In 1994, a live broadcast of O.J. Simpson’s white Bronco racing down the LA freeway crashed televisions across the country; it was the start of a very complex story about the criminal justice system, race, abuse, and celebrity. Let’s not forget, the LA riots took place just two years earlier; many saw O.J.’s prosecution as yet another incident in which the LAPD prejudicially sought to convict black men. And then there’s the notion that celebrities can get away with anything (while Simpson raced down the highway, fans lined the road cheering him on, “Run, O.J., run!”). Simpson had allegedly physically abused his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson for years before she was found murdered; the lack of legal consequences for those instances was the first sign of his ability to manipulate the criminal justice system. Two decades later, Simpson’s story sounds all too familiar.
Gooding Jr.’s emotional performance almost made me feel bad for Simpson until I was reminded again that he totally did it—or did he? (He did.) Even though we all know how the story ends, the pacing, performances, and dramatic flair of American Crime Story makes everything feel fresh and unpredictable.
