who really killed ben in defending jacob

But then a witness goes missing, and Jacob's fascination with the macabre, like "The . Actor (s) Liam Kilbreth. And then of course the scene then that follows is open to interpretation. When Jacob becomes a murder suspect, Laurie feels guilty that her son is being accused of the murder she committed. The next morning, Hope cant be found. Laurie is even asked not to return to her job temporarily. The novel Defending Jacob hit the shelves in 2012 and became an immediate best-seller. If you havent watched every episode, youll want to turn back now. Jacobs fingerprint is on Bens jacket but Jacob says that got there when he found the body but didnt tell anyone. The Defending Jacobending reveals that Billy Barber orchestrated Patz's murder. Apple TV+ From left, Chris Evans stars as Andy Barber, Michelle Dockery as Laurie Barber and Jaeden Martell as Jacob Barber in the miniseries "Defending Jacob," streaming on Apple TV+. Offers may be subject to change without notice. The ending of AppleTV+'s 'Defending Jacob' series diverts from William Landay's 2012 novel in two key ways. Mark Jacob is a journalist, media critic, and former metro editor at the Chicago Tribune. 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. Jacobs behaviour and Hopes disappearance convinces Laurie. 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. Yes, she did. Again, its completely ambiguous. "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. But you dont have anything conclusive. When a young girl named Hope goes missing under mysterious circumstances, Andy can't help but wonder whether Jacob might be involvedagain. The kid that ran away. Defending Jacob ending explained: Did Jacob Barber murder Ben Rifkin Ann Warman I believe that Jacob not only killed Ben, but Hope as well. Related:Defending Jacob Cast Guide: Where You've Seen The Actors Before. Did Jacob Do It in 'Defending Jacob'? Spoilers on Who Killed Ben He hesitates for a few days then accepts the offer. 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. The discussions of empathy or lack of empathy coming from the parents was also interesting on this point. While driving, she asks her son to tell her the truth. 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. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, James Corden gets a star-studded send-off on his final Late Late Show, Kim Kardashian is catching shade from Patti LuPone and Sharon Stone for AHS casting, Jonathan Majors accuser gets full temporary protection order ahead of court date, Review: The Russo brothers spy thriller Citadel has plenty of action and little else, Former Springer bouncer Steve Wilkos pays tribute to TV mentor Jerry Springer. Not Quite. But it was interesting playing something that is ambiguous, because as actors, sometimes I feel like I like that certainty. [This story contains spoilers from the finale of Apple TV+s Defending Jacob.]. Jacob is targetedbecause he's a social outcastwith obvious communication issues. Jacob immediately befriends a fellow teenager named Hope who, the morning after a party, has mysteriously gone missing. His father, Andy, and mother, Laurie, do everything in their power to prove his . Perhaps, Andy starts to feel that it could be his fault. She may not have specifically been trying to kill him or indeed both of them but the crash wasnt an accident. On the surface, it allows the family toescape from reality as they contemplate an impending move to Denver. Other reasons for incriminating Jacob come from the knife he had. The family goes home immediately. The teenagers plan to spend time together on New Year's Eve, andit's ultimately revealed that Hope went missing, with the implication being that Jacob could be a serial killer. He chooses to lie again. 113. Inside, Jacob's continued silencekeeps dark thoughts swirling in Laurie's head. "Now we have this new thing that they're both going to live with, which is: 'When [Jacob] wakes up, what will he think? In both cases, something happens to a young girl during the vacation. He just said it to get her to slow down. Patz commits suicide and leaves a note confessing to killing Ben. Unsettled, Andy visits Billy, who indeed arranged for a blackmailed confession and suicide. 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. The new Apple TV+ miniseries, Defending Jacob, is sure to suck you in if it's anything like the book it's based on. And so, the argument can be made for both Jacob and Patz. 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. America So She Could Breastfeed Privately, Michael J. Laurie tells him to let go but he doesnt. Lemme explain. Wes Anderson Directing Star Wars? When Hope disappears she starts to be reminded of killing Ben and she feels so scared and guilty, that when Hope comes back all she wants to do is go home. For more information, please see our Laurie expresses concern at the end of the final episode that Jacob might not believe it was an accident does this mean shes forgotten what she did? Here's what the science says. A distraught Sarah confided in Derek, who took a dark turn and said he'd fix the problem. Defending Jacob ending has posed a lot of questions about the show and the plot in the minds of the audience. And thats exactly the point. Naturally, Laurie panics about the reveal, and once again believes that her son is indeed a killer. Is Defending Jacob Based on a True Story. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. 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. I think it unravels. I like this tragic notion of were in a prison of our own making as were leaving these characters. Michelle Dockery, Jaeden Martell and Chris Evans in Defending Jacob, which ended with a twist-filled episode. The book version: The Barbers head off to the Caribbean and Jacob . After weeks of twists and turns, Defending Jacobs finale had one final shock up its sleeve. This we do know in the TV show at least. Distractify is a registered trademark. The Cop Who Killed Breonna Taylor Just Got a New Policing Job He could have lived with this burden of guilt in the same way that he's lived with this other lie for so long and gone on to live a more or less contented life, but he doesn't.". Benjamin "Ben" Rifkin was the son of Dan and Joan Rifkin. Jacob may not have inherited the murder gene from his fathers line, but he may have inherited traits from his mother it may be the case that both he and Laurie are capable of murder. Laurie begins to think that Jacob is really Bens killer. One of the most attractive features of the Apple TV+ series is certainly its stellar cast. Even in the book on which the show is based leaves it open for interpretation. Althougheverything points out the fact that he committed the murder. More incriminating evidence is released at trial, including a story Jacob posted online thats eerily similar to Bens murder. But then Hope show up, unharmed, after being drugged by vacationers. Laurie decides to take matters in her own hands. 115. She is currently working remotely alongside her dog, Oliver. Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, and director Rob Marshall share the tale behind making their underwater musical with a groundbreaking Disney princess. The following story contains . While that is completely understandable as a parent, that is the turning point.. 'Defending Jacob' on Apple TV mentions 'murder gene.' Is it real? - Los Did Jacob kill Ben, what does the murder gene have to do with it and what are the differences from the book? She asks Jacob about it while they are in a car. THE END. At the end of this, now hes going to be the one living with it did they or didnt they? For Bomback, he says he wanted to write Jacob as a far more sympathetic, normal teen and as less of a psychopath-in-waiting, so he chose to focus the show primarily on Ben Rifkin's murder instead of Hope's. Would it really be that easy to fake a mans suicide by hanging? Your next true crime obsession has arrived! Andy finds out that a pedophile named Leonard Patz may have killed Ben. Bens father Dan, however, meets the Barbers in a car park but is stopped by a henchman who was stalking the Barbers. When she realises Andy knows about Patzs murder she blames Jacob because nobody but Andy knows about Patz, so Jacob is anyways safe. Andy decides not to tell Laurie and Jacob. anything about her. When Laurie wakes up in the hospital, she insists that the crash was an accident, but Andy isn't so sure. Did Jacob kill Ben? Hope is eventually found safe and sound, but the damage has been done. The police suspect Jacob of killing her. The conclusion to the gripping limited series delivers some answers, but also poses more questions. One similarity between the book and the series that remains intact is how its never explicitly stated whether Jacob really did kill Ben. Who Really Killed Ben Rifkin? - Katie's blog Jacob's parents, Laurie and Andy, try to help get him out. The Barbers happy ending, though, is cut short when new information comes to light. She angrily confronts him and pleads with him to tell her that he murdered Ben. I wouldnt extend it to another season just to simply spend more time with these characters. Jacob put the idea of killing Ben back in Lauries head after Hope went missing too. stated whether Jacob really did kill . Another suspect in the case is Leonard Patz. WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED DEFENDING JACOB!!! Defending Jacob ending explained: Who killed Ben? | Radio Times There has been a lot of stress, so why not go relax. Defending Jacob is an American crime drama web television miniseries, based on the novel of the same name by William Landay, produced by Apple TV+. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. 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. The Barbers' trip to Mexico creates various forms of conflict in the Defending Jacob season finale. 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. And is Jacob alive? Reply. Im not kidding. Billy had asked Father OLeary to go to Patz and ask him to take the charge upon him, strangling him to death later. 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. However, Andy finds out that his father had arranged for Patz to be threatened into writing a confession and be killed. The subsequent car crash suggests that Laurie felt purely isolated from reality - even from her husband and son. She is the one who helped Andy and Laurie stay calm throughout the process, by giving them tips to avoid the media and attention. 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? However, the tight focus of the shot means that its not possible to see if anyone else is in the room coercing him. Did Jacob Kill Ben Rifkin - 1688 Words | Internet Public Library Was it a split-second decision, or did she plan it? As it turns out, Father O'Leary never intended to harm Laurie or Jacob. Shes been an entertainment journalist for more than 15 years previously working at DVD & Blu-ray. And once again, the Barbers find themselves wondering how well they really know each other. At the end Andy is alone at his home. But when Laurie asks him who else knows he says nobody knows. Andy knows how tensed Laurie has been earlier, so he decides not to tell her anything. In Apple TV+'sDefending Jacob, there's a somewhat hopeful ending as the Barbers all survive. Jacob's trial ends with a declaration of innocence, after a pedophile named Leonard Patz (Daniel Henshall) hangs himself and confesses to Ben's murder in a suicide note. Convinced that her son killed both teens, she ultimately sacrifices herself in order to save her sons future victims. Any difficulty or complexity that your child brings into this world becomes a part of your own life. And I think for each of them, theyre going to always have a lingering doubt.. During one last prison chat, Billy admits that he orchestrated thePatz murder, and just so that hisgrandson couldlive a relatively normal life. I would rather leave that to your imagination. This Lincoln car is similar to the one Father OLeary drives. Next: Apple TV+ Is Most Divisive Streaming Service. And to not be able to cope with that, I think the act then becomes about Laurie taking her own life as opposed to the murder of a child. He finally got everything back. I felt bad for the mom, and Andy, besides being a stick in the mud, had his head buried in the sand at anything to do with his family. The car crashes. The novel begins with Andy (played by Chris Evans in the show) suspecting the perpetrator to be local pedophile Leonard Patz. MCU superstar Chris Evans portrays the patriarchal figure, a lawyer named Andy Barber. In the novel, youre a little more sure Jacob did do it, because of the disappearance of Hope, said Bomback. For Bomback, it was far more interestingand devastatingfor Jacob to survive and be left unconscious. In Defending Jacob, based on the book by William Landay, creator Mark Bomback takes on the murder gene. We looked into the science behind it. OLeary is his right hand man on the outside and we know hes been tasked with looking out for the Barber family but that does not mean he murdered Patz. During this whole show, we didnt even get close to finding out who killed Ben. While driving Jacob to get his haircut, Laurie asks him if he killed Ben. Jacob goes to see if he is dead but then he leaves the body and goes to school. Laurie already knows Patz is a suspect, and to make it seem even more believable, she finds the kid Andy talked to before, who then confesses to having a deal with Patz. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Rosie Fletcher is the UK Editor of Den Of Geek. one who killed Jacob's classmate, Ben. Absolute proof that Jacob did NOT kill Ben. As Laurie begs Jacob to tell her the truth, she pushes the car to go faster and faster, ultimately crashing and seriously injuring them both. Hough is a senior writer at Screen Rant. 8. DEFENDING JACOB Ending Explained Breakdown & Spoiler Talk Review | Did Jacob Kill Ben? Jacob is set free. Even thoughJacob didn't killHope in Mexico, Laurie becomes more suspicious than ever about the Rifkin murder. All in all, we dont know if Jacob did it. Laurie is now convinced that Jacob had killed Benand possibly Hope as well. He was accused of murdering a classmate, Benjamin Rifkin. My thoughts on the ending - MAJOR SPOILERS : r/DefendingJacob_TV - Reddit Since the Apple TV+ series strays from the source material and doesn't provide absolute clarity, viewers may be wondering what it all means, and whether the titular character is indeed a cold-blooded killer. 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. Jacob's trial ends with a declaration of innocence, after a pedophile named Leonard Patz (Daniel Henshall) hangs himself and confesses to Ben's murder in a suicide note. Jacobs case is dismissed. 3. Defending Jacob doesn't confirm whether Jacob murdered Ben, but all signs point towards him doing so. She takes Jacob with her for a haircut but confronts him, to tell the truth. The Defending Jacobendingdoes not unveil whether Jacob did kill Ben. Trailer Mimicking Filmmakers Style Divides Social Media, On the Set of The Masked Singer: How the Team Produced the Show Safely During the Pandemic, This Is Us Star Sterling K. Brown and Writer-Director Kay Oyegun on Crafting an Emotional Story About Randalls Birth Mom, The Crown: All the Details About Its Final Three Seasons, 'Awards Chatter' Podcast Chris Evans ('Defending Jacob'), How Boston-Based 'Defending Jacob' Landed Hometown Hero Chris Evans, John Oliver Mocks Matthew McConaugheys Five-Hour Virtual Motivational Seminar, The Morning Show Snags Early Season 4 Renewal at Apple TV+, Barry Star Sarah Goldberg on Sallys Point of No Return: Its the Final Nail in the Coffin, Succession Director on Filming That Surprise Cameo and Tying Up Her Kendall Trilogy, Melanie Lynskey Says Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson Lent Their Trailers on Mrs. And no one dies in the crash as Laurie recovers in the hospital, with Jacob in a coma, Andy has been on the witness stand, asserting that Lauries sudden swerve was an accident. At first, the premise seems like a simple murder investigation: A local Massachusetts boy named Ben Rifkin is found stabbed in a suburban park, and assistant district attorney Andy Barber (Chris Evans) takes up the case. Voting closed. In Landay's source material, the Barbers go to Jamaica (rather than Mexico), and Jacob does indeed meet a girl named Hope Connors. Jacob keeps declining and Laurie believes he did kill Ben so she crashes the car deliberately. It would have to spring from some idea that hasnt occurred to me yet that would really feel as compelling as I hope this season has, he said. He was initially spotted by the couple in town, leaving them unsure about his motivations. With the amount of context involving what Jacob said regarding the murder, it does not persuade me to believe that he did actually kill him. One could argue that Jacob'sodd behaviorimplies that he did indeed kill his classmate, Ben. 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. Andy gets drunk and revealshis fathers involvement with Laurie. There is one single piece of proof that can prove how Jacob can't be Bens killer. In the car while they wait for Andy and their lawyer, Laurie decides to tell Jacob the truth, unaware he saw the whole thing. It makes you empathize with Laurie, and the torture that causes her to snap.. As a character,Billy underlines Andy's life-long guilt. A later deposition reveals that Laurie began the day by calling attorney Joanna Klein early in the morning, along with Dr. Vogel. You really feel that shes unraveling, said Defending Jacob director Morten Tyldum of Michelle Dockerys character, Laurie. Andy cant help but feel suspicious over Leonards death, and learns that his gut feeling is spot-on during another trip to see his father. She still has Andy, who defends her during a deposition. Defending Jacob ending explained. Hope is found safe and Jacob had nothing to do with her disappearance. It sort of strained credibility, especially in the way that I had written the character.". At the end of the day, Im not super interested in this binary thing of did he do it or didnt he do it? The ending of AppleTV+'s 'Defending Jacob' series diverts from William Landay's 2012 novel in two key ways. Will he think that I tried to kill him or not?'" Im more attempting to explore the subjective experience you have of seeing this situation through Andy and Lauries eyes and creating the sensation that they have, which is that you will never know. 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. As the Barbers prepare for a vacation to Mexico, Andy is told by District Attorney Lynn Canavan (Sakina Jeffrey) that the Patzs case had some inconsistencies. At a party on New Years Eve, Hope goes missing and Jacob leaves his shirt at the beach. In contrast to Jacob, Leonard Patz is a grown adult who must be accountable for his decisions. Conversely though, at the end its his mother who is an attempted murderer. Andy goes to a trial and says that Laurie didnt deliberately crash the car. Jacob was not a suspect to begin with and his father, Andy Barber, worked on the case and Leonard Patz was a suspect initially . 4. In Defending Jacob Episode 7, the trial begins, and the prosecution does not hold back. In an effort to put that whole nightmare behind them, the Barber family goes on vacation to Jamaica, where Jacob hits it off with a girl named Hope. 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. Jacob's parents defend him but struggle to ascertain whether their son is actually guilty. A few days later, he was murdered. But I think if you read the book and you like the book, hopefully youll be a little sideswiped by this in a good way., Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day, Inside the business of TV with breaking news, expert analysis and showrunner interviews. Patz (Daniel Henshall) had pictures of Ben on his phone and a history of paedophilia. It is not! The Barbers were on a holiday when Jacob meets Hope Connors. So thats what I was going for, and it is different than the book. The story follows an assistant district attorney named Andy Barber, who's investigating the murder of 14-year-old Ben Rifkin. And sometimes you really have to leave it up to the people around you and take that pressure off yourself, and then it will all unfold onscreen., For his part, Evans says he doesnt think the crash was a hugely premeditated move: I do believe its born of a subconscious choice. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Defending Jacob Ending & Book Differences Explained: Did Jacob Kill Ben? The 50 greatest TV and movie detectives of all time. Who killed Ben rifkins? DEFENDING JACOB Ending Explained Breakdown & Spoiler Talk Review - YouTube He's pulled off the case after his son Jacob, a classmate of the victim, is arrested for the crime. Thats the crux of the problem Laurie is facing: Shell never, ever get the truth. And if hes guilty? Laurie starts to believe that Jacob might have killed Ben after Andy tells her about his finding. The open-ended show leaves it to the viewers to decide on it. It's another change from Landay's original novel: In the book, Jacob dies in the crash. Jacobs classmate, Ben Rifkin, is found stabbed to death in a park. The tragic irony is, he didnt have to, and Hope is found.. Anyways, Bye. From there, the book becomes even darker:Laurie's crash results in Jacob's death, and she barely survives. We learn that Jacob does not have this gene, but his grandfather and father do. Hes pulled off the case after his son Jacob, a classmate of the victim, is arrested for the crime. She embraces this lie, you know, it must have been an accident. Thank you for reading this. 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..
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