Con Mum’ Review: A Captivating and Disturbing Netflix True Crime Documentary. A Must Watch.

Just when I start to briefly convince myself that people are mostly good, I make the mistake of watching a true crime documentary like Con Mum. Although Nick Green’s harrowing doc is well-made and features an absolutely unforgettable story at its core, the film serves as an evergreen reminder of what an ugly, cruel place this world is, and even those who should have our best interests in mind often do not.

What Is Con Mum About?

This Netflix original true crime documentary follows Graham, a successful British pastry chef making the most of the COVID lockdown and living his best life. Graham is enjoying the time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and is expecting a baby boy with his partner, Heather. Amidst all of that, Graham unexpectedly hears from his birth mother, Dionne. The woman claiming to be his biological mom knows details about his life that seem to prove she’s the real deal, but there’s far more than just a biological relationship at stake.

Dionne showers Graham with lavish gifts, telling him that she’s making up for lost time. Initially, Graham is touched by her perceived generosity, but as the two forge a close bond, things eventually take a surprising turn that changes their dynamic indefinitely.

I won’t say too much more than that because this is a documentary with plenty of twists, turns, and unforeseen developments along the way to a conclusion poor Graham never saw coming. Watching from his perspective as matters unfold makes the film play out a lot like narrative fiction. Accordingly, I don’t want to spoil any of the unsettling developments along the way. Suffice it to say that Con Mum is a riveting viewing experience that chronicles a compelling case likely to leave you crestfallen by the end. 

The film reveals all in good time, but there’s an extended spell where Graham (and the viewer) doesn’t even know whether or not Dionne is his real mother, let alone what she really wants from him. There’s some jarring internal conflict going on as he ultimately begins to see that her actions don’t always match her words and subsequently starts wondering who this woman truly is at her core.