AllMovie

In 1991, Texan Odell Barnes was found guilty of the murder of his girlfriend Helen Bass, who had been killed two years earlier. Barnes was sentenced to death for the crime, but in the nine years before he was executed, a significant amount of evidence surfaced that suggested Barnes was innocent, or at the very least did not receive a fair trial; even Barnes' own court-appointed attorney admitted he was incompetent in his handling of the case and that a number of key witnesses for the defense were never called to testify, and experts contended that the State's evidence against Barnes was fabricated. Made in the USA is a documentary from French filmmaker Solveig Anspach that examines the Barnes case; while the filmmakers remain neutral on the issue of his ultimate guilt or innocence, the film does support the argument that Barnes (like the majority of people on Texas' death row) failed to receive a fair trial or adequate legal counsel, raising questions about the role of race and class in the American judicial system. Made in the USA was shown at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival as part of the Directors' Fortnight series.