Cash really is the basis of all evil.
It is one in all many takeaways from Gone Mother: The Disappearance of Jennifer Dulos, one of many true-crime-inspired movies as a part of Lifetime’s Summer season of Secrets and techniques slate.
The tragic disappearance, and presumed demise, of this lovely, type lady of 5 is completely heartbreaking.
Annabeth Gish’s likeness to the true Jennifer Dulos is uncanny and solely elevated the emotions one skilled watching this story unfold, realizing its fact.
For somebody who expressed reservations about depicting a real-life sufferer of one thing so heinous, Gish, introduced such grace and respect to this function.
When movies of this caliber are made, particularly when the truth of the scenario was so tragic and remains to be recent and weighs heavy on the real-life individuals affected, one solely hopes there is a stage of respect for these near it.
Dulos went lacking as not too long ago as 2019, they usually charged Fotis Dulos together with her homicide in January 2020.
The injuries are nonetheless as recent as ever for concerned events. The Connecticut group stays rocked by the tragedy.
It felt as if the movie took tender care, introducing us to Jennifer, permitting us to get to know this formidable lady who had goals and objectives.
She wished to be a author — she was one, a girl who derived from a lifetime of privilege, however she was devoted to her plans, impartial, and vivid.
When Jennifer spoke of what she envisioned for her life and the way she fearlessly tailored her objectives to her age as a substitute of throwing a pity occasion when she did not meet a selected mark by 30, it made her extra endearing and provoking.
Jennifer was a girl who went for what she wished and by no means gave up, and thus her demise is gutwrenching simply fascinated with it.
She wasn’t the kind of lady who would hand over on her kids, family members, or goals, so the narrative Fotis pushed that she disappeared to border him was disturbing.
Fortuitously, the movie did not spend loads of time on how Fotis besmirched Jennifer’s identify and repute to defend himself towards homicide accusations.
Thus making the title alternative for the movie deceptive (he accused her of pulling a Gone Lady).
As an alternative, the movie well targeted on Jennifer. And in her absence, Audrey, her devoted, daring greatest good friend who instructed Jennifer’s story when Jennifer could not.
Jennifer and Fotis’ love story was a whirlwind affair. A horny one-night stand blossomed right into a fairytale romance the place the couple married in lower than a 12 months.
You might perceive why Jennifer’s family members could be involved about that, particularly together with her coming from a rich household. And Fotis benefited from that wealth instantly.
He was so rattling charming and good-looking. Like Gish, Warren Christie impressed within the function, nailing the road between charismatic and risky.
Proper earlier than our eyes, we noticed the shift of their relationship, how he appeared to distract her with infants and child-rearing so he may dwell the excessive life.
Jennifer clearly beloved her kids, however with every youngster and Fotis’ lack of assist, she wasn’t glad. Whereas grateful for her household, the life she led strayed from her preliminary plans.
Primarily, she was elevating their children on her personal with the assistance of Samantha, and she or he wasn’t capable of absolutely pursue her goals of writing novels, all of the whereas Fotis was in pursuit of his.
And worse but, anytime she introduced up how imbalanced issues had been, he shamed and ridiculed her for her incapacity to do all of it.
He knew tips on how to poke the place it harm, urgent towards the emotions of inadequacy or lack of success she’d specific at instances when she did not meet a objective or her imposter syndrome.
He used her household’s cash to bankroll his firm, poorly handle it, and dwell the lifetime of a rich lothario, however then he’d disgrace her for being rich — implied that she was the spoiled little wealthy lady that lacked drive.
It was abusive, and whereas the movie went to lengths not outright exhibiting the abuse in nice element, they implied sufficient of it for us to learn between the strains and coincide with the paperwork and studies.
From the seems of issues, he did show among the abuser traits. He’d blow up on her and blame his actions on her one minute, after which he’d come attempting to appeal her and apologize.
Jennifer did not fall for it, although. After a bit, she made the mandatory strikes she wanted, serving him with divorce papers and staying at her mom’s house with the children till he acquired a grip.
Fotis’ mood was in equal measure along with his callousness and insensitivity. It was stunning when his response to the demise of Jennifer’s father was that the person did not make investments sufficient in his firm.
Who says that on the way in which house from a funeral?
And his transfer with Michelle was abhorrent. Regardless of Jennifer’s frustrations and pleas, he just about paraded his mistress in entrance of her face and instructed her to take care of it.
The implication that each one married males have affairs and that she was some prudish American for not accepting that was appalling.
The roles inside their marriage had been disturbing however fascinating, contemplating that Fotis could not turn out to be the person he was and dwell the life that he wished with out her. Because the years went on, it was evident he married her for her cash, and he loathed the reminder that she had that over him.
Fotis’ habits when she lower off the bank cards, forcing him to return house from one in all his many journeys abroad, was exceptional. It is laborious to think about a person would assume he may journey nearly all of the 12 months away from his household, largely partying and no matter else, and never face any repercussions on the house entrance.
He behaved as if he did not see the divorce coming, and Audrey and Jennifer had been proper about his narcissism. Solely a narcissist may behave that approach and never anticipate any penalties.
His entitlement was astounding. However so was his habits as the 2 of them engaged in a nasty custody battle.
Fotis disregarded what the courts ordered, however then he’d get pissed when he did not get his approach about one thing, and you may’t have it each methods. His lack of management was one in all his largest flaws.
It is disturbing that there weren’t legal guidelines in place to guard Jennifer from Fotis’ abuse. He made threats to remove the children, and nothing got here from it.
He threatened her life, and everybody dismissed it due to the informal, widespread terminology.
I ponder if at any level her nanny, Samantha, is somebody who did exist and if any of her statements carried benefit since she appeared to be somebody who witnessed regarding behaviors and Fotis’ risky streak.
Sadly, solely after Jennifer’s disappearance and demise did Connecticut implement higher home abuse legal guidelines. Jennifer’s Legislation was even named after her.
It was a bit shocking that Fotis claimed to need custody of his kids since he spent a lot time away from them.
It felt as if it was extra about picture since issues like the children taking water ski classes mattered a lot to him. It additionally appeared as if his intent was extra about what would’ve harm Jennifer most.
He nearly ran her down, he threatened her — his habits typically appeared to escalate. It is terrible that the indicators had been there, however there was no saving Jennifer.
Fotis was depicted as chilly and uncaring when he discovered she disappeared, and he was dismissive, solely targeted on his kids coming to stick with him regardless of the custody order.
For somebody who swore he had nothing to do together with her disappearance and demise, he certain did not assist himself in any approach. He could not faux concern; his incapacity to maintain his mood in verify was well-known and documented even within the courts, and he behaved like a responsible individual.
Audrey pointed them within the path of Fotis, and he was the obvious suspect your complete time.
The movie selected to focus extra on Jennifer, narrating her weblog entries, so we acquired items of this lady and realized about who she was.
We noticed how she fell in love with Fotis, but additionally how all the pieces fell aside for them. Even when Jennifer was gone, and it shifted to Audrey talking in Jennifer’s reminiscence, Jennifer was on the heart of this movie.
It wasn’t too heavy on the investigation, leaping by way of most of it, dashing by way of issues by the top.
It is a troublesome case to indicate on this method due to the unanswered questions and lack of closure in some ways.
A part of the satisfaction from watching one thing like this derives from realizing some type of justice occurred. Regardless of many unknowns about this case, they did a fantastic job presenting what police knew to provide us a conclusion.
It made sense that the one purpose Jennifer’s bag was on the kitchen ground like that was due to Fotis hanging her as she went inside.
It made sense that he used roughly ten rolls of paper towels to scrub up after Samantha shared that she put a recent dozen within the pantry. The holes in his alibi due to Michelle lined up.
The video footage, bloody garments within the dumpster, and all of that constructed the case, though they by no means discovered Jennifer’s physique.
Whereas there is a type of solace in realizing and believing that Fotis was responsible and would’ve gone to jail for her homicide, there are nonetheless these unfastened threads that in all probability do not feel like closure for Jennifer’s household and family members.
Fotis took his life as a substitute of turning himself in, and his demise wasn’t the grotesque, vicious one he doled out to Jennifer. He died peacefully from carbon monoxide poisoning.
And he nonetheless did not come clean with murdering Jennifer, not to mention did he disclose the place her physique is.
To not point out, he left 5 children with out both of their dad and mom.
In the meantime, so far as we all know, Michelle is dealing with prices of conspiracy to commit homicide.
You might say this movie was extra on the life half and fewer on the investigative nature of the crime.
In case you favor the latter over the previous, maybe the documentary Past the Headlines: The Jennifer Dulos Story, from Jennifer’s mom, talking to these closest to her and Fotis is extra your pace.It follows the movie at 10/9c.
Over to you, Lifetime Fanatics?
Did you observe the case when it occurred? What are your ideas on the movie?
Jasmine Blu is a senior workers author for TV Fanatic. Comply with her on Twitter.