Name: Monique Olivier: Accessory to Evil
Director: Christophe Astruc, Michelle Fines
Released: 2023-03-02T01:30:00

Monique Olivier: Accessory to Evil looks back at the crimes committed by Michel Fourniret and puts a special focus on his wife, Monique, who was an accomplice. The docuseries is now streaming on Netflix.

Story

In June 2003, Michel Fourniret is arrested for the attempted kidnapping of a teenage girl. Further investigation into the case leads the cops to find handcuffs, children’s clothing, masks for putting people to sleep, and a lot more at his house.

The investigators start believing that they are dealing with a serious pedophile over here. The gas station receipts, restaurant receipts, and toll documents found inside Fourniret’s van suggest that he was present at locations from where, a few years earlier, young girls were abducted.

While the clues pointed at Fourniret, the investigators still had to prove that he was behind these kidnappings. Fourniret was extremely closed-off, manipulative, and cunning. He wasn’t ready to speak. This led the cops to turn to his wife, Monique Olivier.

Monique looked like a submissive wife who wouldn’t dare to question her husband. The investigators saw her as a weak link, and she did speak of the crimes her husband had committed.

Still, the investigators felt that Monique was hiding something from them. She then revealed that her husband didn’t act alone. In fact, she took part in several of the kidnappings and murders he has committed over the years.

Positives

Though the documentary is formulaic and follows the same format most of the Netflix crime documentaries do, it still manages to grasp the attention of the viewer.

There is a silence and uneasiness that one can feel while watching the story of Fourniret and Olivier unfold. The storytelling is on point; the documentary builds a good amount of tension, and every aspect of the story is placed at the right time.

All the episodes end on a questioning note, suggesting that there is something far bigger at play, which will be revealed further, and this doesn’t work just as a tease because the documentary delivers what it promises.

Even when describing Monique, the documentary takes its time and does a good job of showing how she fooled the authorities. It starts off by showing her as a submissive wife, like when the authorities first saw her.

Then, as the documentary progresses and more things come to light, one actually starts to see how Monique was able to put forth a different image in front of everyone.

The documentary also touches on almost all the crimes the couple has committed in detail. It doesn’t just focus on the kidnappings of young girls but also on some of their other crimes, like when they stole money from Jean-Pierre Hellegouarch’s wife and killed her.

Negatives

The final two episodes could have been compiled into one, as they don’t offer many details. Overall, the conversation continues to circle around who was the real manipulator: Monique or Fourniret?

While this question is intriguing, discussing the same thing again and again with no proper answers becomes a bit overwhelming.

Verdict

Monique Olivier: Accessory to Evil is a gripping watch that builds an aura that goes hand-in-hand with the horrific crimes committed by the couple. It’s a detailed account that makes you question humanity and will haunt you for the time being.