365 Days: A Year in Happy Valley (2013)
Depicting a year in the life of a small town caught in the center of the high-profile Penn State scandal, this powerful film reveals how it affected the community: showcasing the strength and resolve of those who live in and cherish what is known as "Happy Valley."
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I was very well-versed with this entire story before watching this documentary, as a Penn State alumnus. The film does a good job of capturing the stories surrounding the football team in 2012, with some strong interviews of then-coach Bill O'Brien and Senior Mike Mauti. And the movie shines when it interviews Bob Costas, who offers a very even take on the entire situation as it relates to Joe Paterno. Costas's remarks are thought out and perfectly conveyed. However, the movie really falters during its many non sequitur trips to Amish country, to draw an odd and completely out of place comparison to the 2006 murders of several Amish school children, and the aftermath of that, focusing on the forgiveness angle that the Amish folks have taken, and drawing a comparison to, without actually saying it, to this situation. I'm not even sure who they are suggesting needs to be forgiven in the Penn State situation, be it Sandusky, Paterno, Spanier, or the community at large. If this segment had been completely omitted, this would have been a much stronger film. As such, it is very uneven, and ultimately not worth the price of rental.