This story has had an upswing in attention the last few years. Candy starring Jessica Biel as the titular character came out in 2022 and told the same story of what really happened in this sensational case from 1980. I enjoyed that version as well, but I have to give kudos to Elizabeth Olsen here. Her performance is fantastic. She isn’t alone there. Jesse Plemons plays her lover, Allan (aka her victim’s husband), and he’s impressive in the role. Candy’s husband, Pat, is played with reserved skill by Patrick Fugit, and Betty, Candy’s victim, is played with equal talent by Lily Rabe.
We get to know these two families and their small-town life that’s interwoven with a big presence in their church. The unfortunate thing about this small life is that Candy gets bored, and her solution—an affair—winds up yielding disastrous results for everyone involved.
Whether you believe Candy’s story that the murder happened in self-defense or believe her to be a jealous woman who let evil get the best of her, this cast made this sad case compelling to watch. If you watched Candy, the story in Love and Death may feel repetitive, but it’s worth the watch for Olson’s performance alone. (seven approx. 50-min. episodes)
—Anna Starkey
This article appears in Jul 13-23, 2023.
