FilmSnobReviews

Title: Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Director: Alex Gibney
Starring: Paul Haggis, Mark Rathbun, Sylvia Taylor
Runtime: 2 hr

What It Is: A profile on eight former member of the Church of Scientology. In it we are treated to both an understanding on this mysterious “religion” as well as what the belief system is insofar as it is known by those that have achieved the higher levels of operating thetan or OT. They tell us about both the pluses and minuses about being a part of this “religion”. In addition Gibney who has won an Academy Award for his documentaries in the past. Winning one for 2007’s Taxi to the Dark Side which looked at an innocent man tortured and killed in Bagram Air Force Base. It is the delicate sentimentality for it’s individual subjects that makes Going Clear a real look into the secretive society known as Scientology.

What We Think: This is such a haunting documentary. Gibney uses facts and the color white to almost wipe away the facades put up by the PR machine behind Scientology. One thing I think was too evident was Gibney’s sort of anti-Scientology stance. This however could have been due to the declination of most of the current hierarchy behind the church to be a part of Gibney’s movie. Either way having publicly known former figures of the church be a part helps add some Pathos and validity to Gibney’s perspective.

Our Grade: B+, Taking something as enigmatic as this belief and trying to tell a story about it is really difficult. Gibney truly does his best with the material (or lack thereof). In addition his interviews seem real and have a visceral look about them. Particularly director Paul Haggis seems like an resentful former member however theres a story about a woman losing her child to the church that crushes you. This story is a breathing thing a real life terror formed like a belief system. Thank to HBO you can watch this now…so do it!

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