Matt DeHart may not have the same name recognition as Julian Assange or Chelsea Manning, but his self-proclaimed capability to expose the U.S. government for what they truly are: emotionless, ruthless, international murderers is just as feared as the actions of the aforementioned WikiLeaks founder and US Army vet turned whistleblower. In the new documentary Enemies of the State, viewers are introduced to the DeHart family, a nerdy and frantic family of three, who find themselves at the center of espionage accusations when Matt’s ties to Anonymous and the dark web are exposed.
Convinced of Matt’s innocence, the DeHart’s believe that they’re being unfairly targeted by the government in a wild conspiracy theory, which sends them to seek asylum in Canada. Perhaps they’re on to something, but their claims weaken when evidence of child pornography on Matt’s computer (plus victim statements) directly point to him. But Mr. DeHart, a current pastor, and Mrs. DeHart are in denial; instead of confronting the possibility that their son might be guilty, they come up with varied excuses. Many times throughout the film we are left wondering, are they really that oblivious, blinded by a parent’s love? Or is the truth really stranger than fiction?
Nominated for “Best Documentary Feature” at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, Enemies of the State was brought to the screen by some heavy-hitters. Directed by Sonia Kennebeck and executive produced by Errol Morris, the film is a hybrid blend of documentary and fiction storytelling from the perspective of unreliable, biased narrators, which makes for an anxious watch. While Matt’s parents are in the film playing themselves, Matt is played by actor Joel Widman (the reason for Matt’s absence is explained in the film). Interviews with government officials, lawyers, and reporters are all real, including the sound recordings from Matt’s court trial, but set to a fabricated recreation of those court scenes.
The aesthetic of Enemies of the State feels as sterile as the maximum-security prison cell Matt was kept in, stripped bare and unforgiving. It’s a twisty story that I found myself rewinding a couple of times throughout my watch both out of fascination and confusion, the delivery here not being as strong or punchy as its cinematic counterparts like The Imposter or The Thin Blue Line. However, Enemies of the State is thrilling enough to satisfy that true crime craving.
Distributed by IFC Films. Opening in select Laemmle Theaters and on VOD on Friday, July 30.
