Paramount Plus’ new documentary “Don’t Date Brandon” is more than just a discovery of a con man: it’s a powerful testament to two women’s unity and bravery. What started as a story about one manipulative man, Brandon Johnson, evolves into a story of women that took their trauma into awareness.
The documentary follows the story of Athena Klingerman, Johnson’s first ex-wife and mother of his child, and Amber Rasmussen, Johnson’s second ex-wife, discovering their parallel experiences of lies, manipulation and physical abuse by Johnson. Johnson wove elaborate stories together to maintain control over the women in his life, from claiming he was always flying in private jets for Nike to fabricating messages in a coparenting app to keep Klingerman and Rasmussen from ever speaking to each other. His tactics were simple: pit women against each other, lie about “crazy” things the other woman did, and reinforce the narrative that the other woman was “just jealous.”
Eventually, Klingerman and Rasmussen were able to see through Johnson’s manipulation; the lies started adding up to both, making them realize they were never married to who they thought they were.
But what makes “Don’t Date Brandon” stand out is not what Johnson did himself, but instead how the two manage to untangle it together. Once they realized Johnson’s manipulation, they knew they had to speak publicly to ensure other women can realize the red flags in their relationships. This creates a more positive and empowering story dynamic as we see the two women investigate and dig deep into their relationships with Johnson, realize the flaws and finally find their voices by creating a podcast that saved another woman from death.
In comparison to other documentaries of this nature, this story is far from predictable. The filmmakers utilized elements such as suspenseful music and panoramas to transport viewers into the scene and try to feel like they were in Klingerman and Rasmussen’s shoes. In terms of reception, some people might say that the documentary fails to include all the important details from the podcast, but I argue that all the necessary information is put into to paint an almost full picture of the 18 years that Johnson was committing his crimes.
At its core, “Don’t Date Brandon” highlights how awareness can help break cycles of abuse. The documentary doesn’t sensationalize pain and fear but instead celebrates how many women were able to escape from a horrifying situation. It’s available to watch on Paramount Plus and spans three episodes of around 50 minutes.
4/5