Drawing from the notorious real-life events that captivated media attention during the nineteen nineties, this movie portrays a sixteen year-old girl (Noelle Parker) from Long Island who enters into a relationship with Joey Buttafuoco (Ed Marinaro), a thirty-five year-old married man, not far from Jones Beach. A year later, she confronts his wife, Mary Jo (Kathleen Laskey), at her home and shoots her in the side of the head. "Amy Fisher: My Story,” also known as “Lethal Lolita,” was released by NBC on December 28, 1992, just seven months following the shooting incident. Shortly thereafter, CBS and ABC presented their versions within early January. After watching this particular version, I then viewed the A&E documentary, which showed that it adheres to the fundamental facts and is therefore the most realistic of the three; Amy narrates her experience from behind bars. The CBS production, “Casualties of Love: The Long Island Lolita Story,” features Alyssa Milano as Amy, but promotes the Buttafuoco claim that he never had sexual relations with Amy—a statement he later admitted was untrue given the evidence against him, such as motel receipts. Consequently, "Casualties of Love" portrays Joey as an incredibly desirable man who is pursued by a girl obsessed with a relationship that existed only in her imagination, ultimately leading to Mary Jo's shooting. ABC’s version, “The Amy Fisher Story,” stars Drew Barrymore, then seventeen during filming, in the title role. This production was based on the writings of New York Post journalist Amy Pagnozzi. While "Amy Fisher: My Story," also known as "Lethal Lolita," tells the story from Amy’s point of view, I didn't feel that it presented a biased account. Amy’s shortcomings and poor judgment are clearly displayed, although hints are given about a difficult relationship with her father and sexual abuse by an unnamed relative as possible explanations for her decisions. Regardless of how you look at it, the near-fatal shooting that left Mary Jo permanently scarred, destroyed two marriages, and subjected two families to immense suffering can be attributed to Joey’s reckless seduction of an underage girl and their ongoing intimate connection. Although the first portion feels somewhat formulaic, the second half is engaging enough, with a particularly strong depiction of the confrontation at the doorstep. This version also features actors who bear a striking resemblance to those involved in the actual events; moreover, Joey’s justifications for his infidelity are exceptionally well-presented. The Drew Barrymore film, however, is quite different: it begins as an interesting coming-of-age story because of Barrymore's performance and provides more background on Amy before she meets Joey. However, the second half suffers from clunky storytelling with a significantly less effective portrayal of the crucial confrontation between Amy and Mary Jo. The film’s length is 1 hour and 33 minutes, and it was filmed in Toronto. GRADE: B-

Source on TMDB