‘My Scientology Movie’
Scientology documentaries have practically earned their own genre at this point, and it’s not hard to see why; the harrowing tales of the Church’s creepy, corrupt underbelly make for compelling on-screen material. While a lot of the films are hard-hitting, traditionally-structured deep-dives into the scandals, Louis Theroux’s My Scientology Movie shakes up the formula with a spin of his own. From the beginning, Theroux accepts the fact that he is not going to be able to gain access to the church. His solution? Casting actors as key figures within Scientology to perform reenactments. Fans of Going Clear will recognize Theroux’s main help in his task to uncover the truth; Marty Rathbun, former Inspector General of the Church, who flies in from Texas to give insight and replicate the unsettling indoctrination and intimidation methods used by the Church. The material is just as chilling as it is presented in other formats, but manages to be uniquely entertaining and enlightening in My Scientology Movie.