‘Con Mum’ Review: A Captivating and Disturbing Netflix True Crime Documentary
Just when I start to briefly convince myself that people are mostly good, I make the mistake of watching a true crime documentary like Con Mum. Although Nick Green’s harrowing doc is well-made and features an absolutely unforgettable story at its core, the film serves as an evergreen reminder of what an ugly, cruel place this world is, and even those who should have our best interests in mind often do not.
What Is Con Mum About?
This Netflix original true crime documentary follows Graham, a successful British pastry chef making the most of the COVID lockdown and living his best life. Graham is enjoying the time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and is expecting a baby boy with his partner, Heather. Amidst all of that, Graham unexpectedly hears from his birth mother, Dionne. The woman claiming to be his biological mom knows details about his life that seem to prove she’s the real deal, but there’s far more than just a biological relationship at stake.
Dionne showers Graham with lavish gifts, telling him that she’s making up for lost time. Initially, Graham is touched by her perceived generosity, but as the two forge a close bond, things eventually take a surprising turn that changes their dynamic indefinitely.
Full Of Twists And Turns
I won’t say too much more than that because this is a documentary with plenty of twists, turns, and unforeseen developments along the way to a conclusion poor Graham never saw coming. Watching from his perspective as matters unfold makes the film play out a lot like narrative fiction. Accordingly, I don’t want to spoil any of the unsettling developments along the way. Suffice it to say that Con Mum is a riveting viewing experience that chronicles a compelling case likely to leave you crestfallen by the end.
The film reveals all in good time, but there’s an extended spell where Graham (and the viewer) doesn’t even know whether or not Dionne is his real mother, let alone what she really wants from him. There’s some jarring internal conflict going on as he ultimately begins to see that her actions don’t always match her words and subsequently starts wondering who this woman truly is at her core.
A Particularly Profound Viewing Experience
Speaking of the question of maternity, that leads to some full-circle moments that make this documentary film especially captivating. Graham’s reaction to an impending paternity test gave me chills, and what he says about his hopes for the outcome of the test is tragic. Further, the toll that Graham’s relationship with Dionne takes on his dynamic with his own child and how it changes that relationship really gutted me.
It’s elements like those that make this documentary so engaging. But when you stop to remember that this is someone’s life we’re talking about, not fiction scripted for our amusement, the repercussions take on a whole new connotation.
Graham is so open and so raw with director Green. The celebrated pastry chef gives the filmmaker a no-holds-barred look into the darkest time of his life, allowing the viewer to come along for the often-terrifying ride.
On the Whole
Con Mum is a riveting profile of a parasitic dynamic that renders a stand-up guy completely helpless to meet his own needs because of the internal conflict caused by the one person who should have his best interests in mind. It’s a compelling piece of filmmaking, but don’t expect to come out of the experience with any more faith in humanity than you had going in.
If you’re game to experience the documentary for yourself, you can find Con Mum on Netflix. It’s a platform original, but don’t take that for granted indefinitely, seeing as the streamer recently revealed that they are removing a Black Mirror original film from their catalog.
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Con Mum
Summary
Although ‘Con Mum’ is an undoubtedly effective film, it left me weary of the state of the world and the people in it.
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