Many of you might not know her, but some of you might. As the name suggests, the documentary revolves around professional cyclist Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson. The documentary begins with a beautiful clip from 1996, showing a baby Moriah. Many other sweet clippings from her childhood are shown to us with her near and dear ones telling us about her. And then we see her flourishing as a professional cyclist. Then, suddenly, we hear sobbing of a friend who had panicked and called 911 to inform us that her friend Moriah was not breathing and was injured. That is when the tone gets serious, and now we all know what happened to Moriah. The makers waste no time in showing that Moriah was murdered and how her friend became a suspect. But we all know the truth that she wasn’t the one who was killed. Moriah was murdered in what could be called the case of a love triangle between her and another cyclist’s one-time girlfriend, who ultimately killed her. It is sad to know how a promising cyclist didn’t live long enough to pursue her dreams. The makers also throw light on how problematic Colin Strickland was. Mo and Strickland started a romantic relationship post his split with Kaitlin Armstrong. One thing led to another, and Amrstsromg ended up shooting Mo fatally.
Throughout the documentary, less light is shed on Moriah Wilson’s career for reasons best known to the makers. I wish they had shown us more of how promising and upcoming Moriah Wilson was. They directly land on the day the murder took place. That sort of creates a bit of confusion because there are many chances, many of us might not fully know Moriah and how good she was.
Nonetheless, with the help of interviews and clippings, people close to Moriah Wilson come forward to share their experience of the murder and their thoughts on the same. Visibly, even after three years, her loved ones have still not moved on from what happened to their daughter. One can see the pain in their eyes, their voice cracking, and how traumatizing it is to recall what happened on that faithful day. The makers have even shown us the clippings from the interrogation that took place and bits from the entire investigation process. All that for sure is heartbreaking to watch. Her parents frequently appear, being brave enough to talk about their daughter. These things can shake even the viewers. But as I said, a little more focus on Moriah Wilson’s life before the murder could have been shown. “The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson "'s soul focus is on unveiling the truth of the murder case, and it does so successfully.
The pacing is good and doesn’t feel one bit that the case has been dragged. The makers have been mindful enough to present us the truth in a manner that is not over-sensationalized. This makes The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson worth a watch. If you are someone who wants to know about her properly, this documentary is a good watch.
Final Score- [6/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times