Johnny vs. Amber: The US Trial Story:-
The two-part documentary, now available for streaming on discovery+, provides separate accounts of the events from Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, albeit with cooperation from Depp’s legal team, but not Heard’s.
Movie Ratings
| Release Date | 19 September 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Episodes | 2 |
| Creator | Eliana Capitani |
| Cast | Johnny Depp, Amber Heard |
| Writer | Eliana Capitani |
| Producer | Jack McKay |
| Production | Optomen Television |
| Certificate | 13+ |
Following his legal defeat in a London lawsuit against The Sun, which labeled him a wife-beater, Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp initiates a defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard. This legal action stems from Heard’s Op-Ed piece alleging domestic abuse, although she did not explicitly name Depp. The fallout from her article resulted in Depp’s temporary tarnishing of reputation. Filed in Fairfax County, where SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) laws are not applicable, the suit diverges from the usual jurisdiction of California, where both individuals reside.
The decision to produce a documentary on the highly publicized trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard prompts the question: Why revisit a case that garnered immense global attention? Earlier this year, the courtroom drama captivated millions worldwide, with media outlets meticulously analyzing every spoken word. Given the extensive coverage, one might wonder about the necessity of rehashing these details. Unfortunately, the documentary offers little novelty, essentially reinforcing Heard’s narrative of speaking out against abuse and facing repercussions for doing so.
After Johnny Depp lost his defamation case against The Sun, he redirected his legal battle towards his ex-wife, Amber Heard, ultimately emerging victorious after a six-week trial, during which the jurors were permitted to return home each day. Supposedly, the judge instructed the jurors to refrain from using social media and following the case during the trial. However, expecting them to comply with such a directive seems implausible, especially in a case as widely discussed as this one. Social media platforms were inundated with viral trial videos and countless opinions, the majority of which surprisingly favored Johnny. And as we all know, he ultimately prevailed in the case.
While the trial unfolded in the US, I occasionally kept up with updates and couldn’t help but notice the outpouring of support for Johnny, despite his evident flaws. He certainly isn’t the paragon of virtue that his legal team attempted to portray him as. Both he and Amber have their share of issues, yet the public seemed to embrace Johnny’s bad-boy persona while vilifying her. She wasn’t judged by the same standards as he was, highlighting the injustice she faced, as depicted to some extent in the documentary through expert testimonies from those closely following the trial.
Verdict: When a colleague mentioned the existence of a new documentary covering the Johnny vs. Amber trial, both of us questioned its purpose. After viewing the two episodes, I must admit, I found it rather futile. I didn’t gain any new insights from watching it. If you were already invested in the case and followed its developments through various media channels, there’s little value in watching this documentary. And if you were indifferent to the case previously, you haven’t missed out on much. This documentary isn’t worth your time or effort.
