This film deals with the true case that occurred in Glen Ridge, New Jersey with the graduating class of 1989. Obviously, what the students did to this girl is disturbing and inexcusable. What is also offensive is the attitude of the community, school and parents; the denial and discrimination.
Eric Stoltz is excellent as prosecutor Dan Laurino,who empathizes with the victim (well-done by Heather Matarazzo). The character Ally Sheedy portrays is a detective who used to work in NYC, and is now on the task force, prosecuting the members of the football team who took part in the gang-rape of a mentally disabled student.
There is much denial and deferral of responsibility, the group mentality of "don't make waves" and the accusations that, as an unstable person, the character Matarazzo portrays had deserved, and even asked for, what happened to her. It is the utmost disgrace that American communities like this still react this way.
The next time you see a tragedy in the local news, and a neighbor comments they couldn't believe it happened in his/her neighborhood, chalk it up to the mechanism of denial; the fact that people cannot comprehend such things does not mean they are not happening every day, and that we need stricter laws protecting the disabled. 10/10