Based on true events and the article “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” from 2015, Unbelievable follows Marie Adler (Kaitlyn Dever) in 2008 and other rape survivors in 2011 as they live in the aftermaths of their sexual assaults. Two detectives from different stations join forces as their two cases merge and they work together to unmask the attacker and prevent further incidents.
Disbelief
The first episode brings us in to the nauseating story of Marie Adler, an 18-year-old in social services housing, who is being interviewed by police the morning following her attack. Taking the officer through the events, Marie is clearly in a state of shock, unemotional and mentally processing the recent trauma. One of her foster mothers arrives to offer support, followed by an employee of the housing program. When the detectives arrive on the scene, they ask Marie to tell them what happened, and later at the hospital, a nurse asks for the sequence of events for their records as well. Repeating the events over and over becomes increasingly jarring, with brief shots from the rape cut between Marie disclosing the details.
After the dust begins to settle in Marie’s reality, she is offered support from her friends in the housing and another of her foster mums. The detectives ask for a written statement detailing the rape, meaning Marie would mentally relive her attack once again for the sake of their paperwork. The two male detectives working this case become increasingly suspicious of Marie’s version of events, and inform her that her stories don’t actually align or make much sense. Piling on the pressure, they figuratively and emotionally twist her arm into confessing that the rape never happened. When her name is leaked to the media, everyone is appalled by her “lie” and she becomes isolated from everyone around her and suicidal.
Coincidence? I Think Not
Fast forward to 2011 in the second episode and another rape has occurred. Detective Duval (Merritt Wever) interviews the victim with a high level of sensitivity and calmness. Wever brings a breath of fresh air to the role of onscreen female detective, speaking gently with the survivors while remaining completely focused on the task at hand – catching the attacker. Discussing the case with her husband later that night, the details remind him of a similar case at the police station where he works. She connects with Detective Rasmussen (Toni Collette) and the two are startled to discover their cases are actually so similar.
Events in 2008 and 2011 continue to run side by side as we see both Marie’s struggles in the past and the detectives making progress in the serial rape case years later. Marie loses her job, her friends, and eventually her accommodation. The evidence in the serial rape case eventually leads them to a suspect and they narrow in on him.
Believable
After the arrest and having made some gruesome discoveries inside the suspect’s home, Duval tells her colleagues they made some “unbelievable” finds. By reusing the word in this context, the show turns the idea of the woman being “unbelievable” on its head. Instead it is here the man who has done the unbelievable, shocking things.
Amongst the evidence are photos from the attacks of the women and, while the detectives match most of the images with survivors they already know about, Marie’s attack is the only one they hadn’t yet discovered. Apologies to Marie and a lawsuit follow, as does the rape trial and the rapist’s sentencing to a maximum term in prison.
Unbelievable: Conclusion
Differing slightly from the real events, Unbelievable‘s Marie drives off into the distance, ready for adventure and to put everything behind her. In reality the survivors continue to live with what happened to them. While the show wraps everything up into a 327.5 year prison sentence, and the other survivors, like Marie, will attempt to “move on”, the impact of these incidents on their lives is irreversible damage. As a true crime miniseries, Unbelievable does well in telling the womens’ side of things, depicting their trauma, and how they are forced to relive the horrific events over and over. It also highlights the need for more training when it comes to police interviewing rape survivors and the terrifying potential of the Internet and leaks of sensitive information to the media.
What did you think of Unbelievable and it’s depiction of rape survivors’ stories? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Watch Unbelievable
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.