Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
In 1999, teen Rocío Wanninkhof is murdered. Her mother's ex-partner, Dolores Vázquez, is suspected. Did she do it? A second victim reveals the truth.
Murder by the Coast is a competent Spanish true crime documentary covering the Wanninkhof-Carabantes case, a real miscarriage of justice that gripped Spain. The plot is genuinely compelling due to the real-world stakes and the wrongful conviction of Dolores Vázquez driven by homophobia and media hysteria, giving it strong narrative momentum. However, the documentary format is fairly standard talking-heads-and-archival-footage, without notable cinematographic ambition. Acting is not applicable in the traditional sense, but interview subjects and presentation are serviceable. Novelty is moderate — the case itself is distinctive and the social commentary on prejudice adds dimension, but the filmmaking approach is conventional for the genre. The ending lands with impact given the real revelation brought by DNA evidence and a second murder, providing genuine resolution.