99 minutes, Documentary
Last year, documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney’s GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF provided audiences with a comprehensive introduction and study into Scientology and its founder. By way of interviewing former members (some of which were very high-up the Scientology order) and sticking to astounding facts, GOING CLEAR was as mind-blowing as it was informative and educational. MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE follows well-known British-American journalist and documentarian Louis Theroux as he investigates what really goes on behind Scientology walls. Alongside Theroux is Marty Rathbun (one of many guests from Gibney’s film), a long-serving former member of The Church of Scientology who held a prominent position within the church hierarchy.
MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE, presented by Theroux, is a mixed bag of insight and entertainment into a world in which those on the outside often deem to be crazy and those who live inside are crazy about. Sporadically shifting gears as a work of light entertainment, being keenly informational and as a confrontational expose, it is often difficult to distinguish the objective of this documentary. A generous number of scenes from MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE involve re-enacting events that reportedly took place inside various Scientology locations. Whilst some of these scenes purport their purpose, an over-reliance on them ultimately becomes a distraction from the truly fascinating material we’re not quite being shown enough of. Structurally, this is unevenly produced and prone to causing some confusion too. Nevertheless, the drawcard to this documentary leaves it well-worth seeing – MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE is easily at its most exciting and interesting when Theroux is casually and politely, yet without intimidation, ruffling the feathers of Scientologist members. And to see what those Scientologists do once their feathers have been ruffled! My advice – use GOING CLEAR to better understand this religion and further educate yourself before witnessing the more confrontational MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE.
3 out of 5
M – Coarse Language
Moviedoc wishes to thank Madman Cinema, Sophie from Madman Cinema and the Cinema NOVA for the invitation to the media screening of MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE
“LIKE” on Facebook
Moviedoc 
Leave a comment