Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out

As a prolific and controversial filmmaker, Roman Polanski's career has spanned over five decades, marked with highs and lows, accolades and scandals. In the documentary "Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out," director Marina Zenovich delves into the life and career of the eponymous director with interviews from an array of friends, collaborators, and acquaintances, including figures as diverse as Brett Ratner, Emmanuelle Seigner, and Sharon Tate's sister.

Released in 2012, the film is a follow-up to Zenovich's 2008 documentary "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired," which explored the legal battles and media frenzy that followed the director's arrest in 1977 for the rape of a 13-year-old girl. Though the charges against him were initially dropped in exchange for a guilty plea to a lesser charge, Polanski fled the United States before his sentencing and has remained a fugitive ever since.

"Odd Man Out" picks up where its predecessor left off, with Zenovich examining the ramifications of Polanski's continued exile and his subsequent work in Europe. The documentary doesn't shy away from Polanski's past, but rather contextualizes it within the larger scope of his life and career. Zenovich touches on the traumas that have shaped the director, notably his experience as a child in Krakow during the Holocaust, where he witnessed the murder of his mother and unborn sibling.

Pascal Bruckner, a French author and friend of Polanski's, provides a voice-over throughout the film, reading excerpts from the director's autobiography "Roman" that offer insight into his creative process and personal life. These passages form a narrative thread that helps to unify the various interviews and archival footage.

Zenovich also explores the persistent rumors surrounding Polanski's personal life, particularly his relationship with his first wife, Sharon Tate, who was murdered in 1969 by the Manson Family while eight-and-a-half months pregnant. Dalton Sandifer, Tate's former hairdresser, offers a chilling account of the night of the murders, while Tate's sister Debra shares her own memories of her sibling's life and work.

The most unexpected interviewee, however, is Hillary Clinton, who was then serving as Secretary of State. Clinton offers her thoughts on Polanski's career and the ongoing debate over his extradition. While the circumstances of the interview remain somewhat unclear, her inclusion in the film adds a level of gravitas and importance to the proceedings.

"Odd Man Out" doesn't try to exonerate Polanski, nor does it attempt to condemn him outright. Instead, it presents a nuanced and complex portrait of a man whose life and work are inextricably linked. Zenovich shows us the many sides of Polanski: his humor and charm, his flaws and transgressions, his intelligence and sensitivity.

Throughout it all, Polanski emerges as a figure both tragic and triumphant. His films, which range from the classic horror flick "Rosemary's Baby" to the Holocaust drama "The Pianist," are examined and dissected, their themes and motifs scrutinized for clues to the man behind the camera. "Odd Man Out" is a portrait of an artist as a human being, one whose genius and flaws are both on full display.

In the end, the documentary raises more questions than it answers. Is Polanski a victim of circumstance, a misunderstood artist whose past has been unfairly used against him? Or is he a predator, who has never truly atoned for his crimes? "Odd Man Out" offers no clear-cut answers, but it does leave the viewer with a greater understanding of the complexities of the man himself.