Pan and Slam

O.J.: Made in America

by Jason Koenigsberg

One of the most gripping documentaries of recent memory and the best ESPN 30 for 30 film ever made is Ezra Edelman’s ambitious epic OJ: Made in America. It is a captivating chronicle of the notorious murder trial that assaulted American culture throughout the mid-90’s and proves to be just as fascinating to us over twenty years later. OJ: Made in America is a powerful saga of race, celebrity worship, media saturation, domestic violence, and a scathing commentary on the criminal justice system. Edelman’s documentary is as much a history of racism in the police force and racial tensions crossed with celebrity culture in California as it is about how those elements combined to a boiling point in the Simpson trial and it’s subsequent polarizing verdict. OJ: Made in America even adds layers of depth and new chapters to the rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, currently wasting away his talent, fame and charisma in a Nevada prison. One of the most tragic encapsulations of the American dream. 

OJ: Made in America is currently available to stream in its entirety on Hulu.