With Scientology as a documentary subject, you pretty much know what you're in for. Not like there's a lot of love outside of Hollywood for these people. This isn't going to be a love fest. Even still, "Going Clear" goes to some pretty shocking places. Abuses of its members, unscrupulous scare tactics, a hard-on for aggressive litigation; doesn't sound like much when you read that, but it's the frankness of the testimonies from former members that really make it frightening. This is beyond scathing.
The movie's kinda silly when it's about L. Ron Hubbard and the iffy beginnings of the cult/religion/what-have-you, but once it gets to Tom Cruise's involvement in the organization, Scientology just becomes a dark and twisted snakepit of paranoia. David Miscavige, the head of the church, is a true-believer of the scariest kind - only, whether that's in the philosophies that Hubbard espoused or the thirst for tyrannical power is anyone's guess. No one wants to be on that guy's bad side.
This is some sinister stuff, but also utterly fascinating. Not sure it's something I want to sit through again anytime soon, but it's highly watchable from start to finish.
Definitely recommended.
7/10
Seriously, you have to wonder what kind of dirt they have on these Hollywood stars (Cruise, Travolta) to keep them towing the company line like they do.
The movie's kinda silly when it's about L. Ron Hubbard and the iffy beginnings of the cult/religion/what-have-you, but once it gets to Tom Cruise's involvement in the organization, Scientology just becomes a dark and twisted snakepit of paranoia. David Miscavige, the head of the church, is a true-believer of the scariest kind - only, whether that's in the philosophies that Hubbard espoused or the thirst for tyrannical power is anyone's guess. No one wants to be on that guy's bad side.
This is some sinister stuff, but also utterly fascinating. Not sure it's something I want to sit through again anytime soon, but it's highly watchable from start to finish.
Definitely recommended.
7/10
Seriously, you have to wonder what kind of dirt they have on these Hollywood stars (Cruise, Travolta) to keep them towing the company line like they do.