Lyle and Erik Menendez Portrayals in Movies and TV

Lyle and Erik Menendez Portrayals in Movies and TV

Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’re looking at the various portrayals of brothers and convicted killers Lyle and Erik Menéndez in media. We won’t be including media that’s only inspired by their case.

“Honor Thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez Murders” (1994)

Even before the Menéndez brother had been convicted, Hollywood was capitalizing on their notoriety. This movie, which originally aired on Fox, has a rather unwieldy title, and a rather uneven execution. Starring Billy Warlock and David Berón as Lyle and Erik and James Farentino and Jill Clayburgh as parents José and Kitty, it feigns objectivity but clearly is biased in favor of the brothers. But the biggest issue is how dully the fascinating story is rendered. The cast does their best to add dimension to their underwritten parts, and Farentino is particularly terrifying as an abusive patriarch. Overall, though, “Honor Thy Father and Mother” is mostly just another run-of-the-mill TV movie.

“Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills” (1994)

In this miniseries for CBS, José and Kitty are played by Edward James Olmos and Beverly D'Angelo, while sons Lyle and Erik are portrayed by Damian Chapa and Travis Fine. Though it arrived a month after “Honor Thy Father and Mother” this one is decidedly better. Much of this is thanks to the talents of the cast. With Chapa and Fine bearing a striking resemblance to the real-life brothers and creating fully-formed characters struggling to cope with the negative influence of their parents. Meanwhile, Olmos and D'Angelo do an excellent job of embodying people whose outer success can’t make up for their inner turmoil. If you're interested in this case and have three hours to spare, it’s worth a watch.

“Menendez: Blood Brothers” (2017)

After a TV movie and miniseries only a few months apart, you can see why people would want a respite from dramatized media about the Menéndez brothers, and they got one, for 23 years. This Lifetime movie, starring Nico Tortorella and Myko Olivier as Lyle and Erik and Benito Martinez and Courtney Love as José and Kitty certainly has a glossier sheen than its predecessors, but it won’t be mistaken for anything prestigious. Instead, it’s soapy, melodramatic, and pretty dismal overall, offering no new insights on this story decades later. It does have a particularly dedicated performance from Love, who appears throughout as a presence haunting Erik. Otherwise, there was a much better depiction of the case arriving just two months later.

“Law & Order True Crime – The Menéndez Murders” (2017)

Perhaps jumping on the bandwagon after the success of “American Crime Story” and its multifaceted portrayal of the O.J. Simpson murder trial, NBC launched an anthology series of their own: “Law & Order True Crime.” However, only one eight-episode season was produced, following the Menéndez brothers, played by Miles Gaston Villanueva and Gus Halper. Meanwhile, José and Kitty are played by Carlos Gómez and Lolita Davidovich. The true star of this, though, is Edie Falco as defense attorney Leslie Abramson, in an Emmy-nominated performance that further demonstrates her versatility. Fusing the “Law & Order” formula with the Menéndez story, it can’t completely shy away from luridness. But its strengths are enough to make it worth a recommendation.

“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” (2024)

Speaking of “American Crime Story,” series producer Ryan Murphy also helmed another similar true crime anthology series, the second season of which focuses on the Menéndez murders. Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch play Lyle and Erik. But the true star power comes from Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny as parents José and Kitty. A nine-episode series that occasionally veers into campiness “Monsters” likely won’t change your mind about Murphy’s style. But strong performances, particularly from Bardem, are just enough to keep it compelling. One person who’s decidedly not a fan? Erik Menéndez, who referred to his and Lyle’s depiction as “disheartening slander.”

What true crime story do you think should be dramatized next? Let us know in the comments!