If the Apple TV+ series stays faithful to the book, here's what'll happen to the 14-year-old. And now this murderer is walking free and even though its my own son, its my fault.. Disappearance At Clifton Hill Ending Explained: How Does Abby Solve The Kidnapping Case. 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. Distraught after learning about the cover-up, Laurie drives her car into a wall with Jacob inside. Of course, not everyone is convinced. 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. This was one of the most critical scenes because you have to believe that a mother is able to kill herself and her own son, that the uncertainty and the guilt becomes too much, said Tyldum. Billy had asked Father OLeary to go to Patz and ask him to take the charge upon him, strangling him to death later. Despite his discovery, Andy believes Jacob is innocent, as does his wife Laurie (portrayed on screen by Michelle Dockery). Andy gets drunk and revealshis fathers involvement with Laurie. I felt like the ending was really interesting largely because I thought the show was highlighting her ability to see Jacob's darkness because of some darkness within herself. But is the high school student really a killer? We did that scene quite a lot in the car because if it was too on the nose, it was too obvious that she was doing something that she thought through. Actor (s) Liam Kilbreth. He left the party early after arguing with her, and didnt text her once hed left like he promised. But then a witness goes missing, and Jacob's fascination with the macabre, like "The . Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Later when the family are in Mexico Andy drunkenly tells Laurie he thinks his dad was responsible. The case becomes more complicated when it is discovered that Andys father is a convicted murderer, serving his sentence in prison currently. There is one single piece of proof that can prove how Jacob can't be Bens killer. 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. Here's what the science says. The lack of confidence in Jacob shatters both parents; they can't know for sure if their son is innocent. But since the episode closes with Lauries bedside regrets and Andys quiet moment in Jacobs room, They wind up actually flipping at the end, where Andy seems to be quite aware of what his son might have done, and Laurie is willing to accept a lie to preserve their family and move on. 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. Though Andy is questioned about the crash, he refuses to cooperate or incriminate Laurie in Jacobs death. He chooses to lie again. When she realises Andy knows about Patzs murder she blames Jacob because nobody but Andy knows about Patz, so Jacob is anyways safe. 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. Laurie gets distant from Andy and Jacob and goes to Rifkin's'to confess about Jacob. More incriminating evidence is released at trial, including a story Jacob posted online thats eerily similar to Bens murder. One of the most attractive features of the Apple TV+ series is certainly its stellar cast. Bens father Dan, however, meets the Barbers in a car park but is stopped by a henchman who was stalking the Barbers. Jacob is targetedbecause he's a social outcastwith obvious communication issues. I would rather leave that to your imagination. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? Its told through Andys eyes and its not clear whether the crash is an accident or not, though Andy refuses to incriminate Laurie at all. RELATED: Defending Jacob Just Dealt the Barber Family a Shocking Blow. 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. The tragic irony is, he didnt have to, and Hope is found.. All Rights Reserved. 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. It shows the negative impact of wrongful accusations. Bomback says. Benjamin "Ben" Rifkin was the son of Dan and Joan Rifkin. Defending Jacob ending explained: Did Jacob kill Ben. At this point, Andy reveals to his wife that his father, Billy Barber, is currently serving a life sentence in prison for rape and murder. Jacob is initially surprised, and then frightened as his mother drives erratically. Defending Jacob Review: Chris Evans Stars in a Twisty Crime Drama, Den Of Geek Book Club: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, Always Sunny to Talking Sopranos: The Best TV Rewatch Podcasts Hosted By Cast & Creators, The Star Trek Story Bridging the Gaps Between Deep Space Nine and Picard, Taskmaster and The Underrated Comic Genius of Kiell Smith-Bynoe. Andy storms out but refuses to tell Laurie (Michelle Dockery) what happened. But I think if you read the book and you like the book, hopefully youll be a little sideswiped by this in a good way., Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day, Inside the business of TV with breaking news, expert analysis and showrunner interviews. Her body turns up several weeks later, and an autopsy discovers that her windpipe had been crushed. Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery and creator Mark Bomback explain what happens and why the series ends on a more ambiguous note than the book. And so, the argument can be made for both Jacob and Patz. MCU superstar Chris Evans portrays the patriarchal figure, a lawyer named Andy Barber. Chris Evans character Andy learns to own up to everything that hes been trying to conceal, said Defending Jacob creator Mark Bomback. Related:Defending Jacob Cast Guide: Where You've Seen The Actors Before. Patz because of some pedo infatuation. ALSO READ | Disappearance At Clifton Hill Ending Explained: How Does Abby Solve The Kidnapping Case? On its surface, Defending Jacob looks a lot like your traditional whodunnit. Andy carries the knowledge that his son may not be innocent all the way until the Barbers go on vacation in an attempt to destress after the trial. Read More: Is Defending Jacob Based on a True Story? 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. ALSO READ | The Vast Of Night Ending Explained: What Happens To Everett And Fay At The End? In the car while they wait for Andy and their lawyer, Laurie decides to tell Jacob the truth, unaware he saw the whole thing. Jacob reveals that he found Ben's body and didn't tell anyone. The revelation allows Jacob to walk free. The book and the show end differently but both come with a crushing blow. The dark truth may be that someone elsein the community just may be the real killer - someone who steadily appears on camera but never exhibits any suspicious behavior. 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. Based on William Landay'seponymous 2012 novel and adapted for television by Mark Bomback,Defending Jacob began its eight-episode run on April 24, 2020 and concluded on May 20, 2020. I was always interested in this idea that you can build your whole life on a foundation that has a lie within it, Bomback continued. The book version: The Barbers head off to the Caribbean and Jacob . Due to the finding of Jacobs fingerprints on Bens body and the discovery that Jacob used to carry a knife to school, he (Jacob) becomes the prime suspect. The novel begins with Andy (played by Chris Evans in the show) suspecting the perpetrator to be local pedophile Leonard Patz. She was really good at her job as well. https://nerdround.com/ Defending Jacob Season Finale Explained | Who Killed Ben Rifkin ?#defendingjacob #whokilledbenrifkin #nerdroundMake Sure To Subscribe . Convinced that her son killed both teens, she ultimately sacrifices herself in order to save her sons future victims. Billy sent Father OLeary to force Patz to confess to Bens murder, before strangling him to death and making it look like suicide, to prevent Jacob ending up in prison like him. 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. Could Jacob have been responsible? 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. It would have to spring from some idea that hasnt occurred to me yet that would really feel as compelling as I hope this season has, he said. It's another change from Landay's original novel: In the book, Jacob dies in the crash. I do think Jacob was guilty and just had zero remorse for anything. She is currently working remotely alongside her dog, Oliver. However, Andy finds out that his father had arranged for Patz to be threatened into writing a confession and be killed. Would it really be that easy to fake a mans suicide by hanging? In Defending Jacob Episode 7, the trial begins, and the prosecution does not hold back. Jacobs classmate, Ben Rifkin, is found stabbed to death in a park. Defending Jacob is streaming now on Apple TV+ check out what else is on with our TV Guide, Try 12 issues for 1 today - never miss an issue. Andy finds out that a pedophile named Leonard Patz may have killed Ben. 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.. If the TV adaptation stays faithful to the book, then viewers will be left guessing when it comes to Jacobs guilt. It did bother me, that the night during the trial that Andy and Laurie heard an animal being . She takes Jacob with her for a haircut but confronts him, to tell the truth. But later, in the hospital, she doesnt appear to remember what happened, and both she and Jacob will likely recover. Andy has kept his feelings bottled inside for years, whether protecting Jacob throughout his trial or lying about his father's incarceration, but the disappearance of Hope is the thing that finally breaks him, and he tells Laurie the truth about Patz. The Defending Jacobendingdoes not unveil whether Jacob did kill Ben. Its the result of such a frayed, eroded sense of youre just at your wits end.. Conversely though, at the end its his mother who is an attempted murderer. And I think for each of them, theyre going to always have a lingering doubt.. Did Jacob do it in 'Defending Jacob'? The Barbers were on a holiday when Jacob meets Hope Connors. We want people to watch it and say, Holy , Morten Tyldum, who directed all eight episodes, told The Times. One could argue that Jacob'sodd behaviorimplies that he did indeed kill his classmate, Ben. In the novel, youre a little more sure Jacob did do it, because of the disappearance of Hope, said Bomback. The ending of the series is much more ambiguous than the book in William Landays 2012 novel, the girl Jacob meets on vacation turns up dead, confirming Lauries worst suspicions. While driving Jacob to get his haircut, Laurie asks him if he killed Ben. ProsecutorNeal Logiudice (Pablo Schreiber) finds a way to connect Andy's father being in prison with Jacob's trial. 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? But it wasnt written with that intention, and its not really something Im actively working on right now.. Wes Anderson Directing Star Wars? When the ending rolls around, Jacob's mother has become convinced of his guilt and attempts to get . She cleans the knife in the water and goes home. Did Jacob kill Ben? Jacobs fingerprint is on Bens jacket but Jacob says that got there when he found the body but didnt tell anyone. Mark Jacob is a journalist, media critic, and former metro editor at the Chicago Tribune. But then Hope show up, unharmed, after being drugged by vacationers. But will Laurie ever be forgiven by Jacob, who clings to life in a separate hospital room? Defending Jacob Plot Summary: Jacob's classmate, Ben Rifkin, is found stabbed to death in a park. Jacob, Patz, Derek, Sarah, or even Billys henchman couldve done it. The family goes home immediately. Shes been an entertainment journalist for more than 15 years previously working at DVD & Blu-ray. "That to me was a really interesting and tragic moment that nevertheless felt like a moment of growth for the character. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. 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. Trailer Mimicking Filmmakers Style Divides Social Media, On the Set of The Masked Singer: How the Team Produced the Show Safely During the Pandemic, This Is Us Star Sterling K. Brown and Writer-Director Kay Oyegun on Crafting an Emotional Story About Randalls Birth Mom, The Crown: All the Details About Its Final Three Seasons, 'Awards Chatter' Podcast Chris Evans ('Defending Jacob'), How Boston-Based 'Defending Jacob' Landed Hometown Hero Chris Evans, John Oliver Mocks Matthew McConaugheys Five-Hour Virtual Motivational Seminar, The Morning Show Snags Early Season 4 Renewal at Apple TV+, Barry Star Sarah Goldberg on Sallys Point of No Return: Its the Final Nail in the Coffin, Succession Director on Filming That Surprise Cameo and Tying Up Her Kendall Trilogy, Melanie Lynskey Says Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson Lent Their Trailers on Mrs. "In a purely storytelling way, I'm not sure a definitive answer one way or the other would have been necessarily any more satisfying," says Bomback, who adapted the show from William Landay's 2012 novel. We don't yet know the story behind Tucker Carlson's firing. Though, the book does lean towards suggesting that Jacob might be the actual killer. Defending Jacob Cast Guide: Where You've Seen The Actors Before, Is Defending Jacob A True Story? While that is completely understandable as a parent, that is the turning point.. According to Billy, Andycan either be a good man or be a good father; hegets to "choose." I think he was a seriously screwed up kid. Youre at the mercy of the narrative in the same way that Andy and Laurie are.. You really feel that shes unraveling, said Defending Jacob director Morten Tyldum of Michelle Dockerys character, Laurie. A later deposition reveals that Laurie began the day by calling attorney Joanna Klein early in the morning, along with Dr. Vogel. Not Quite, Apple TV+ Is Most Divisive Streaming Service. Hes pulled off the case after his son Jacob, a classmate of the victim, is arrested for the crime. It must be Jacobs lucky day, says a brawny old friend of Billy (J.K. Simmons), Andys estranged father, who is currently serving a life sentence in prison for murder.

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