WATCH: Park City’s ski crash drama unfolds in Gwyneth vs. Terry documentary

Gwyneth vs. Terry - The Ski Crash Trial can be streamed on Max now. Photo: Max

PARK CITY, Utah — As Park City starts up its winter ski season, it may never beat the unforgettable snow fall of 2023, and the epic legal drama from that fateful day on Feb. 26, 2016, when Gwyneth Paltrow and Terry Sanderson collided into one another at Deer Valley Resort. “Gwyneth Vs. Terry: The Ski Crash Trial,” now streaming on Max, invites viewers into the courtroom, unfolding an hour-long documentary that showcases every instagrammable twist, turn, and ‘he-said/she-said’ of the trial.

The core question behind the collision between Paltrow and Sanderson on a ski slope in Park City, and the legal battle that followed, was who skied into whom. Sanderson, claimed to have sustained severe brain injuries, and launched a $300,000 lawsuit against Paltrow. In response, Paltrow countersued for $1, vehemently asserting her innocence and placing the blame squarely on Sanderson.

Structured as part of Discovery +’s Vs. series (which is also known for its courtroom series “Johnny vs. Amber” and “Kim vs. Kanye: The Divorce,”) the first half of the documentary delves into Sanderson’s perspective, featuring interviews with key figures, such as his former partner and doctor. Paltrow’s legal team called for testimony from Sanderson’s daughters to cast shadows on his character, while Sanderson’s team attempts to depict Paltrow as a recklessly accident-prone celebrity.

Paltrow’s take follows in the second half of the documentary, spotlighting on her testimony and the memorable quote by Paltrow the moment after the collision when she said, “You skied into my effing back!”

Rolling Stone’s review points out, that the documentary lacks the expected wit and satire one might anticipate in a drama of such absurdity. The collision occurred in 2016, leading to a lawsuit in 2019, and a rapid-fire two-hour jury decision in 2023. The review underscores Paltrow’s composed demeanor during the trial, the media’s fixation on odd trial moments, and the absence of a distinctive documentary personality.

Despite its critics, “Gwyneth Vs. Terry: The Ski Crash Trial” has been labeled a must-stream because it happened right here in Park City’s backyard and who doesn’t want a taste of that celebrity courtroom drama that became a national spectacle?