Review: My Scientology Movie
Louis Theroux has spent the last year based in Hollywood, researching and chasing down leads in order to be able to produce his most recent exploit: My Scientology Movie.
Tracking down ex-Scientologists, who managed to escape the so-called regime, and probing as far as he can to find out more about the inner workings of this mysterious religion/cult, Theroux paints us a picture of this unknown entity. He meets various ex-members who left the cult, despite having held very prestigious positions within the upper circle of the clergy, who are now hunted down and tailed by the regime in an aggressive manner. For context, Scientologists react very badly to anyone leaving the Church and speaking out against it, it is considered the highest level of crime, and thus the religion preaches that they are allowed to practically ruin someone's personal and professional life as a result. Once this film goes global, I'm not sure how Louis will feel about this.
In this fascinating exposé, which, in fact, does minimal factual exposing given the farcical security and secrecy the Church maintains, we see Theroux driving past the headquarters of the religion, before quickly being accused of trespassing (despite simply being on a public road), and then being tailed for four hours by a car with blacked-out windows in one of the more sinister parts of the documentary.
The feature will knot your stomach with anger, fear and frustration at the blind faith that these Scientologists have in this money-driven, bizarre cult, and Theroux, in his much-loved, blasé manner, does an excellent job of pushing the people he meets to their limits, to reveal as much as possible about the enigma that is Scientology. Although we don't get up close and personal with any of the leaders of the Church (they refuse to be filmed), this is a fascinating look at a cult that seems to have brainwashed a significant number of people in the US, including most famously Tom Cruise (see Cruise running here), and continues to gain followers.
Through re-enactments and unexpected meetings, Theroux reveals more than the Scientologists would like about their religion, so much so, in fact, that the members of the clergy have promised to make their own documentary on Louis Theroux by way of revenge, which we wait for with anticipation. Meanwhile, watch this, it is fantastic.
Tracking down ex-Scientologists, who managed to escape the so-called regime, and probing as far as he can to find out more about the inner workings of this mysterious religion/cult, Theroux paints us a picture of this unknown entity. He meets various ex-members who left the cult, despite having held very prestigious positions within the upper circle of the clergy, who are now hunted down and tailed by the regime in an aggressive manner. For context, Scientologists react very badly to anyone leaving the Church and speaking out against it, it is considered the highest level of crime, and thus the religion preaches that they are allowed to practically ruin someone's personal and professional life as a result. Once this film goes global, I'm not sure how Louis will feel about this.
In this fascinating exposé, which, in fact, does minimal factual exposing given the farcical security and secrecy the Church maintains, we see Theroux driving past the headquarters of the religion, before quickly being accused of trespassing (despite simply being on a public road), and then being tailed for four hours by a car with blacked-out windows in one of the more sinister parts of the documentary.
The feature will knot your stomach with anger, fear and frustration at the blind faith that these Scientologists have in this money-driven, bizarre cult, and Theroux, in his much-loved, blasé manner, does an excellent job of pushing the people he meets to their limits, to reveal as much as possible about the enigma that is Scientology. Although we don't get up close and personal with any of the leaders of the Church (they refuse to be filmed), this is a fascinating look at a cult that seems to have brainwashed a significant number of people in the US, including most famously Tom Cruise (see Cruise running here), and continues to gain followers.
Through re-enactments and unexpected meetings, Theroux reveals more than the Scientologists would like about their religion, so much so, in fact, that the members of the clergy have promised to make their own documentary on Louis Theroux by way of revenge, which we wait for with anticipation. Meanwhile, watch this, it is fantastic.
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