User Reviews

By focusing its entire hour on the infamous Bronco car chase, the show is able to not only exhilarate the audience with nail-biting suspense but also bouts of earned, nuanced emotional resonance from many of its characters. Although at some points he seems to be overacting a little, Gooding really shines in this episode, portraying both the disturbed and regretful aspects of Simpson's mind as he struggles endlessly whether or not to end his life. Schwimmer's performance has elevated his character to my favorite in the series, although that comes with one caveat: the Kardashian references are still painfully present. Instead of watching Robert read a suicide note from one of his closest friends in a press conference, the show focuses on his children watching him from home, their annoying voices drowning out any emotion that could have been brought through on screen by chanting "Kardashian! Kardashian!" This incessant focus on the Kardashian family has become the sole aspect of the show that I dislike, and if it wasn't for these scenes, I would have no problem hailing this show as a perfect retelling of real life events as well as a fantastic legal procedural and character study. This episode is an improvement over last week's in terms of sheer intensity and emotion, but its narrative is slightly weaker as it focuses more on what made the trial so captivating in the first place: car chases, guns, depression, celebrity, and racial tensions. The legal procedural is close to nonexistent as some of the law- based characters are sidelined to make way for the car chase; however, I cannot complain about this, as one of my critiques of last week's episode was that it relegated Simpson to almost a supporting character. This week he is front and center, and it makes for a much more compelling episode.

For the most part, a very entertaining episode. For centering on the world's worst car chase, it does highlight how the Earth stopped turning to watch the coverage (not to mention really playing up the iconic white Bronco), even while the direction is strictly full-tilt; complete with restless camera-work and overacting. Despite Cuba Gooding Jr.'s ample screen time and material, Sarah Paulson's Marcia Clark is the MVP.

If there's one criticism (and it's plenty founded), stop featuring the Kardashian brood as characters. Robert, yes. The rest of the clan is awkwardly shoehorned in. Really hope they're not recurring. This isn't their story.

8/10

I, like many of my sports loving friends, was watching the NBA playoffs that night when we were suddenly treated to a white Bronco, heading down the freeway, followed by a host of patrol cars. If I've ever seen anything stranger, I don't know what it is. O.J. is in the back seat with a gun to his head as his friend A.C., a former linebacker friend drives God knows where. Meanwhile, rumors fly everywhere. Robert Kardashian (yes, the late father of those girls and best friend of O.J.) tells the star's family that he has killed himself. This, obviously, is not true or the series would have ended right now. Marcia Clarke is going crazy because her department looks like a bunch of idiots. How could this guy have managed to get out of a house full of people? But he did and the rest is history. One problem is how he chooses to resolve all of this. I can't imagine how exhausting all of this must have been.

**Spoilers? (Only if you are currently twenty years old, how can this be a spoiler? It would be like trying to not spoil the end of Oliver Stone's JFK, he dies).

I was in 7th or 8th grade when the real life events of this happened. It was wild, and the biggest TV case that anyone had seen since I had been born, a media circus!! Watching him that day was incredible, you didn't know how long it was going to last! It lasted ALL DAY!!

Anyhow, the way this show is set up is to help explain how and why OJ was acquitted of all charges. Marsha was going through a divorce, the racial tensions in LA, OJ was a huge celebrity (I loved the Naked Gun films growing up). The acting is hilarious, Kato is great as a brain dead surfer dude. Travolta looks like a corpse, but I love watching him pretend to act. Schwimmer is actually the best actor in the whole piece, I really believe him when he's on screen.

I cannot believe that they gave those horrible Kardashians screen time, and of course we have not seen the last of them. Sure, their father was huge in the trial, but come on FX!! Those poor excuses for human beings do NOT deserve anymore limelight than they already have soaked up in their irradiated skin cells.

They make the LAPD out to be the worst department in the world, and that's before the trial begins. I laughed when they presented who Mark Furman was on the show, I loved that actor in Rescue Me. I do like how it was illustrated who loved OJ no matter what, and stood by the fact that they think he didn't do and the cops set him up. OK, keep dreaming.

If you were more than an amoeba when this actually occurred, you're gonna love it. Call the friends, binge watch it with party food and beers!! This is going to be hilarious, and better than the SuperBowl

The resurgence of David Schwimmer is upon us! He has been the shining star of this mini-series thus far, followed closely by Sarah Paulson who I imagine we'll see a lot more of later on in the series.

Despite the car chase, this episode felt a bit slower paced than the premiere. Cuba Gooding Jr. does a serviceable job as OJ and the cinematography and script are both admirable. It's also nice seeing Travolta do something relevant for a change, despite the fact that he can no longer move his face.

I did roll my eyes a few times at a couple of throwaway lines the writers decided to toss in there that were unnecessary but, other than that, fine job.

American Crime Story: The Run of His Life (2016)

O.J. Simpson (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is set to be arrested by the LAPD when he sneaks out of the house and soon the infamous Bronco chase follows. Soon the nation finds itself gathered around the television as the beginning of the soap opera that is to follow starts.

The second episode isn't quite as good as the first but it's still some pretty strong entertainment. If you're old enough to remember these events then I'm sure it's going to bring back a lot of memories and I'm sure most people old enough will remember what they were doing when all of this took place. The most interesting aspect of this episode is seeing O.J. and his breakdown inside the car as he thinks about suicide. Who knows how accurate this thing is but the dialogue from O.J. is certainly the most entertaining thing here.

As I said in my first episode review, I'll comment more on the performances once the entire series is over. Again, this episode isn't quite a good as the first one but it's still very much worth watching.

Episode: B+