The revelation that Hope is alive and well is also a deviation from Landay's book, which suggests that Jacob murdered her. Billy had asked Father OLeary to go to Patz and ask him to take the charge upon him, strangling him to death later. The show never explicitly states whether Jacob (Jaeden Martell) committed murder. Specifically, he enlisted a long-time friend known as "Father O'Leary" (William Xifaras) to frame and kill the pedophile,which would allow hisgrandson, Jacob, to receivelegal "proof of innocence." Michelle Dockery, Jaeden Martell and Chris Evans in Defending Jacob, which ended with a twist-filled episode. 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. Did Jacob do it in 'Defending Jacob'? Naturally, Laurie panics about the reveal, and once again believes that her son is indeed a killer. Same blade size, as well as "teeth" on the blade. 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. You probably are pretty sure he did it, but theres no real way of knowing, and its possible he didnt. The case becomes more complicated when it is discovered that Andys father is a convicted murderer, serving his sentence in prison currently. Reply. Even in the book on which the show is based leaves it open for interpretation. However, Andy finds out that his father had arranged for Patz to be threatened into writing a confession and be killed. 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. Jacobs fingerprint is on Bens jacket but Jacob says that got there when he found the body but didnt tell anyone. However, I have figured out the real killer of Ben Rifkin, at it is none other than: Laurie! The Barbers were on a holiday when Jacob meets Hope Connors. Jacobs classmate, Ben Rifkin, is found stabbed to death in a park. The next day Laurie drives Jacob to get a hair cut. But then Hope show up, unharmed, after being drugged by vacationers. The next day, she realises that Billy followed their plan earlier than usual and thanks the henchman. Jacob reveals that he found Bens body and didnt tell anyone. However, Laurie becomes increasingly preoccupied with the idea of Jacobs guilt and on a drive, crashes the car into a tunnel, killing Jacob and leaving herself in a critical condition. Ultimately, however, Andy learns that Patz's confession was coerced, and Andy's father (J.K. Simmons)who himself is incarcerated for a decades-old murderordered an accomplice to frame and murder Patz, all to protect the youngest Barber. 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'. On its surface, Defending Jacob looks a lot like your traditional whodunnit. Jacobs comatose status arguably leaves the story open for a second season. And so, the argument can be made for both Jacob and Patz. The subsequent car crash suggests that Laurie felt purely isolated from reality - even from her husband and son. The finale of the Apple TV+ declines to answer that question, instead leaving viewers just as in the dark as Andy and Laurie Barber, the parents of the titular character who spend the series defending their eighth-grader against charges that he murdered a classmate. The Defending Jacobending reveals that Billy Barber orchestrated Patz's murder. Thank you for reading this. 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? Ann Warman I believe that Jacob not only killed Ben, but Hope as well. Jacob told his parents that Ben bullied him, and he did own a knife that he took to school. Apple TV+'sDefending Jacobendingis tragic, but the book handled a bit differently. 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.. He says no, and then he says yes, but neither answer is reliable since hes afraid for his life. And what do I believe? He just said it to get her to slow down. "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. Benjamin "Ben" Rifkin was the son of Dan and Joan Rifkin. As more information came out about him, it was obvious that the child was likely a psychopmore I believe that Jacob not only killed Ben, but Hope as well. The fact is we just dont know. 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. "In fact, he's going to now be having the same doubts about his mom that she's been harboring about him throughout the entire story.". Laurie is even asked not to return to her job temporarily. She freaks out because she is becoming more and more paranoid that someone will find out she killed Ben. As more information came out about him, it was obvious that the child was likely a psychopath and his father (unlike the mother) was in denial, refusing to see the . Its not super important to me whether or not the audience gets a definitive answer about that, Bomback explained. Andy and Laurie seem to believe that nobody knows who they are in Puerto Vallarta, when in fact a 16-year-old girl named Hope Connors (Jessi Case) immediately recognizes Jacob. It shows the negative impact of wrongful accusations. 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. Defending Jacob ending explained: Did Jacob kill Ben. The book is told from Andys point of view while the show has made changes to retain the spirit of the ambiguity without being tied to an unreliable narrator. This we do know in the TV show at least. The police suspect Jacob of killing her. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Hope is eventually found safe and sound, but the damage has been done. She offers to pay him even more money if he calls Andy and tells him about this without saying. At the age of fourteen, he blackmailed Sarah Grohl. Jacob, afraid of his mothers gradual speeding on such a rainy day, says, Fine, I killed him, OK? Jacob comes and sees what is happening. 113. The family go to Mexico for a vacation. Though, the book does lean towards suggesting that Jacob might be the actual killer. The show is based on a novel of the same name by William Landay. Andy threw away Jacobs knife so it was never tested for Bens DNA. He had built his marriage on a lie by not telling Laurie about his father being in prison. One of the most attractive features of the Apple TV+ series is certainly its stellar cast. Bomback says. Distractify is a registered trademark. And once again, the Barbers find themselves wondering how well they really know each other. In the car while they wait for Andy and their lawyer, Laurie decides to tell Jacob the truth, unaware he saw the whole thing. **CONTAINS SPOILERS**. 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. 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. Despite his discovery, Andy believes Jacob is innocent, as does his wife Laurie (portrayed on screen by Michelle Dockery). 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. Defending Jacob is an Apple TV+ series that tells a slow-burn tale revolving around a couples attempt to prove their sons innocence with regards to the murder of his classmate. He chooses to lie again. arsy80 3 yr. ago. Defending Jacob ending has posed a lot of questions about the show and the plot in the minds of the audience. It's up to Andy and his wife, Laurie (Michelle Dockery), to protect their son from a firestorm of media attention, combative prosecutors, and neighborhood gossipall while privately questioning whether their own child could be capable of the unthinkable. 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. The peace Laurie found when the charges against Jacob were dropped is irreversibly disturbed. Andy tries to forget his fathers involvement, but the truth eventually comes out. When Jacob is officially exonerated, Father O'Learyprotects the Barbers from a still-angry Dan Rifkin (Patrick Fischler),the father of the teenage murder victim, Ben. Would it really be that easy to fake a mans suicide by hanging? Andy comes to know from Lynn Canavan that some eyewitnesses had seen an old blue Lincoln car outside Leonards home the night he had died. Upon the recommendation of Jacobs lawyer, Andy and Laurie send Jacob to a genetic specialist, Dr. Vogel. I like that its ambiguous, that it could have been premeditated or that shes trying to put them both out of their misery, Dockery says. When she realises Andy knows about Patzs murder she blames Jacob because nobody but Andy knows about Patz, so Jacob is anyways safe. I wouldnt extend it to another season just to simply spend more time with these characters. "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. While driving, she asks her son to tell her the truth. Could Jacob have been responsible? He tries to forget about this, but the truth comes out. The show keeps you guessing right up to the end (and beyond) about exactly what did happen to Ben (Liam Kilbreth), to Hope (Jessi Case), with OLeary (William Xifaras) and Billy Barber (J.K. Simmons) and of course what the future holds for Andy, Laurie (Michelle Dockery) and Jacob. Defending Jacob: Who Is The Real Killer Of Ben Rifkin (Spoiler Alert ). 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. Andy wanted the best lawyer in the town for Jacob's defense, so he approached Joanna Klein, who seemingly shared a good professional relationship with Andy. Defending Jacob doesnt confirm whether Jacob murdered Ben, but all signs point towards him doing so. 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. Was it a split-second decision, or did she plan it? 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. New episodes of Defending Jacob will be released every Friday through May 29. 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. After seeing Mrs Rifkin, she feels so upset she wants Jacob to tell Andy he did it so she can relax. So all Im really interested in at the end of the day is: What do Andy and Laurie think he might or might not have done? Ashley Lee is a staff reporter at the Los Angeles Times, where she writes about theater, movies, television and the bustling intersection of the stage and the screen. Andy knows how tensed Laurie has been earlier, so he decides not to tell her anything. Defending Jacob Episode 7 officially sets Jacob's trial into motion. ALSO READ | Homecoming Season 2 Ending Explained | How does Walter gets his final revenge? When Laurie sees the henchmans car. 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. Andy decides not to tell Laurie and Jacob. Did Jacob kill Ben, what does the murder gene have to do with it and what are the differences from the book? Retiring to their room after a romantic meal, Andy and Laurie find Jacob back earlier than expected - without Hope or the white shirt hed worn. Thats the crux of the problem Laurie is facing: Shell never, ever get the truth. The suicide, confession and photographs that were deleted by Leonard from his phone point at the fact that he murdered Ben. Published: Friday, 29th May 2020 at 11:52 am. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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.". Jacob is in a coma. The new Apple TV+ miniseries, Defending Jacob, is sure to suck you in if it's anything like the book it's based on. As it turns out, Father O'Leary never intended to harm Laurie or Jacob. Set in Massachusetts, Defending Jacob revolves around the Barber family. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Whether Laurie remembers her own motivation for the crash is also up in the air, but creator Bomback says its much more likely shes decided to go along with Andys version of events that it was a horrible accident than the truth that its something she purposefully (though potentially subconsciously) did. I like this tragic notion of were in a prison of our own making as were leaving these characters. Despite Jacobs protestations that he didnt, Laurie refuses to believe him. Wes Anderson Directing Star Wars? Outside, the rain pours and makes navigation difficult. Hope cannot be found the next day and the Mexico police think of Jacob as the prime suspect. Laurie starts to believe that Jacob might have killed Ben after Andy tells her about his finding. And I think for each of them, theyre going to always have a lingering doubt.. Billy pointedly asks Andy if he is sure, which might be an indicator that he intends to do something about it. Laurie - also hospitalised with various injuries - is told by Andy that the jury voted in favour of a car accident, and he heads home to sit quietly in Jacobs room as the credits roll. 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+. 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. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Jacobs online habits are pretty odd, its true, but liking weird stuff on the internet does not make you a killer. Jacob is installed as the chief suspect by Mexicos police and the Barbers are rigorously interviewed. Jacob immediately befriends a fellow teenager named Hope who, the morning after a party, has mysteriously gone missing. Unable to hide the truth any longer, Andy gets drunk and tells Laurie about his fathers involvement. Will he think that I tried to kill him or not?'" The ending of AppleTV+'s 'Defending Jacob' series diverts from William Landay's 2012 novel in two key ways. There has been a lot of stress, so why not go relax. I would rather leave that to your imagination. 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. Laurie tells him to let go but he doesnt. After all Jacob rarely spoke for himself throughout the book, although he was the defendant and it was important to remain in a neutral sense. In the novel which tells the story solely from Andys perspective Hope is eventually found dead, and Laurie never learns of the forced confession. Well, what am I playing here? In the novel, youre a little more sure Jacob did do it, because of the disappearance of Hope, said Bomback. After weeks of twists and turns, Defending Jacobs finale had one final shock up its sleeve. A few days later, he was murdered. Laurie becomes convinced again that Jacob killed Ben, even though Hope turns up alive the following day. Shes been an entertainment journalist for more than 15 years previously working at DVD & Blu-ray. Is that red mark on his bathing trunks really ketchup, or could it be blood? Apple has a policy that villians in tv shows or movies can't use Apple Products. Cookie Notice In case you are wondering who killed Ben, we are sorry to disappoint you because theres no evidence presented in the show as to whether Jacob is the killer or not. Landay never had a problem with the idea of making changes from the novel. DEFENDING JACOB Ending Explained Breakdown & Spoiler Talk Review | Did Jacob Kill Ben? Jacob's parents, Laurie and Andy, try to help get him out. Jacob reveals that he found Ben's body and didn't tell anyone. We learn that Jacob does not have this gene, but his grandfather and father do. He may have told local bad boy Matt McGrath (Hale Lytle) that he was interested in someone called Ben while he was propositioning Matt but Matts hardly a reliable witness having already lied to the police once, and he doesnt turn up for Jacobs trial. When a local teenager named Ben Rifkin is found dead, Jacob quickly becomes the primary suspect due to comments made on social media, both by himself and classmates. This Lincoln car is similar to the one Father OLeary drives. 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. It was an accident. So what if Jacob was actually innocent all along? Derek yoo and sara because of the blackmail, Scan this QR code to download the app now. 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? 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. They go out on a romantic meal together, but Andy and Laurie see Jacob back home earlier than expected and not in the same white shirt that he had worn. Reading the case file, Andy finds out from eyewitness accounts that an old blue Lincoln car - the same one Father OLeary drives - was seen outside of Patzs apartment complex on the night he died. Perhaps, Andy starts to feel that it could be his fault. He confessed that he was the one who killed Ben. But Bens mother Joan was struggling to cope. Youre at the mercy of the narrative in the same way that Andy and Laurie are.. Andy had always suspected Patz, and after the police get the . Defending Jacob is a limited series made for Apple TV. In an attempt to put this whole ordeal behind them, the family heads to Mexico for a quiet vacation. Next: Apple TV+ Is Most Divisive Streaming Service. AppleTV+s new crime drama Defending Jacob is a twisty turny tale which focuses on a father (Chris Evans) whose 14-year-old son Jacob (Jaeden Martell) is accused of murdering one of his classmates. The body rolls down the hill and she goes to see if he is dead. The ending of Defending Jacob might not prove to be completely satisfactory for viewers. 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. I dont think that our ending is any less bleak than the ending of the book, Bomback added. His grandfather is a convicted killer but his father is an upstanding member of the community, albeit one with a tendency towards reckless behaviour. Still,Laurie becomes convinced that her son is guilty, and tearfully breaks the news to her husband. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action, premise seems like a simple murder investigation, Mark Ruffalo didn't warn Chris Evans about, Chris Evans on why taking the Buzz Lightyear role was similar to playing Captain America. Patz (Daniel Henshall) had pictures of Ben on his phone and a history of paedophilia. 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. Andy's drunken emotional breakdowneffectively splits the family apart. But logic suggests that he's a quiet teenager who was bullied by classmates, and made some questionable comments for attention. You can unsubscribe at any time. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. And now this murderer is walking free and even though its my own son, its my fault.. The new Apple TV+ miniseries, Defending Jacob, is sure to suck you in if its anything like the book its based on. The open-ended show leaves it to the viewers to decide on it. 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. When a young girl named Hope goes missing under mysterious circumstances, Andy can't help but wonder whether Jacob might be involvedagain. Andy sits in Jacobs room quietly as the show ends. At the request of his sons lawyer, Andy visits his dad behind bars, who acts indifferent towards Jacobs plight. Andy then confronts his father Billy about this. Andys journey has been this challenge to own up to everything that hes been trying to conceal: He comes clean about who his father is, and he tells Laurie the truth [about the forced confession], even if it means destroying everything hes been fighting to preserve this whole time. anything about her. Laurie is now convinced that Jacob had killed Benand possibly Hope as well. Fox doesnt think hell live to be 80: Every day its tougher, Jerry Springer kept his aggressive cancer a family secret in his final months. 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. Another suspect in the case is Leonard Patz. The possibility of the murder gene is floated. He's also the founding editor at Vague Visages, and has contributed to RogerEbert.com and Fandor. < Defending Jacob ending explained: Did Jacob Barber murder Ben Rifkin? That is what leads her to distrust her own son and crash the car. Apple TV+'s Defending Jacob miniseries ends with some closure, but not everything is resolved. Jacob Barbers fingerprint is found on Bens sweater and Jacob is arrested. The novel begins with Andy (played by Chris Evans in the show) suspecting the perpetrator to be local pedophile Leonard Patz. I loved it you really feel that shes unraveling, recalled Tyldum. The big reveal is foreshadowed by various meetings between Andy and Billy, with the latter refusing to offer any help. Andy - who has been questioned by fellow attorney Neal Loguidice (Pablo Schreier) at a hearing about the accident throughout the series - refuses to implicate Laurie. All Rights Reserved. The car crashes. He possessed a knife very similar to the one that killed Ben Rifkin. A.I. Ben was found in Cold Spring Park the morning Jacob walked to school. She may not have specifically been trying to kill him or indeed both of them but the crash wasnt an accident. Jacob tells police that he tried to revive Ben after spotting his body in the woods, which would explain the presence of his fingerprint, but they still keep him in jail overnight. Lastly, it can also be presumed that Andy is thinking about Jacob. But when Laurie asks him who else knows he says nobody knows. At the end Andy is alone at his home. When Laurie wakes up in the hospital, she insists that the crash was an accident, but Andy isn't so sure. 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. 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. 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. Its more just a process of elimination.. Stabbed three times in the chest, his body was found on a dirt path in Cold Spring Park by Paula Gianetto . Jacob was not a suspect to begin with and his father, Andy Barber, worked on the case and Leonard Patz was a suspect initially . Did Jacob kill Ben? 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. So thats what I was going for, and it is different than the book. In both cases, something happens to a young girl during the vacation. While that is completely understandable as a parent, that is the turning point.. Onscreen, Hope turns up alive. However, there are some major changes in the series. More:Is Defending Jacob A True Story?
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