The reviews are mixed, with praise clustering around the disturbing interviews with Aileen Wuornos and the documentary’s scrutiny of the institutions surrounding her. Critics who respond favourably find the encounters chilling and sad, and value Broomfield’s attention to her troubled background, the media frenzy and the judicial system. Even some less persuaded reviews acknowledge the force of the interviews. The strongest shared response is to the unsettling material rather than agreement about how Broomfield handles it.
The spread is wide, and Broomfield’s methods are the main point of division. Slant Magazine sees the confused tone as appropriate to an account of truth distorted by media and justice. Variety finds the documentary less focused and cogent than its predecessor, despite the striking interviews. The AV Club raises a sharper ethical objection, finding the approach exploitative and the search for truth half-hearted. Reservations concern both clarity and the treatment of Wuornos.