Happy Valley (2014)

Documentary


This was an effective and watchable documentary. While I did not learn any new facts, there was considerable face time with the town's residents and even with Matt Sandusky (adopted son and one of abuse victims of Jerry Sandusky). The scene where townspeople (not sure if these were residents or visitors) argued around Paterno's statue could have been shortened. While it probably was real, it felt stiff and staged. Perhaps the director was trying to show what caused the statue's eventual removal. It is good that Matt Sandusky is shown getting on with his life (minus his adoptive family). During the closing credits of the film it shows him and his children renovating a room of their home. As with the statue scene, this seemed a bit staged. I would have used those shots, but kept them much shorter. Whatever one thinks of Joe Paterno, it should remembered that there were 3 other upper level (now former) Penn State officials, currently under indictment, with shared responsibility for not protecting the victims. Obviously, it does not matter how clever and devious Jerry Sandusky was, trying to bury and "unknow" his crimes was wrong. The ending of this film shows football enthusiasm and pageantry that was both encouraging and chilling. I am glad that the community and students are healing, but will they remember that the victims were young boys, not just a football program and its fans? The survivors of this tragedy deserve privacy, but they also deserve assurances that this will not happen again just to keep a money-making program safe. This documentary raises both ethical and personal responsibility questions, that makes it a good documentary.