Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired | Rotten Tomatoes

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

Released Jul 11, 2008

1 hr. 40 min.

Documentary

Crime

Drama

List

85%

48 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

In this acclaimed documentary, Marina Zenovich probes the sexual misconduct case against world-renowned director Roman Polanski. Arrested for drugging and then having sex with a minor in 1977, Polanski famously pled guilty and fled the United States for France before sentencing, fearing a corrupt judge. Zenovich explores the events of that year in depth through archived footage, and also examines Polanski's tragic past, including the murder of his wife Sharon Tate, and surviving the Holocaust.

Read More

Read Less

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired on Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Prime Video, Apple TV.

Critics Consensus

A courtroom drama and an exploration of celebrity and responsibility.

Read Critics Reviews

Audience Member

Made by and for Polanski apologists. I wholeheartedly agree with critic Miller's assessment of the film: "A premeditated act of propaganda in the service of exoneration with a creative genius defense, instead of remorse." Thankfully a decade later, the inherent idea behind this film is that obvious. Along with the powerful #MeToo movement, a creeper like Polanski is more likely to be held accountable. How "Hollywood" let predators like Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, and Harvey Weinstein (just a few) get away with sexual crimes just because they have a talent to subjectively entertain, is ludicrous and reprehensible. Serving sentenced time, paying fees/damages, being listed if required, and receiving mandatory therapy with appropriate monitoring is the aim of todayâ(TM)s justice for the victim(s). I had hoped this 2008 doc would shed light on how things were handled so out-of-hand; how perpetrators and their victims were treated, previous to this more transparent and less forgiving time period, when some powerful person or group decides to "turn a blind eye" (often repeatedly, as with the Catholic Church too), but isn't necessarily getting a free pass or the closest thing to it...the ability to readily flee after big bail money hits the court clerkâ(TM)s countertop. In recent cases, ankle monitoring has likely prevented similar avoidance and actual runs from the law. Sexual predation, by men or women, should NEVER be acceptable or "excused", like we see in Marina Zenovich's apologist film. -January 2019

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Even-handed review of the Polanski statutory rape case that manages to make relatively clear the legal shenanigans that have been involved while also making it clear that the director was guilty. Just taking one look at the school photo of the 13-year-girl makes you realize how wrong he was - so young. I don't think it mitigates things to ponder the fact that Polanski's parents died in the Holocaust and his wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered by the Manson family. In archive interviews, Polanski himself seems to brush off the seriousness of the charges, as did the French, who received him when he fled the US. However, this documentary does make it clear just how much Polanski was jerked around by the judge, a publicity-seeking knob (as suggested by both prosecution and defense lawyers in interviews), and why he decided to escape to avoid any further complications in the case and its resolution. I didn't realize that the film was 8 years ago and therefore omits the most recent moves by the U. S. to extradite Polanski again and their unwillingness to allow him to wrap things up with "time served" as even the victim and her family now think should happen. I'm of two minds - 42 days isn't much of a sentence (the time he actually spent in prison) - but 40 years in exile might be. As a parent (albeit of boys), it is hard not to see the ugly side of things and hard not to doubt the complicity of the victim at the time. All told, this is a lot of talking heads to watch but director Marina Zenovich keeps things interesting.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

(***): [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Review to Come For now: Mia Farrow, you nutty hypocrite . . .

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Documentary accurately concentrates on the events surrounding the Polanski rape trial.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I'm a little obsessed with Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate and found this documentary fascinating. Whilst he did a disgusting thing, the media and the courts did little to protect the victim/s.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Marina Zenovich

Director

Andrew Braunsberg

Actor

Samantha Geimer

Actor

Mia Farrow

Actor

Gene Gutowski

Actor

Hawk Koch

Actor

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

%

%

Fern Brady: Autistic Bikini Queen

%

%

Tiger

%

%

Tigers on the Rise

%

%

Hip-Hop and The White House

93%

%

Something You Said Last Night

%

92%

La Cha Cha

%

%

Max Beyond

%

%

City Hunter

TRAILER

for City Hunter

%

%

Holy Irresistible

%

%

Breathe

TRAILER

for Breathe

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Sydney Film Festival: The Agony and The Ecstasy

RT on DVD: RocknRolla, Mary Poppins, and Zodiac and Bourne Hit Blu-ray

Broadcast Film Critics Name Critics’ Choice Winners

View more photos

John Leonard

New York Magazine/Vulture

He claims here to have been influenced early on by Snow White. I should have thought Peter Pan instead.

Jan 5, 2018

Full Review

Ben Kenigsberg

Time Out

Rated: 4/5

Nov 18, 2011

Full Review

Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out

Rated: 4/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

If you're not a diehard fan of Polanski I can't see the pic holding your attention, as it lacks intrigue.

Rated: C+

Nov 17, 2013

Full Review

Jennifer Merin

About.com

"Zenovich's film is a fair and skillful chronicling of the Roman Polanski case, and a study of how the circumstances of celebrity influence the carrying out of justice in the U.S. It's not an in-depth study of the filmmaker's psychology nor of how his lif

Rated: 4/5

Sep 30, 2009

Full Review

Prairie Miller

NewsBlaze

The film's verdict is that Polanski is too distinguished to persecute by placing him in a prison among, well, criminals. Wanted And Desired: A premeditated act of propaganda in the service of exoneration with a creative genius defense, instead of remorse.

Sep 27, 2009

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

In this acclaimed documentary, Marina Zenovich probes the sexual misconduct case against world-renowned director Roman Polanski. Arrested for drugging and then having sex with a minor in 1977, Polanski famously pled guilty and fled the United States for France before sentencing, fearing a corrupt judge. Zenovich explores the events of that year in depth through archived footage, and also examines Polanski's tragic past, including the murder of his wife Sharon Tate, and surviving the Holocaust.

Director: Marina Zenovich
Executive Producer: Steven Soderbergh, Randy Wooten
Screenwriter: Joe Bini, P.G. Morgan, Marina Zenovich
Distributor: ThinkFilm
Production Co: BBC, Antidote Films
Genre: Documentary, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 11, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $59.2K

Most Popular at Home Now