustrating part of Evil Genius, because it confuses the authorship and focus of the entire series.

In Evil Genius, Mr. Borzillieri offers an attempt at an “ah-ha!” moment in the final episode. But the filmmakers’ thesis is not completely convincing. Other evidence presented in Evil Genius suggests a less clean cut, more nuanced scenario may be closer to the truth.

A dry, erratic recollection of events.