Kriti Mehrotra
Directed by Lucie Jordan, ‘Our Father’ is a true-crime documentary film that boundlessly delves deep into a fraud people have only been able to describe as equal parts compelling, disturbing, and horrific. That’s because it explores the frankly vile actions of Dr. Donald Cline, a once-renowned fertility specialist who inseminated patients with his own sperm without their knowledge, let alone consent, for decades.
The notorious Indianapolis medical expert is thus the biological father of at least 94 children — all of whom are only half-siblings — which ultimately yields more questions than answers. So now, if you’ve devoured this shocking production, here is a list of recommendations that might fit your taste. You can watch most of these documentaries similar to ‘Our Father’ on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, or Amazon Prime.
7. The Phantom (2021)
If you want a tale as disturbing and enraging as the film in question, you honestly don’t have to look any further than Patrick Forbes’ corruption as well as lie-rooted ‘The Phantom.’ After all, it follows the infamous case of Carlos DeLuna, who was arrested, tried, convicted, and executed for a 1983 homicide even though he’d maintained his innocence at every turn. The worst aspect here, though, is that large amounts of significant evidence backing his assertions have come to light since his 1989 lethal injection punishment, and absolutely nothing can be done about it.
6. Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019)
As the title suggests, ‘Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened’ is an authentic account of the fraud which took over the world by storm due to its sheer size and the celebrity names involved. The eponymous 2017 festival was billed as a “luxury music experience” on a posh yet private island, but it failed to deliver in every sense because of co-founder Billy McFarland. The hustler had deliberately cut costs everywhere, whether in food, security, logistics, or accommodations and talent relations, leading to the entire saga being aborted before he faced federal charges.
5. Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)
Like ‘Our Father,’ Skye Borgman-directed ‘Abducted in Plain Sight’ essentially chronicles the concept of someone you closely know and trust hurting you the most when vulnerable. It actually does so by revolving around Jan Broberg Felt’s kidnapping at the hands of a neighbor and family friend not once but twice in the 1970s, while she was just 12 and 14. From the way Robert Berchtold lured her to the assaults she endured to her father’s unexpected involvement with him, every complex aspect is covered within this documentary.
4. The Inventor: Out for Blood on Silicon Valley (2019)
With a massive yet almost unimaginable scam being right at the front and center, ‘The Inventor: Out for Blood on Silicon Valley’ is an HBO original that is as unsettling as it is eye-opening. It examines the rise and fall of Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes’ supposed revolutionary blood-testing firm, which dissolved mere years after making her the world’s youngest self-made billionaire. This production is actually believed to be a companion piece to journalist John Carreyrou’s book ‘Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup,’ so yes, every bit of it is simply compelling.
3. Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal (2021)
Directed by Chris Smith, ‘Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal’ takes a deep dive into Rick Singer’s intricate hustle to manipulate some of the top universities in America through bribery. It actually utilizes both reenactments and exclusive interviews to emphasize precisely how he worked as well as how the hoax eventually came to light back in early 2019. However, the most jaw-dropping aspects here are that most of Rick’s clients were the rich and the famous (who wanted the best for their children), and he was the sole mastermind behind the entire process.
2. Procession (2021)
When abuse leads to empowerment, the journey behind it is complicated because it becomes painfully evident that while no one deserves to be mistreated, everyone should always feel a sense of control over their own lives. And that’s precisely what ‘Procession’ details by following the tale of six men who endured sexual assaults at the hands of Catholic priests, only to find true contentment amongst one another and their passions. This documentary is honestly as shocking as ‘Our Father,’ but it also goes beyond to become quite wholesome by highlighting the way the men have found their real identities.
1. Baby God (2020)
While ‘Our Father’ revolves around Dr. Donald Cline, Hannah Olson’s ‘Baby God’ is a documentary that offers us an authentic yet creepy insight into the life and crimes of Dr. Quincy Fortier. After all, just like the former, this Nevada medical expert covertly used his own sperm to inseminate his unwitting fertility patients for more than three decades, which led to him secretly fathering at least 24 children. This film is also similar to ‘Our Father’ in the sense that it observes his kids as they try to make sense of their own identities while seeking the truth about his motives.
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