Producing and directing the documentary “Raising Adam Lanza”
is Frank Koughan. In addition, the documentary, which debuted on February 19, 2013, is a part of PBS Frontline episodes for season 31. The Hartford Courant, a Connecticut-based journalism organization, helped produce the documentary. Adam Lanza, who had conducted a mass shooting in a nearby elementary school, is also the movie’s subject. It is immediately apparent that the director’s intention is to present a unique viewpoint on the subject’s life in order to determine the circumstances that drove him to do the horrible crime. The documentary is written by Frank Koughan who co-produced it with Joe Breshkovsky. The Hartford Courant team that participated in the documentary included Alaine Griffin and Josh Kovner; their pimary roles were to conduct interviews and analyze emails from the past. The project was funded by PBS Frontline together with The Hartford Courant, and first aired on February 19, 2013.
Brief Summary
Koughan and Breshkovsky thesis is this documentary is to document Adam Lanza’s life particularly in terms of the nature of relationship with his mother. Further, the producers also seek to make the proposition that mass shooting committed by Lanza can impact on the divisive debate about gun control in America. The thesis is developed throughout the film by interviewing people who were close to Adam and his mother so as to find out how they related. Indeed, one of the teachers from Adam’s school together with his mother’s friend gives a perspective of their relationship. Moreover, the producers also develop their thesis by examining primary sources such as emails authored by Adam’s mother which showed a strained relationship that led to divorce. Additionally, the producers also provide evidence that Adam only shared a relationship with his mother as he had stopped contact with his father and brother after the divorce ((Koughan & Breshkovsky, 2013)). Adam’s teachers in the various schools he attended also note that he always kept to himself and had no friends. In terms of the argument of gun violence, the producers use evidence from a friend on how Adam’s mother could take him to shoot some ranges. Although Adam’s mother was aware of his condition, she allowed him access to gun; indeed, a doctor who diagnosed Adam’s condition notes that this should not have happened. Furthermore, the producers also produce evidence that Adam’s motive remains unknown since he had destroyed his phone together with his laptop.
Critical Review
The central argument that the producers are trying to make is that understanding Adam’s relationship with his mother can maybe provide an understanding of why he engaged in a mass shooting. Indeed, throughout the documentary, it is clear from the questions asked by the producers and the team that this is their primary purpose. For example, Alaine Griffin and Josh Kovner set out to interview people who were close to Adam’s mother so as to understand the nature of their relationship. Although the producers and their team do not have a background in criminal justice or mental health, they interview specialists in these fields who had come into contact with Adam. The view of these experts is critical as it provides a view of Adam’s condition so that the producer can support their central argument. In essence, the producers recognize the importance of expert opinions when making such arguments.
At the same time, the debate fits into the current public dialogue about gun control and gun violence in America. In recent years, the debate about gun control has gained ground due to the increase in mass shootings. One of the aspects that are clear is that background checks could have prevented some of these mass shootings. For example, Adam’s mother could not have allowed him to access guns since he had been diagnosed with a mental health condition. The producers make the argument that background checks will become necessary in future so as to ensure guns do not end up on the wrong hands. The argument is valuable as it provides a different perspective into the debate about gun control. For example, Adam could not have a gun himself but his mother bought guns and allowed him to use them even though she was aware of his condition. The perspective that this provides is that parents can play a critical role in ensuring gun control by not allowing children who have mental health issues to use them. Indeed, Adam’s mother was his first victim in the mass shooting before he proceeded to the elementary school.
Moreover, the film is intended for various audiences such as parents, mental health professionals and the criminal justice system.
Firstly, through the film, parents get to understand their role in ensuring children have proper mental health. Part of the problem in Adam’s case was his mother’s objective of moving him from school to school and this affected his stability while she thought this would help him. For mental health professionals, they can know how to assist people such as Adam better so that they can lead a normal life and interact with others. Moreover, the criminal justice system will understand the importance of looking into ones past when trying to establish why they committed certain crimes. The other intended audience for the documentary is individuals that have an interest in gun control debate. Although guns will not be eliminated completely, they will only be allowed among people who can use them effectively. In general, each of these audiences benefits differently from the documentary.
Additionally, one of the strengths of the film is that the producers seek to use primary source information from people who had direct contact with Adam, and this improves the reliability of the documentary. Moreover, the producers also focus on specific aspects of Adam’s life both at home and in school. The other strength is that the documentary is short as it only focuses on important aspects of the case. Nevertheless, the film has the weakness of not arriving at any conclusion despite the evidence used to support their argument.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the documentary “Raising Adam Lanza” is an insightful film in the issue of gun violence and gun control in the U.S. it demonstrates how Adam who had a mental health condition was allowed to access guns and finally undertook one of the worst mass shootings in the U.S. The film focuses on the relationship with his mother since she was the only person he was closest to. Moreover, the film can be of benefit to parents with children who have similar conditions such as Adam. The criminal justice system and mental health professionals can also benefit from the documentary.
References
Koughan, F., & Breshkovsky, J. (2013). Raising Adam Lanza. Frontline.
