Lechuguilla Based on an infamous real-life case, "Karla" tells the story of a woman named Karla Homolka (Laura Prepon) who gets involved with an upwardly mobile and superficially charming Paul Bernardo (Misha Collins), a man who evaded arrest as the real-life "Scarborough Rapist". In the film, the two hunt down several young girls who are eventually murdered, either by Karla or by Paul. The attacks took place, and the movie is set, in Ontario, Canada, near Toronto. The time period is the early 1990s.What I find annoying here is the script's POV and plot structure. The entire film is told from Homolka's point of view which, not surprisingly, minimizes her involvement in the various crimes, and to some extent paints her as something of an abused victim of Bernardo. Further, the awful crimes are told in flashback, as she relates them to a prison psychiatrist. These in-house prison scenes are dull and slow. Though Homolka no doubt bears a lot of responsibility for what happened, the real devil here is Paul Bernardo. And the script should have been a straightforward rendering of the murders wherein both Karla and Paul were present.Casting and acting are fine. Photography contains a lot of side lighting, which casts a gloomy mood over many scenes. Some of the music is eerie and ominous, which foreshadows oncoming dreadful actions.There was at least one attempt to ban this film, which would have amounted to censorship. Many viewers hate this movie because they feel like it's an attempt to capitalize on human suffering. But many crime films are based on true-life murders and other non-fiction tragedies.The appropriate audience for this film would be viewers who are interested in true crime, and who can look dispassionately on the people involved, including villains. I'm glad I saw "Karla" because it is based on a real-life case, but I don't think I want to watch it again.

crystpc19 Although i hate that things like this happen in reality, movies like the above help to make us understand that evil lurks around every corner no matter where you are or who you are.Things like this happen everyday and we need to be aware of that for our kids,our friends, our neighbors and our families!Cases have gone unsolved and people like Paul and Karla deserve to be punished for their actions and crimes. I definitely recommend this title to anyone who has an open mind.This is not a movie for younger audiences, so don't pop it in on family night.Some scenes may be very disturbing as they involve rape, violence and murder.

ShempMyMcMalley Well, I have written reviews about people wrongly convicted, as in the movie "The Trials of Darryl Hunt" (a must-see), a scary discourse on a sometime court procedural. And now conversely, a comment about someone rightfully convicted. However, she didn't nearly get her due behind bars. So I guess that's not so "rightfully." Hence, I guess sometimes 'justice' (whatever that word means) - is like the wind and leaves. On any given day, it scatters about to and with the whim of the day.As a movie, this has the feel of Lifetime or the Hallmark channel written all over it. It is basically Karla at her eight-year prison mark meeting with a psychiatrist and discussing events from her case in hopes of parole. We see everything in retrospect - as she and the shrink discuss it. Prepon is good and goes through the motions of what this unfortunate script requires. I recommend watching a documentary rather than this dramatization. It is better towards the end, but with all the movies available, unless you're ardently following this case - skip it.Sidenote: With all due respect to the victims - this can be quite funny in a few spots, but only in the way tragedy borders on comedy. Megalomaniac-psychopath-sociopath-misanthropic Bernardo, GET this, actually thinks he's a rapper. These scenes when he is attempting to rap somewhat place you in a vortex and you're caught in a glazing gaze not knowing what to think or do. I laughed. But in the confusion of blowing leaves - it's not so easy to know what to do.

slbarnett-687-383109 This movie seemed to try to make the view feel compassion for sorrow for Karla but she showed none to her victims. She and her husband should have been given the death penalty. I don't understand how she could be out of prison and I don't understand how a movie could be made to show any compassion for her. She deserves none! This is another case of a film trying to gain sympathy for the killer and none for the victims or the victim's families. Prepon did an awesome job portraying Karla Holumka. I was ready to feel sorry for her until I read more about her true character. The movie should have shown more of her real self instead of the innocent victim portrayed in the movie Karla. This was a frightening movie because of the truth of it and because of the truth left out of it.