My own amateur review of "Have You Seen Andy?"
Now on Cinemax
(c) Anne Wagner 2007

"Have You Seen Andy?" is an amazing story surrounding the disappearance of 10- year- old Angelo Puglisi from Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1976. Long before there were Amber alerts and missing persons websites, the search was not much more than the townsfolk holding hands and walking through the woods calling his name.

Melanie Perkins' burning desire to make this documentary, started as her childhood promise to find out what happened to her friend Andy. Growing up in a poor neighborhood development across the street from the State Pool, were literally hundreds of children, many from single parent households. Melanie brings her playmates back together years later to discuss what happened to Andy.

The title comes from Andy's mother's own lips as she searched for her son asking, "Have you seen Andy?" While Melanie films and searches for answers, Andy's family and friends recall fondly how they remembered Andy, and police go over their investigation. Earlier the day he disappeared, Melanie had asked Andy to walk home with her, but he was not ready to leave the pool. That was the last time Melanie saw her friend Andy and this memory is her motivation for years in the making of this made for HBO film.

Melanie nudges investigators to re- open the case and uncovers possible leads and evidence missed in 1976. Viewers follow the investigation into the woods where cadaver dogs pick up scent and a dig is undertaken only leading to disappointment.

Information uncovered about the five sex offenders who were at the State Pool the day that Andy disappeared sends a chill, as it becomes clear that more than one could have been involved. Melanie pushes on to interview suspects, gaining insight into the sex offender mentality, and realizing that a pedophile network was in place.

This film is not just about Andy, but all the kids who went missing, have not been found, and their cases cold and closed. Melanie illustrates how serious the child predator nightmare is as she touches on groups of predators who have networked to form a community of like- minded men who actually believe they have rights to have sex with children.

Even If you are a CSI fan you will still love this movie as it is the real deal but without all the modern technology which was not available in 1976. Nancy Drew would have been proud of Perkins tenacity and resourcefulness at getting to whatever truth can be found.

Check out Have You Seen Andy? for times this will replay and also for more information on Andy Puglisi.