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U.S. Olympian Michael Barisone and his former trainee Lauren Kanarek had their lives intersect in tragic fashion, as Barisone shot Kanarek at his New Jersey horse farm in 2019. He and Kanarek were interviewed extensively in the new Netflix documentary Untold: The Shooting at Hawthorne Hill. Exploring their distinct personalities makes this Untold installment, directed by Grace McNally, an intriguing enough watch.
Read more: Review: Netflix’s ‘Untold: The Shooting At Hawthorne Hill’ Explores Shocking Olympian Equestrian Case
Celebrated for his expertise in dressage, Michael Barisone seemed to have been the perfect trainer for Lauren Kanarek. Untold: The Shooting at Hawthorne Hill shows Kanarek’s all encompassing passion for horses, but that was not enough for her to build a bond with Barisone. A dispute over one of Barisone’s prized horses led to a fallout that snowballed into straight disdain for one another.
Filmmaker Grace McNally does a solid job of presenting both sides of the story before the shooting, as we see what probably led Barisone to that fateful shooting. Kanarek’s social media war of words with Barisone, according to him, led to an unhealthy mental state (a condition he used in his criminal case). Banarek’s focused and perfectionist behavior, especially when it comes to horses, is displayed in the documentary. That said, Kanarek understandably wanted justice after her near death. For spoiler reasons I won’t post the trial’s outcome.
More coverage of Banarek and Barisone’s life after the shooting would have been welcome since the documentary’s third action feels a bit too short for its own good.
Untold: The Shooting at Hawthorne Hill is still compelling enough as viewers may have differing opinions on Banarek and Barisone after watching the documentary. The trial portion, where we see Barisone in a somewhat confused mental state, makes one wonder if it was true or just an act. A more exhaustive look at their lives post trial would have been welcome, as the documentary just skims the surface on how they have moved on since that traumatic event. Again, I’m not giving out any spoilers but I am still a bit shocked how things played out and would have loved some unfiltered reactions from both parties.
Even with these several critiques, Untold: The Shooting at Hawthorne Hill has enough in the tank for a memorable ride. Share your thoughts on the documentary in the comments!
Untold: The Shooting at Hawthorne Hill is now streaming on Netflix. Share your thoughts on the documentary in the comments!
