The Most Hated Woman in America

The Most Hated Woman in America is an American biographical drama film directed by Tommy O'Haver and written by O'Haver and Irene Turner. It stars Melissa Leo as Madalyn Murray O'Hair.

The Most Hated Woman in America
Film poster
Directed byTommy O'Haver
Produced by
Written by
  • Tommy O'Haver
  • Irene Turner
Starring
Music byAlan Ari Lazar
CinematographyArmando Salas
Edited byMichael X. Flores
Production
company
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • March 14, 2017 (2017-03-14) (SXSW)
  • March 24, 2017 (2017-03-24) (United States)
Running time
91 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 14, 2017. The film was released on March 24, 2017, by Netflix.

Plot

In 1995, Madalyn Murray O'Hair is kidnapped along with her son Garth and granddaughter Robin by three men: David Waters, Gary Karr, and Danny Fry. The three abductees recognize Waters.

The scene then shifts to the early 1960s. Madalyn has had her two sons Garth and the older William J. "Billy Boy" Murray, Jr., out of wedlock and is a proud atheist, which outrages her Christian parents. Madalyn is discomfited to learn that Billy is being forced to recite the Lord's Prayer in school, and she launches a campaign to ban school prayer, which ultimately results in a Supreme Court ruling making mandatory prayer in schools illegal. She quickly becomes one of the most reviled figures in America.

She forms the atheist advocacy group American Atheist, recruiting Garth and Billy. Billy's devotion to his mother destroys his relationship with his wife, and he becomes a bitter alcoholic after she divorces him. He eventually quits drinking and becomes a born-again Christian, causing a deep rift with Madalyn.

Madalyn begins profiting from spirited debates with a local pastor, and putting the money in offshore accounts. She hires Waters to manage the American Atheist branch; he becomes her trusted ally, especially after he confides in her about having murdered someone as a young man. Eventually, however, Waters has a falling out with Madalyn and he is fired from American Atheist. In 1995, Waters demands one million dollars from Madalyn as severance pay, which she refuses. Waters devises the kidnapping as a way to get the money he feels Madalyn owes him.

Reporter Jack Ferguson begins covering the kidnapping, and questions Billy. He gets a sketch artist to draw a picture of Fry. Ferguson joins forces with Madalyn's assistant and they slowly unravel the plot.

Back at the safe house, Karr kills Robin after she refuses his sexual advances. Panicked, Waters and Karr then kill Garth and Fry. Finally, Waters kills Madalyn.

Ferguson finally catches Waters and gets him to confess to the triple murder. Waters and Karr are both arrested and tried.

Closing text reports that Billy now chairs the Religious Freedom Coalition and works to return prayer to public schools.

Cast
  • Melissa Leo as Madalyn Murray O'Hair, an atheist activist.
  • Josh Lucas as David Waters, American Atheists' former manager who masterminds their kidnapping.
  • Michael Chernus as Jon Garth Murray, Madalyn's loyal younger son.
    • Devin Taylor Freeman as teenage Jon Garth Murray
  • Rory Cochrane as Gary Karr, the Murray O'Hairs' kidnapper and murderer.
  • Vincent Kartheiser as William J. "Billy Boy" Murray, Madalyn's elder son who converts to Christianity.
  • Sally Kirkland as Lena Christina, Madalyn's long-suffering mother.
  • Adam Scott as Jack Ferguson, the reporter who first looks into the kidnapping.
  • Juno Temple as Robin Murray O'Hair, Madalyn's devoted granddaughter and Bill's estranged daughter.
  • Alex Frost as Danny Fry, the Murray O'Hairs' kidnapper who also gets killed by Waters and Karr.
  • Brandon Mychal Smith as Roy Collier, Madalyn's right-hand man at American Atheists who first exposes the kidnapping.
  • Peter Fonda as Reverend Bob Harrington, the Christian pastor who did public debates with Madalyn for money.
  • Ryan Cutrona as John Mays, Madalyn's father with whom she had a strained relationship.
  • Anna Camp as Mrs. Lutz, the school teacher of young William Murray who enforces prayers in class.
  • Andy Walken as Young William "Billy Boy" Murray.

Production

On July 8, 2015, it was reported that Netflix would finance and release The Most Hated Woman in America, a film dramatizing the life of Madalyn Murray O'Hair. It would be directed by Tommy O'Haver from his own script and star Melissa Leo as O'Hair.[1] In March 2016, Peter Fonda,[2] Sally Kirkland,[3] Rory Cochrane,[4] Josh Lucas, Adam Scott, Juno Temple, Vincent Kartheiser, Anna Camp, Michael Chernus, and Alex Frost[5] joined the cast.

On March 24, 2016, it was reported that The Most Hated Woman in America had begun filming in the previous week.[5]

Release

The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 14, 2017.[6][7] It was released on March 24, 2017, by Netflix.[8]

Critical reception

The Most Hated Woman in America received mixed reviews from film critics. It holds a 36% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 22 reviews, with a weighted average of 4.62/10.[9] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 41 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[10]

Peter Debruge of Variety gave the film a negative review, writing: "Seems to fall right where you'd expect: slightly better than your average TV movie, while not as good as your typical theatrical release."[11]

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References
  1. McNary, Dave (July 8, 2015). "Netflix Boosts Slate with Melissa Leo's 'Most Hated Woman in America'". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  2. Busch, Anita (March 3, 2016). "Peter Fonda To Be Most Hated Preacher In Netflix's 'Most Hated Woman In America'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  3. Pedersen, Erik (March 8, 2016). "Jimmy O. Yang Joins 'Patriots Day'; Sally Kirkland Cast In 'Most Hated Woman In America'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  4. Pedersen, Erik (March 23, 2016). "'Justice' Rounds Out Cast; Rory Cochrane Nabs 'The Most Hated Woman in America'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  5. Kit, Borys (March 24, 2016). "Josh Lucas, Adam Scott, Juno Temple Join Netflix Drama 'Most Hated Woman in America' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  6. D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 31, 2017). "SXSW 2017 Lineup: 'Baby Driver', 'Free Fire', 'Muppet Guys Talking' & Docus That Matter In Trump Era". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  7. "The Most Hated Woman In America". South by Southwest. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  8. Wiebe, Sheldon (March 24, 2017). "Two Netflix Original Films Bound for SXSW!". Eclipse.
  9. "The Most Hated Woman in America (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. San Francisco, California: Fandango Media. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  10. "The Most Hated Woman in America Reviews". Metacritic. Chicago, Illinois: CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  11. Debruge, Peter (March 14, 2017). "SXSW Film Review: 'The Most Hated Woman in America'". Variety. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
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