A ‘chilling’ new true crime documentary released by Netflix has shot up the global charts despite only being dropped earlier this month.
A Deadly American Marriage, which dropped on Friday, May 9, investigates the 2015 killing of 39-year-old Jason Corbett, an Irish man living in North Carolina, USA.
Corbett’s wife, Molly Martens (33 at the time) and her father, Thomas (67 at the time), were both initially found guilty of second-degree murder in 2017, but later had their convictions reversed.
They were both released from prison in 2024 after accepting a plea bargain to reduced charges, while Molly and Thomas claim they acted in self-defence after Corbett tried to attack them.
Investigations into Corbett’s death gained widespread media attention, and this Netflix documentary is the latest episode in the decade-long fatal saga.
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The documentary features interviews with Molly and Thomas themselves, as well as appearances from Corbett’s children – Jack and Sarah – and others involved in the case.
Described by critics as ‘shocking’ and ‘excruciating’, the documentary keeps a keen eye on how the incident has affected the lives of Jack and Sarah ever since.
Corbett had Jack and Sarah during a previous marriage to a woman named Margaret Fitzpatrick, who had tragically died of an asthma attack 10 years earlier.
Advertising A Deadly American Marriage, Netflix called it ‘a chilling exploration of love and betrayal featuring interviews with those closest to the case’.
The true crime documentary has risen up the charts since its release and is now the number three show globally, sitting only behind Nonnas and the 2019 film Inside Man: Most Wanted.
‘Just watched this and it’s defo one to watch. Messed up,’ Sophie Wiles wrote on Facebook, while Nikki Baker wrote: ‘Watching it now. So sad for Jason’s family and his two children.’
Victoria Judge thought A Deadly American Marriage sounded ‘sinister’ ahead of tuning in, with Netflix’s true crime category proving to be one of its most popular.
After he left Limerick in Ireland, Corbett and Molly met one another in 2008 when Corbett hired Molly as an au pair, moving to North Carolina three years later.
In August 2015, Thomas dialled 911 and said Corbett had been badly injured, claiming that he, Molly, and Corbett had been involved in an altercation.
The father and daughter claimed to police that Jason attacked Molly in the middle of the night, also threatening to kill her, leading them to allegedly act in self-defence.
Speaking about the documentary, its directors, Jenny Popplewell and Jessica Burgess, explained to Netflix news site Tudum how they wanted to approach the case.
‘This case demonstrates how complex the American justice system is. Where is the truth? Where are the lies? Where is justice? This documentary demonstrates that it’s not clear-cut.’
They continued: ‘From the very beginning, we approached both families. For the film to remain objective and balanced, we never discussed information we learned with either side.’
Watch A Deadly American Marriage on Netflix.
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