In 2009, the horror movieOrphanbecame a hit thanks to its eerie premise and huge plot twist. The 2023 documentary seriesThe Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which is available from Investigation Discovery, tells a very similar story. Kristine and Michael Barnett share that they adopted a girl from the Ukraine and then learned that she was actually an adult. The series is getting a lot of buzz. And while many are tuning in because the story sounds so much like Isabelle Fuhram’sOrphancharacter Esther Coleman/Leena Klammer, the six episodes are gripping enough to stand on their own.
The Curious Case of Natalia Gracewill definitely remind viewers of theOrphanmovies. The Investigation Discovery series can be streamed on Max and Discovery*. What happens inThe Curious Case of Natalia Graceand how does it compare toOrphanand the 2022 prequelOrphan: First Kill?
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What Is Orphan About?
Orphanis about John (Peter Sarsgaard) and Kate (Vera Farmiga), a married couple who have been dealing with family tragedy. They adopt Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) and start noticing that while she looks like a child, she doesn’t act like one. They are terrified of her before too long and believe that she is trying to kill them. While somehorror movie plot twists are unpredictable, it does seem easy to figure out what is really going on here. However, whether audiences guess the twist or not, the story of a woman pretending to be a young girl and fooling a couple is still shocking and gripping.
Theprequel calledOrphan: First Killdelves into the backstory of Esther and the first family that she conned. It’s hard to watchOrphanandOrphan: First Killand not think of the documentary seriesThe Curious Case of Natalia Grace. In both cases, the parents are stunned by what they are experiencing and hoping that everything will work out okay while wondering how they can possibly get out of this situation.
What Is The Curious Case Of Natalia Grace About?
The Curious Case of Natalia Gracecan be considered anOrphandocumentary. While she says that she is a young girl, her adoptive parents believe that she is much older and is a con artist. WhileOrphanis a very popular horror movie, some believe that themovie’s plot twist doesn’t make senseas it’s clear that Esther is much older than she appears to be.
Viewers learn that Kristine and Michael Barnett had three kids named Ethan, Wesley and Jacob and were living in Westfield, Indiana when they adopted a six-year-old girl from the Ukraine in April 2010. She had spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita and according to her birth certificate, her birthday was September 4th, 2023. AsThe Curious Case of Natalia Gracecontinues, it becomes obvious that Natalia was much older than six when she was adopted. She was becoming violent, had gone through puberty, and had her period. The Barnetts said that they were afraid to live with her and didn’t like her behavior.
The documentary series has six episodes and tells a true story that can feel tough to believe at times because it is so wild and intense. Theshocking ending ofOrphanmay be fictional, but the real story of Natalia Grace didn’t end happily. Michael and Kristine Barnett, who are now divorced, became involved in a legal case and were accused of neglect. They have both since been acquitted.
Natalia Grace appeared on Dr. Phil three years ago and said that from her perspective, she never did the violent things that her adoptive parents said that she did. At the time of the Dr. Phil interview, she said that she was 16 years old. While there are manyunderrated true crime movies, many are talking aboutThe Curious Case of Natalia Graceas it’s such a shocking and wild story.
According to People, Natalia Grace lives in Indiana today with another couple. While the Barnetts say that this really happened, Natalia denies everything. People reported that while Natalia’s legal age is 33, she says that she is 19. ET Online reported that Cynthia and Anthony Mans began taking care of Natalia in 2014 and told Dr. Phil that everything was fine and they didn’t see what the previous family did. Before this point, Natalia was living by herself in Indiana and people said that she was having trouble living on her own.
The Curious Case of Natalia Graceis one of the most fascinating documentary series because it’s hard to look away. While there are somehorror movies based on true stories,Orphanisn’t one of them. However, it’s impossible to watch the series and not think of Esther Coleman/Leena Klammer as there are so many parallels.
