The brutal atrocities committed by Charles Manson and his “Family” of followers have left a bloody mark on history. The Tate and Labianca murders have been a source of repulsion and morbid fascination for many, with much of the latter revolving around the man who orchestrated these heinous acts. But the horrifying story is not his alone, but also that of his devout followers.

Written by Guinevere Turner and directed by Mary Harron (who co-writer and directed American Psycho, respectively), Charlie Says is a true crime drama that chronicles the tale of Leslie Van Houten (Hannah Murray, Game of Thrones), who transforms from an All-American, free-spirited girl into a violent killer under the influence and manipulation of Charles Manson (Matt Smith, Dr. Who). While the film could have benefitted from a tighter narrative, Charlie Says is a confident and captivatingly tragic look at some of the most infamous members of the Manson Family, bolstered by impressive performances and atmospheric direction.

One of the most striking aspects of Charlie Says is that Charles Manson himself is not at the forefront of this movie. While he is present throughout, the film chooses instead to focus on the lives of his followers, more specifically Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkle (Sosie Bacon), and Susan Atkins (Marianne Redón). This, along with the fact that they’re painted in a sympathetic light, make for audaciously risky choice. But they work in the film’s favor, allowing it to explore topics like brainwashing and cult deprogramming. Their actions are portrayed as abhorrent, but the people committing were made to believe their crimes were a necessary evil.

The film also benefits from its atmospheric depiction of cult life at Spahn Ranch. It’s common knowledge that sex, drugs, and music played major roles in the Manson Family, but Harron imbues their hippy lifestyle with a pervasive mood of melancholy and dread. The whole film has a decidedly somber tone, which is heightened by its cinema-vérité-style camera work and its unflinching presentation of Manson’s control over his acolytes. It’s raw and disturbing, and this makes the inevitable conclusion to this story all the more heartrending.

Our heartstrings are pulled even further by the fact that the cast bringing the Family to life is made up of an undoubtedly talented troupe of actors. Matt Smith does a fine job as Charles Manson, capturing his mannerisms and his equal parts wicked and charming persona effectively. However, as I’ve stated, this is not Charlie’s movie. The women here are placed at the forefront of the action, and they capably deliver. Bacon and Redón give powerful performances as Patricia Krenwinkle and Susan Atkins respectively, selling their conviction for Manson’s beliefs as well as the deeply rooted vulnerabilities that led them to him. But the clear-cut star of the show is Hannah Murray, whose performance is both nuanced and palpably heartbreaking. She turns Van Houten into a truly broken, tragic character, which is quite a feat in my book.

That said, there are some aspects of the film that aren’t as successful. The film assembles its story by weaving between two admittedly compelling timelines: one dedicated to life at Spahn Ranch leading up to the infamous Tate/Labianca Murders. The other depicts prison life for Krenwinkle, Atkins, and Van Houten as they’re deprogrammed by Karlene Faith—played well by Merritt Wever—and forced to understand the gravity of their crimes. These narratives are effective in their own right, but the film never finds the right balance to justify why both are included. Instead, the narrative feels disjointed and uneven, the film seems uncertain as to which timeline is its primary focus. They never exactly feel equal in importance, but neither is treated with any discernable priority. There’s enough good here for it to avoid becoming unwatchable, but a tighter structure would have benefitted the film as a whole.

To put it simply, Charlie Says turns an infamous story into something unnervingly tragic. Through its somber atmosphere and effective use of the female gaze, the film is able to overcome its structural flaws and assert itself as an assuredly chilling peak inside the love and terror cult that was the Manson Family.