I'm coming here having read the book but not seen the movie, other than the trailers and a couple of clips.
It's sounds like, in some ways, Ben's made more sympathetic in the movie (like the fact that he does succeed initially in stopping Diondra's attack on Michelle), in some ways he isn't - from the info I have at this time, he seems less abused and manipulated by Diondra, plus it sounds as though Tre's only with them for a short time in the movie whereas in the book he's with them all afternoon/evening, constantly belittling Ben throughout.
I have seen the massacre scene online and it does play out a little differently - in the book, Ben cowers in the sister's bedroom until the commotion in the hallway has stopped (and this goes on for a lot longer because Calvin chases Debbie with an axe while Patty tries to stop him!), and as others have pointed out, in the book Ben merely stands with his hands on Diondra's shoulders while she strangles Michelle (it's worth noting though that, when he comes back to the room, he says "is she OK" to which Diondra has to tell him "no, she's dead", so at this point I don't think Ben's thinking straight and doesn't realise the enormity of what Diondra's doing) - in the movie, Ben rushes into the hallway when they hear the shots but by then it's too late - the damage is already done and Calvin's got away. And it's only while Ben's out of the room because of this that Diondra is able to murder Michelle......
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daveyh (641)
a year ago
....Therefore, in the book the fact that he'd never appealed his conviction - it wasn't just about protecting Diondra and the baby, it was also his guilt from failing to do anything about all 3 murders that happened that night. He feels like he deserves to be in prison for his inaction.
Not sure how much Ben's trial is covered in the movie, but in the book, he does plead innocent, and while his convinction is largely because he denies being home that night at all (in order to protect Diondra), even though he'd earlier testified a partial truth that a man broke into the house that night and did it, another factor behind his conviction is that, still being the insecure teen, he wants to come across as a "badass" and so struts like being on a murder charge is no big deal, like the deaths of his family haven't bothered him, brags in court about satan worship and generally behaves un-co-operatively with the court. He later explains to Libby that he knew he hadn't done it and was therefore convinced that he'd be acuitted because he was genuinely innocent.
Maybe someone can correct me, but in the movie, it sounds like it's implied that he's actively taken the rap for it all purely to protect Diondra.
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