Summary
When a case turns into a witch hunt rather than seeking the truth, you have a woman in prison with zero evidence to support her being there. It is an interesting documentary film, but it will leave you with many questions.
Here is our review of the 2023 Netflix true crime documentary film Rosa Peral’s Tapes, released on September 8th, 2023.
Netflix strikes again with another true crime documentary, but is it clutching at straws? This documentary comes from Spain (org. title: Las Cintas de Rosa Peral) and is about the same case featured in the Netflix drama series Burning Body, and I recommend watching both.
In this documentary film, Rosa Peral, a former police agent, gives her first interview from prison. In 2020, following a controversial trial that unveiled an intricate web of romance, she was convicted of murdering her partner with the help of an ex-lover. It sounds dramatic and intense — it is.
READ: Who is Rosa Peral? Convicted Murderer Explained
There are accusations of infidelity on both sides, but it was Pedro who was drugged, killed, and set on fire in a car. The story is that Pedro wanted to break up with Rosa, but she didn’t want this, so she planned to kill him.
What is odd is that both Rosa and her ex admitted that they had participated but were blaming the other for being the main aggressor.
Rosa Peral’s Tapes Review
Featuring first-class interviews with Rosa Peral from prison, we also get to see how they communicated through FaceTime, but they’re only allowed ten minutes per call.
There is footage from the actual trial, and we hear from Peral’s defense attorney, the prosecutor on the case, and multiple journalists covering this story. The journalists are infuriated and fuelled the fire on a case that overall has no evidence.
Rosa’s father is in the documentary, and what he has to say is extremely interesting.
READ: Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer Review
Rosa’s story isn’t clear — and with her being a police officer, she knows exactly how the system works — but we can’t expect her to make the right choices in a personal, traumatic moment.
Rosa claims her questionable actions were down to the fear of her ex Alberto, but they do not believe this.
The media built a black widow character as that story sold better. The trial was interested in her love life, which feels sickening and irrelevant. The focus was a love triangle: two men fighting over a woman, and one gets killed by the woman. It doesn’t make sense.
Where is the evidence that Rosa killed Pedro? They’ve made a story, but there isn’t any evidence to support it. This almost feels like a waste of time, and the fact this woman is sitting in prison feels ridiculous.
READ: Where is Albert Lopez Now? Rosa Peral’s Ex-Lover Explained
I had a strong sense of injustice watching this documentary and feel Rosa could have been wronged. Rosa describes the case as a complete character assassination and that she is still being attacked six years later.
Rosa was sentenced to 25 years in prison, and it does feel like an injustice, as there was no evidence, and simply not believing her fear is not enough to condemn her to prison.
Is Rosa Peral’s Tapes good or bad?
It’s decent. For a true crime documentary, it features what all viewers want — a conflicting story to sink your teeth into, interviews with the suspected criminal, lawyers, journalists, family, and more.
It’s interesting and aggravating to watch and will certainly have you thinking and talking as a viewer.
Is Rosa Peral’s Tapes worth watching?
Yes. However, you have to be familiar with the case, and I had to do some research after watching it because this documentary doesn’t go into depth and explain the case. Instead, it focuses on the people involved in the trial.
The documentary film is 120 minutes long and does fly by, but I was left with some questions about the case and the investigations into Pedro’s death.
What did you think of the 2023 Netflix true crime documentary film Rosa Peral’s Tapes, and how would you review it? Comment below.
