This Devastating True Crime Documentary Is Streaming Now on Hulu: “What a wild story”
I love documentary filmmaking. A true story connects in ways that narrative fiction often cannot. A good documentary has the potential to hit harder than fiction and leave an impression that lasts a lifetime. One exceptional example of exactly that is Three Identical Strangers, which is streaming now on Hulu. I first watched the film a couple of years ago and it’s still seared into my brain. This is the type of film that’s best to go into as cold as possible, so I’ll keep my analysis vague and avoid sharing any information that might lessen the impact for first-time viewers.
What Is Three Identical Strangers About?
The events chronicled in Three Identical Strangers are so surprising, so inconceivable that the documentary feels very much like narrative fiction. But every word is true. The story begins as a chance encounter that forever changes the lives of three young men. The proceedings begin with Bobby Shafran reporting to Sullivan County Community College in New York State. The 19-year-old is gearing up for the start of a new chapter. When Bobby walks on campus, he receives an inexplicably warm welcome. Fellow students greet him with a peculiar familiarity. Women come up to him and kiss him as if they are in the company of an old friend.
Soon, Bobby learns that another student with his face attended the college a year prior. A classmate soon connects Bobby with a doppelgänger, who turns out to be his identical twin brother, Eddy. Stranger still, the media frenzy that ensues when Bobby and Eddy are reunited sees the twins connecting with David, a third brother, meaning Eddy and Bobby aren’t twins, but triplets.
Meet The Triplets
The first act of the documentary introduces the key players and gives the viewer context on the families by whom each brother was adopted. Their personalities are larger than life. Each has an undeniable charisma and an electric personality. Even though my only awareness of the triplets comes from my experience with Three Identical Strangers, I came away from the picture feeling like I knew each of these men. Their affable nature and enthusiasm make their struggles all the more harrowing as we follow along.
One of the most compelling aspects of Three Identical Strangers is the film’s voyeuristic peek at the mysterious bond shared by children born of multiple births. We often hear stories of twins who grew up together and have a level of telepathy, a connection that no one else seems to understand. But to see the key players in this shocking story describe a similar synergy after meeting for the first time at 19 years old is fascinating. Through archival interviews and commentary from those who lived it, we learn that the triplets felt an instantaneous bond upon their first meeting. In fact, the men say that although they didn’t meet until adulthood, each of them feels very much like they have known one another their entire lives.
Similar But Different
Additionally compelling is how all three brothers, each of whom was raised by different parents, walk, talk, and act alike. That aspect paints a compelling picture of how we become who we are and how much of who we are is predetermined at birth.
Also fascinating is the notion that long before the brothers could vocalize their feelings, they showed profound signs of distress over being separated from their siblings. That further speaks to the unbreakable nature of the bond between children born of multiple birth. These young men couldn’t form complex thoughts or put words together but they were nonetheless suffering extreme separation anxiety following their adoption by their respective families.
But Why Were They Separated At Birth?
The context that we receive on the triplets makes what happens to these boys all the more troublesome. Without going into too much detail, I will say that the youngsters and their families were betrayed by a duplicitous outfit that purported to be acting on behalf of the greater good. Despite those claims, the organization involved with the adoptions seemingly had an agenda of their own. The why behind the shroud of secrecy and the battle for transparency make for a riveting and unpredictable viewing experience. But to say any more than that would be a disservice to potential viewers.
If you’re on the fence about watching the documentary on Hulu, have a look at what Twitter users are saying about the film:
All in all, Three Identical Strangers is fascinating, heartbreaking, and touching in equal measure. I re-watched the film before penning this feature and was pleased to see that the film is almost as compelling the second time around. The poignant tale of three siblings coming together in adulthood had me going through a complex array of emotions. I suspect you’ll have a similar reaction.
If you are keen to seek the film out, you can find it streaming on Hulu as of the publication of this post.
Categorized:Editorials
