And I think for each of them, theyre going to always have a lingering doubt.. The car crashes. Assistant District Attorney and Jacobs father Andy Barber (Chris Evans) receives a phone call from family lawyer Joanna Klein (Cherry Jones) to tell him that Leonard Patz (Daniel Henshall) left a note, moments before committing suicide, confessing that hed killed Ben. The eighth episode, which premiered Friday, begins with a big development: The murder charges that troubled teen Jacob (Jaeden Martell) had been facing all season are suddenly dropped. Voting closed. His grandfather is a convicted killer but his father is an upstanding member of the community, albeit one with a tendency towards reckless behaviour. She visits the Rifkin household to seemingly confess to Jacobs guilt but, after seeing Bens mum Joan (Megan Byrne) struggling to cope, decides to take matters into her own hands. Bens father Dan (Patrick Fischler) confronts the Barbers in a multistorey car park, but is apprehended by the henchman who had supposedly been stalking the Barbers. And then look at their partner and really talk about the question were asking: Is unconditional love bigger than our own morals?What happened in the last episode? Andy had initially suspected Patz - a convicted paedophile - and, after the police confirmed Patzs handwriting on the note, Jacob is acquitted as the trial collapses. Distractify is a registered trademark. At the end of this, now hes going to be the one living with it did they or didnt they? This we do know in the TV show at least. However, Sarah was livid as she doesn't know what he did or what drama he was pulling her into. She takes Jacob with her for a haircut but confronts him, to tell the truth. But in the series, everythings still up in the air. Hope is eventually found safe and sound, but the damage has been done. You probably are pretty sure he did it, but theres no real way of knowing, and its possible he didnt. Flashbacks are shown where he can be seen involved in this, but he refuses it in front of Andy. Andy is understandably angry, believing Jacob wouldve cleared his name in court if given the chance. Laurie decides to take matters in her own hands. Andy and Laurie both remember that Jacob wrote a bizarre story online in which he seemingly confessed to Ben's murder, and now they're confronted with yet another tragedy, it seems, that forcesAndy to confess the truth about his father. The main takeaway is that danger always lurks withintight-knit communities, andthat having a friendly smile can't be used in court as proof of innocence. To write an ending that allows Andy and Laurie to slip out of that permanent relationship with Jacob in any way isnt true to the experience of most parents, who are in a permanent relationship with their children whether they like it or not.. Episode eight follows on immediately from episode sevens ending. At this point, Andy reveals to his wife that his father, Billy Barber, is currently serving a life sentence in prison for rape and murder. Was it a split-second decision, or did she plan it? He confessed that he was the one who killed Ben. Then again, the final image shows Andy sitting in his son's room, still in the dark, which suggests that Jacob's potential off-screen death essentially closes the door on clarity - not only about Ben's murder, but also about whether hecould forgive his own mother, Laurie. From there, the book becomes even darker:Laurie's crash results in Jacob's death, and she barely survives. RELATED: Defending Jacob Just Dealt the Barber Family a Shocking Blow. Is that red mark on his bathing trunks really ketchup, or could it be blood? 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Also, Derek Yoo claims that Jacob wrote a story on a website called "Cutting Room" that greatly resembled the murder of Ben Rifkin. Would it really be that easy to fake a mans suicide by hanging? Set in Massachusetts, Defending Jacob revolves around the Barber family. ALSO READ | Disappearance At Clifton Hill Ending Explained: How Does Abby Solve The Kidnapping Case? Shes been an entertainment journalist for more than 15 years previously working at DVD & Blu-ray. And what I was interested in is, how do you go forward from there when you know that your son potentially could come out of this thing? At the age of fourteen, he blackmailed Sarah Grohl. He says no, and then he says yes, but neither answer is reliable since hes afraid for his life. However, the tight focus of the shot means that its not possible to see if anyone else is in the room coercing him. And thats exactly the point. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. arsy80 3 yr. ago. Defending Jacob Episode 7 officially sets Jacob's trial into motion. This Is What Went Down in the Last Ever Episode of 'Modern Family', Here's Who Kills the Mom on Lifetime's 'A Killer Among Us'. And with Hope missing, he mightve killed again. I think thats far more interesting and leaves a lot more to examine in terms of how we are able to survive when we learn harsh realities. WARNING: Major spoilers concerning the source materials ending revealed below! Questions of Jacob's guilt drive Laurie to a breaking point, culminating with a tense confrontation between mother and son in the car. She herself does not know how to get her own family back. Jacob told his parents that Ben bullied him, and he did own a knife that he took to school. Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery lead the cast while Jaeden Martell and Cherry Jones also play key roles. When they find Jacob's fingerprint on Ben and other kids start talking on social media about how Barber owned a knife he liked to show off . Not only does he now know that his mother doesnt believe him, he also knows she tried to kill him which no one in the world will believe. Laurie decides to kill them both by crashing into the side of a tunnel. Did Jacob do it in 'Defending Jacob'? Defending Jacob ending explained: Did Jacob kill Ben. Jacob because of the bullying. Andy decides not to tell Laurie and Jacob. Copyright 2023 Distractify. But logic suggests that he's a quiet teenager who was bullied by classmates, and made some questionable comments for attention. New episodes of Defending Jacob will be released every Friday through May 29. I would rather leave that to your imagination. Ben was found in Cold Spring Park the morning Jacob walked to school. Defending Jacobdeviates from the book's heartbreaking ending. Conversely though, at the end its his mother who is an attempted murderer. Apple TV+ limited drama Defending Jacob stars Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery as the parents of a teenager accused of murdering a classmate. "He's doing the right thing for the very first time in the story by being completely honest with her, even at the risk of destroying everything that he's just saved," Bomback explains. She's beenforced to sort through Andy's lies about the past, and now can't find clarity in the present. Cookie Notice Here we break down the ending of Defending Jacob, including how it differs from the book. 4. Jacob keeps declining and Laurie believes he did kill Ben so she crashes the car deliberately. The one where EW follows up with the cast. The Barbers' trip to Mexico creates various forms of conflict in the Defending Jacob season finale. Due to the finding of Jacobs fingerprints on Bens body and the discovery that Jacob used to carry a knife to school, he (Jacob) becomes the prime suspect. Their car incident is deemed as an accident and Laurie is also hurt gravely. In addition, Andy discovers a knife in his son's room - a possible murder weapon - which is what kicks off the story, as the Barbersaren't fully convinced their sonis innocent. It makes you empathize with Laurie, and the torture that causes her to snap.. She then swerves and crashes them headlong into the side of a bridge. She still has Andy, who defends her during a deposition. While both District Attorney Andy (Chris Evans) and teacher Laurie (Michelle Dockery) vacillate on their sons innocence (or lack thereof) throughout the series, the later episodes reveal that both have been complicit in covering up suspicious behavior, and the man who came forward and confessed to the crime was blackmailed into doing so by Andys own criminal father. Yet nobody knows for sure if Jacobhad anything to do with Ben's death. Photo: Apple TV+. The Apple TV+ crime drama web series - based on Willian Landays novel - has had viewers wondering whether Jacob Barber (Jaeden Martell) killed Ben Rifkin or not. But is the high school student really a killer? Crucially, Andy doesn't tell Laurie about Billy until a family trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! Meanwhile, the defense attorney, Joanna Klein (Cherry Jones), explains to a trial jury that it's not unusual for a teenager like Jacob to have mature images on his laptop. More incriminating evidence is released at trial, including a story Jacob posted online thats eerily similar to Bens murder. Was she trying to kill Jacob or herself? At first, the Barbers are shown attempting to fight the case as best as they can. The peace Laurie found when the charges against Jacob were dropped is irreversibly disturbed. Laurie gets mad and kills him. Its not super important to me whether or not the audience gets a definitive answer about that, Bomback explained. Billy tells Andy he can either be a good man and turn Jacob in, or be a good father and remain quiet. She embraces this lie, you know, it must have been an accident. There has been a lot of stress, so why not go relax. Offers may be subject to change without notice. It sort of strained credibility, especially in the way that I had written the character.". The last episode of Defending Jacob starts with the Assistant District Attorney and Jacob's father Andy Barber getting a phone call from their family lawyer, Joanna Klein, that Leonard Patz had left a note moments before he had committed suicide. Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, and director Rob Marshall share the tale behind making their underwater musical with a groundbreaking Disney princess. Billy sent Father OLeary to force Patz to confess to Bens murder, before strangling him to death and making it look like suicide, to prevent Jacob ending up in prison like him. At first, it looks like the trial is moving along swimmingly like maybe the defense team will win. Originally, I wanted an unresolved ending, where Andy, Laurie and Jacob are on the plane home, all three of them knowing what Jacob is, and we simply see them side by side on the plane, and then it cuts to black, said Landay. She has overheard Jacob talking about being bullied by Ben. Hence, he is possibly thinking about how his sons life and teenage years got ruined because of the accusation. Jacob, afraid of his mothers gradual speeding on such a rainy day, says, Fine, I killed him, OK? As it turns out, the henchman - Father OLeary (William Xifaras) - was instructed by Andys father and convicted murderer Billy (J. K. Simmons) to protect them. Thats one of the plot points thats been altered from the book more on that later. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. This conclusion gives the audience a climax and a satisfying sense of finality, while also being true to the idea that, as parents, you cant divorce your own child, author William Landay explained. Will he think that I tried to kill him or not?'" Andy gets drunk and revealshis fathers involvement with Laurie. We learn that Jacob does not have this gene, but his grandfather and father do. He is played by Jaeden Martell. Andy had always suspected Patz, and after the police get the . Althougheverything points out the fact that he committed the murder. Its almost a fitting punishment shared secrets between Jacob and his mother that they both know the other is a killer and neither will ever be believed. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. As he visits a hospital after the hearing, its revealed Jacob is in a coma and on life support. This was one of the most critical scenes because you have to believe that a mother is able to kill herself and her own son, that the uncertainty and the guilt becomes too much, said Tyldum. Laurie remembers an incident from Jacobs childhood when Jacob had nearly hit another kid on the head with a bowling ball. Despite Billy hinting that he wasnt involved, flashbacks show that he was. When Laurie sees the henchmans car. Any difficulty or complexity that your child brings into this world becomes a part of your own life. Apple has a policy that villians in tv shows or movies can't use Apple Products. Disappearance At Clifton Hill Ending Explained: How Does Abby Solve The Kidnapping Case. The next day Laurie drives Jacob to get a hair cut. During the holiday, Jacob befriends Hope Connors - a 16-year-old from Toronto - and the pair go to a New Years Eve beach party together. I loved it you really feel that shes unraveling, recalled Tyldum. Andy is at a crossroads where he can do the right thing and come forward with this information, which will mean his sons arrest again, or he can swallow it, says series writer and creator Mark Bomback. DEFENDING JACOB Ending Explained Breakdown & Spoiler Talk Review | Did Jacob Kill Ben? There is one single piece of proof that can prove how Jacob can't be Bens killer. . Outside, the rain pours and makes navigation difficult. It shows the negative impact of wrongful accusations. Cosgrove was one of three Louisville officers who shot their weapons during the botched drug raid on Taylor's home in March 2020. Before going to Mexico, Andy wasn't sure about his son being a murderer, but things changed after the trip - and he ultimately started to side with Laurie on the matter. We review, recap and give our theories on the ending of Defending Jaco. Before you give us your thoughts on Episode 1, let's break down what happened in the series premiere: Based on William Landay's 2012 novel, Defending Jacob stars Evans as Andy Barber, an . A few days later, he was murdered. Jacobs fingerprint is on Bens jacket but Jacob says that got there when he found the body but didnt tell anyone. Did Jacob kill Ben, what does the murder gene have to do with it and what are the differences from the book? The finale of Apple TV+s limited series Defending Jacob had more twists and turns than that wet, cold road Michelle Dockerys character drove. She is disturbed and cannot seem to trust Jacob. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. It stars Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, Jaeden Martell, Cherry Jones, Pablo Schreiber, Betty Gabriel, and Sakina Jaffrey. The ending of the series is much more ambiguous than the book in William Landays 2012 novel, the girl Jacob meets on vacation turns up dead, confirming Lauries worst suspicions. She was previously a New York-based editor at the Hollywood Reporter and has written for the Washington Post, Backstage and American Theatre, among others. The last episode of Defending Jacob starts with the Assistant District Attorney and Jacob's father Andy Barber getting a phone call from their family lawyer, Joanna Klein, that Leonard Patz had left a note moments before he had committed suicide. Driving at full speed on a wet road, she crashes the car into the wall of a tunnel entrance, seemingly killing them both. Laurie survives and lives to explain what many would consider an unforgivable act. The series was created and written by Mark Bomback and directed by Morten Tyldum. After that, all evidence already points towards Jacob so she decides to convince Andy that he is the murderer, since she already has a plan to make sure hes found innocent. The show never explicitly states whether Jacob (Jaeden Martell) committed murder. Yes, she did. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Andy admits that his father is a murderer named Billy who is in prison. A few days later Jacob writes a story about what happened between Laurie and Ben, calling Ben Brent and changing Laurie to a boy called Jason. Hes drunk, and up until now has been completely unwilling to admit that he ever had doubts over Jacobs innocence, even when Laurie expressed her fears. So it took it took a lot of time to fine tune that, and I think theyve done it really well in the edit. Its told through Andys eyes and its not clear whether the crash is an accident or not, though Andy refuses to incriminate Laurie at all. Laurie becomes convinced again that Jacob killed Ben, even though Hope turns up alive the following day. "What I was most interested in, just as someone doing the writing, was really creating this subjective experience on the viewers' part with the parents. Well, what am I playing here? 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Bens father Dan, however, meets the Barbers in a car park but is stopped by a henchman who was stalking the Barbers. Reply. 8. The 14-year-old, upper-class student has led a seemingly ordinary life, but all of that changes when his classmate is found stabbed to death. While driving Jacob to get his haircut, Laurie asks him if he killed Ben. The viewer is meant to feel the frustration of never really knowing if he is guilty or innocent. During one last prison chat, Billy admits that he orchestrated thePatz murder, and just so that hisgrandson couldlive a relatively normal life. She cleans the knife in the water and goes home. When a young girl named Hope goes missing under mysterious circumstances, Andy can't help but wonder whether Jacob might be involvedagain. The end implants the impact of the disintegration of the Barber family in the viewers minds. But whereas the TV series reveals thatHope merely disappeared, the book ends with her corpse being discovered on a beach, and that she'd likely been strangled to death. She decides to go to Billy saying she did it and needs him to help her defend Jacob and they made a plan: If Jacob is found guilty, they get someone to kill and frame Patz. Jacob refuses again and again. He had built his marriage on a lie by not telling Laurie about his father being in prison. It did bother me, that the night during the trial that Andy and Laurie heard an animal being . ProsecutorNeal Logiudice (Pablo Schreiber) finds a way to connect Andy's father being in prison with Jacob's trial. Billy confesses to hiring a hitman to kill Leonard and make it look like a suicide so that Jacob doesn't suffer the same fate he did. The story shows how both parents lives are unraveling due to the pressures of not knowing whether their child is guilty or innocent. She angrily confronts him and pleads with him to tell her that he murdered Ben. Since the show has Hope alive, the situation is even muddier. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. On top of that, Jacob can clearly recognize that his own parents aren't convinced of his innocence, which could lead to more awkward behavior as he tries to figure out his place in the world as a 14-year-old.
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