Saiyan_Prince_Vegeta This movie shows the bad side of Scientology. Even though Scientology does help people improve their lives, get rid of negative thoughts and Auditing process makes you feel better, it can go all wrong if you make a wrong step. This movie talks about such things that it makes me question if it really all is real, but there are a few famous ex-Scientologists here who most likely are saying the truth. It is interesting why some celebrities like Tom Cruise are not doing anything about Scientology, or perhaps they don't have a choice because they think their lives will be ruined by all the info that Scientology will reveal about them?This movie is worth watching if you want to know why Scientology is so hated by everyone.

swedeandsour This is like a primer for people that know nothing about Scientology, its origins, practices or high profile cases. The more you know about it, the less interesting it gets because there's very little original discovery in the documentary.The beginning was very, very interesting. The first 48 minutes had me glued to the screen. It is a biography of LRH. The rest of it, if you're old enough or read enough, is all from the news.

Screen_Blitz Many can agree that religion stands tall as one of the most controversial topics, and has been since the beginning of time. When engaging in crucial conversations about religious beliefs with your family, friends, or anyone in general; topics like Christianity, Atheism, Buddism, Judaism, or any other religion may be brought up. Then there is the newly found Scientology, a religion found by L. Ron Hubbard, a World War II veteran who journeyed from a lonely military deserter to a highly persuasive leader of this mysterious religion in which many including government officials describe as "corrupt", "strange", or "sinister", too many words to name at the top of my head. Based on the religious practices by the church and the belief system as a whole, it's not too difficult to see why people would conclude to such opinions like these. This jaw-dropping documentary directed by Alex Gibney paints a vivid picture about the works and practices in the Church of Scientology. It begins with a biographical study of L. Ron Hubbard from his tumultuous relationship with his first wife Margaret Grubb, to the finding of the Church of Scientology in the early 1950s, to the rise of followers who worshiped Hubbard as a treatment to mankind, to the morally corrupt practices during the continuation of the church years after his death of a stroke in 1986. The film includes various interviews and news clips by L. Ron Hubbard and the church's chairman David Miscavige as well as some notable celebrities like Paul Haggis, director of the 2005 Oscar winner 'Crash' and actors like John Travolta and Tom Cruise who've risen as some of the most recognized Scientologists in America, and perhaps the world. It is a gripping documentary that shows that sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.This film is more likely than not what I would call somewhat unrealistic if it were made as a suspense thriller. However, this picture is not anything fiction. This is not a documentary dealing with some tragic historical event or a particular individual, it is a documentary dealing with something a deeply corrupt organization that's operating for the past six decades and is still going on today. Diving into crucial aspects such as L. Ron Hubbard's motivations in the foundation, church's abnormal practices by the followers, the various court cases conflicting with the church, and the overall belief system of the Church that sound more like elements of sci-fi flick; this film does not shy away from details or does it try to meander crucial facts, though some may argue that Alex Gibney aims for a bias direction. The further the film ventures through these spine-chilling topics, the more it captures your interest as it progresses, you become hungry for more and more information as the film goes on. Throughout the two hours, you can't help but think about actors like Tom Cruise and become pessimistic about how it could affect his life and possibly his career judging by how the Church of Scientology, according to many, manipulated him into divorcing his lover Nicole Kidman because they saw her as an enemy, though Cruise himself disclaims this. It also makes you wonder about how they played in role in the split between him and his wife Katie Holmes, although the documentary surprisingly never covers this.The Church of Scientology has been involved with crime, espionage, privacy violations and other heinous acts to protect their beliefs, and the law enforcement has tried time and time again to put a stop to their behavior but have struggled due to the interference by the freedom of religion of the first amendment. From then on, the controversial lifestyle of the church has continued and have intruded with other businesses and organizations including the legal system. The more you learn you about this, the more infuriated you feel about the unsettling influence it has on the members of the church, particularly on John Travolta and Tom Cruise who once held Hollywood's most crowd-pleasing image but experience a decline in their reputation for their involvement in the church. Viewers may ask why do they just leave, from the information the film gathers, leaving the church is nowhere near as easy as one might imagine. In fact, it is one of the most dangerous situations a member of the church could make. The church does not accept leavings of the church very well and enact heinous retaliations of those attempt to do so, hence the subtitle "Prison of Belief". According to CEO David Miscavige, a member is either full into the church or not in the church at all.Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief is a highly engrossing documentary of one of the most controversial organizations in the world. It is a film that is destined to leave viewers swallowing and engage in deep conversations long after the credits roll. This is by far one of the most thought-provoking and important documentaries everyone needs to see.

CinemaClown An incredibly captivating, thoroughly entertaining & downright unnerving documentary that deconstructs the inner-working of the Church of Scientology, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief is an in-depth look at its history, its rise from a cult organisation to new religious movement, its belief system, the role of celebrities who are part of it, and its long- standing allegations of psychological abuse & exploitation that occur within the church.Using archive footages & interviews from former Scientologists who describe their very own experiences when they were part of it, the story of Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief is told in three segments. The first part follows these ex-members as they recount how they came across it. The second gives a brief overview of Scientology and also skims through the life of its founder, L. Ron Hubbard. And the final act brings forth the dark stuff & ruthless measures the church takes to silence any criticism.Written & directed by Alex Gibney, Going Clear is riveting from the first frame to the last and only gets more unsettling as the plot progresses. While it inclines more towards uncovering the disturbing secrets of this new religion that still remains shrouded in mystery, it also says a lot about the absurdity & dangers of blind faith, as evident in every religion, and illustrates how people are manipulated into joining these belief systems that promises a solution to all their problems but soon begins to strangle them with its entrapments.Although what it offers is clearly a one-sided perspective, it looks as if it's got enough data to support its claims against the Church of Scientology. Almost every argument it puts forth feels like a result of endless research & extensive investigation and the various accusations made by its interviewees, comprising mostly of former members of the church, gives those existing rumours an added weight. While it certainly sheds more light on things that usually don't get to see the light of day, much of it can still be applied to every religion in existence.However, what makes Going Clear such an intriguing sit isn't the content it has in store but how all of it is presented to the unsuspecting & curious audience. It's informative, in a way, to people who aren't much familiar with this new religious movement but it's also one damn good entertainment, something only few documentaries ever manage to excel at. The story also addresses the roles famous celebrities like John Travolta & Tom Cruise have played in promoting the religion and the special treatment the church bestows them with in order to keep them around.From a technical standpoint, there isn't really anything to complain about this documentary. It's crafted with a razor-sharp intent, seems to have done all the background check before making its accusations, the re-enactment sequences may seem a bit exaggerated but then, it is as per the ex-members' confessions, more or less. Its three segment narrative gives it a more refined & easy-to-follow structure, Editing is definitely one of its biggest strengths and the interviews with these former Scientologists is wholly engrossing. And much of it is made possible by Gibney's impeccable direction.On an overall scale, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief is a masterly crafted, cleverly assembled & expertly told exposé of one of the most controversial subject matters in the present world. As revelatory as it is enthralling, this picture has the charged intensity of a thriller and considering the Church of Scientology's notoriety for filing lawsuits against its critics, it's truly a bold piece of documentary filmmaking that does exactly what it set out to do plus the blatant criticism it received from the church prior to its release only helped in providing it the publicity it required. A powerful, discomforting & spellbinding work of non- fiction cinema, Going Clear comes strongly recommended.