"But I've heard it's just brainwashing." Louis Theroux If you come to this comic documentary to better understand the philosophy of Scientology, you'd be better off looking at the HBO version. My Scientology Movie is documentarian Louis Theroux's attempt to get into the compound and learn about it—the best he can do is recreate some of the better-known actions with actors on a sound stage.Sure, Tom Cruise is the most notorious member, but you'll see only snippets of him, especially when he accepts a grand medal from leader David Miscavige. Both do little in real life to mitigate the claim that this is a cult with severe laws and punishments. When Theroux has an actor play Miscavige as an almost maniac in the recreated meeting house "The Hole," well, it's scary.The doc does well when it shows the various control features of the religion's administration; it does not so well showing what the regimen of clearing (like confession for Catholics) does, how it carries through one's life. It does reveal the big sums participants pay at each level of achievement (one claimed already to have paid $50 K for a mid-level rank).As for the comedy claimed by the IMDb description, to me there was little to none except Theroux's droll take and his surprisingly neutral attitude where Michael Moore would have scowled his way all around the building. The constant adversarial tone between the filmmakers and the religion drags after a while.We're there to get in inside scoop; we get little scoops of very little except the growing suspicion that we are dealing with a cult that will cleanse you of emotional baggage and purse.

I find Scientology and cults in general a fascinating subject and have watched most documentaries on the subject including the most recent one by Alex Gibney, Going Clear. Both this and Going Clear are excellent exposes but in different ways. As one reviewer said Going Clear is more factual whilst this one gives you a better feeling of Scientology is all about - a good description in my opinion.I've often got the feeling that Scientology is somewhere between a cult and a religion but this film, more than any other, puts it squarely in the cult category.Right from the outset you get a feel for this. Requests for interviews by Theroux are turned down by the church an almost unheard of response for an organisation that large. Most will have P.R departments ready to go to any and all media interests.This makes it hard for Theroux of course. His usual film making style is subtle and he spends considerable time those involved, something impossible with this subject.So he decides to use actors and actresses to re-enact some of the abuse by the organisation's head, David Miscavige. This is powerful stuff which is different to simply hearing reports of the same abuse.But I found the real behaviour of the real Scientologists even more damning, particularly when coupled with commentary by ex-Scientologists. Near the end of the film the organisation sent a letter to Louis Theroux saying because he was making a documentary about them they intended to make a documentary about him. Such a response seemed just so totally infantile, like a young child's tit for tat: if you take mine I'll take yours kind of response. On top of the rest of the film this gave an insight into just how separated this group is from mainstream society - to even think that was an appropriate response.All in all one comes away with the a real sense that Scientology is run by a powerful and paranoid sociopath who has somehow managed to get away with what he is doing for years. A great effort by Theroux that worked much better than his older documentary on another cult: the Westboro Baptist Church.

"My Scientology Movie" is an interesting documentary. It's certainly not the movie I expected it to be, and nor is it really the movie I wanted. I was thrown by the approach Theroux took, casting actors to play key Scientology figures David Miscavige and Tom Cruise, and having them act out allegedly violent incidents. On a second watch, the pieces fell into place somewhat. Casting actors to play Scientologists is, after all, what made the Church famous! It seemed a deliberate artifice, but as the documentary explains, that was deliberate on behalf of L. Ron Hubbard, who at first tried to convert the top movie stars of the day - Jimmy Stewart and Greta Garbo - knowing that this was the best possible route for exposure of his religion.The "artifice", therefore, only brings you closer to understanding what may have happened behind closed doors, especially when you hear ex-Scientology hatchet man Marty Rathbun instructing the actors in how to sound more like the modern-day emperor, David Miscavige.For a movie with a great deal of deliberate invention, the film also has a few bizarre, unscripted moments, such as the chance appearance of Hollywood party girl Paz de la Huerta, who supposedly thinks Theroux's camera crew are there to film her, and an explosive moment where Marty Rathbun loses his temper with Louis that all fans will want to see for themselves.The overall impression of the movie is that it's not as much of a Louis Theroux documentary as you might expect. He seems like someone lost at sea around all the conflicting information, the allegations, the stalking and newspeak. He doesn't know who to trust, and neither do we.It's an unsettling viewing experience, but a worthwhile one, as long as you don't expect any easy answers.

For those of you who have a keen interest in cults, let me make clear that this film isn't to teach you the ways of Scientology, more to help expose what they're really hiding. It opens with various clips of the Scientology Church just to show you the impact and scale this 'religion' has made and answers the questions, 'why make a film about it?' Enter Louis. One of BBCs most un-intimidating journalists to date. He visits EX Scientologists who expose the Church for what it really is. Going into detail about how many felt they were kept against their will, beaten, and shockingly harassed in their own homes once leaving the church. This side of the film, is very much like his regular programme. The way Louis Interviews, and the filmic style is 'samey', so nothing new here, though very interesting. To fully understand the teaching behind Scientology, Louis hired actors to re create various stages of the Church. This was a very love/hate area for myself. Even though it was entertaining, and it did give you an eerie sense of what goes on behind the Churches doors, it also felt like a forceful 'fill' to separate programme with film. Another issue I had with the film was there seemed to be no attempt to physically contact one of the leaders of the Church, David Miscavidge. Unlike previous documentaries where Louis will forcefully never stop hassling until he gets some form of meeting, this filmed seem to lack that and focus more on the recreation videos. Overall, If you enjoy watching Louis Theroux, then you wont be disappointed. He excels in his journalistic performance. He keeps you on the edge of your seat in such a passive, non aggressive way. Moments of humour are clear in the film, which if you know Theroux style documentaries will fully understand.For those who would like to watch this as a one off, don't expect a comedy and don't expect an educational video. This is about exposure behind closed doors.